fishing - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T13:14:55Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/fishingOn the Water: Exotic fish ready to be caught in Palm Beach County canalshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-exotic-fish-ready-to-be-caught-in-palm-beach-county-2023-10-31T14:36:43.000Z2023-10-31T14:36:43.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12280780083,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12280780083,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="12280780083?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></strong><em>Alan Zaremba holds a peacock bass he caught in a southern Palm Beach County canal. <strong>Photos by Steve Waters/The Coastal Star and provided</strong></em><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Steve Waters</strong></p>
<p>Although South Florida is renowned for its largemouth bass fishing, exotic fish such as peacock bass and snakeheads have established themselves as bucket-list fish for both local and visiting anglers.</p>
<p>One of the best places to catch the latter two species is Lake Ida and the canals that are connected to the lake. They extend from Boca Raton to Boynton Beach.</p>
<p>Peacock bass were stocked in several canals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in the mid-1980s by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fisheries biologist Paul Shafland. His goals were to provide recreational fishing opportunities and for the peacocks, which feed primarily on fish, to control the expanding populations of illegally introduced exotic species such as tilapia and Mayan cichlids. </p>
<p>Shafland’s plan was a huge success. The colorful fish that are native to South America’s Amazon River and its unspoiled jungle tributaries are equally at home in the bustling canals of Palm Beach County. After being stocked, peacock bass migrated north into the Lake Ida chain. </p>
<p>Some of the best fishing is in the C-15 Canal along the Boca Raton-Delray Beach line, the Hunters Run canal just north of the boat ramps at Lake Ida Park in Delray Beach, and the Boca Rio canal that runs along the western side of Florida’s Turnpike in Boca Raton.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12280781093,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12280781093,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="12280781093?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Angler Ed Connell shows off one of 38 big snakeheads he caught on a single fishing trip with Zaremba. <strong>BELOW RIGHT:</strong> Snakeheads are known to be attracted to frog lures floating on the surface of the water. </em></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12280781481,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12280781481,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="300" alt="12280781481?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a>Those same waterways also are home to snakeheads. According to the FWC, bullseye snakeheads are native to Pakistan, Malaysia and southern China. They were first documented locally in 2000. No one knows for certain how they got here, although they were sold by some pet shops, so it’s likely that aquarium owners released the fish, which can grow to about 15 pounds.</p>
<p>What anglers do know is that snakeheads love to chase down lures fished on the surface, they fight hard and their firm, white flesh is low in mercury and can be prepared in a number of tasty ways.</p>
<p>Capt. Alan Zaremba, who specializes in fishing for snakeheads and peacock bass, said his anglers can catch both species on the same trip using hard jerkbaits and topwater plugs in local canals. Snakeheads also bite soft-plastic frogs and jerkbaits fished on the surface.</p>
<p>“To me, this is the best time to go after snakeheads,” Zaremba said. “They seem to be done with all of their spawning; they’re done with protecting their young. And they’re sitting underneath the cover waiting for food, and they’re feeding right now.”</p>
<p>One of his best days was just before a November cold front when he guided his angler to 20 snakeheads. He later smashed that personal best when he and his customer Ed</p>
<p>Connell caught and released 38 snakeheads up to 11 pounds.</p>
<p>They were fishing in shallow, narrow, shabby looking canals in Boca Raton. Snakeheads breathe air, so water quality does not matter to them. They do like canals lined with vegetation, where they wait to ambush small fish as well as frogs, lizards, snakes and baby ducks and birds. </p>
<p>“When I get somebody who wants to target snakeheads, I take them into my ugliest canals and that’s where the best fishing is,” Zaremba said, adding that many of those canals are 4-5 feet deep and shallower. “That’s not to say you can’t find snakeheads in deeper canals, but the ones that are actively feeding are usually in canals with not much water in them, and they’re usually very narrow.”</p>
<p>Zaremba said snakeheads are wary, so long casts are essential to avoid spooking the fish. </p>
<p>He rigs his spinning outfits with 15- and 20-pound braided line, which casts farther than monofilament line of the same strength, and has his anglers retrieve the lures across the surface and parallel to the bank.</p>
<p>When you see the wake of a snakehead following your lure, keep reeling until the fish hits it. Then drop the rod tip, reel up the slack line and set the hook. If all goes well, you can check off the snakehead from your bucket list and even take it home for dinner.</p>
<p><em>Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.</em></p></div>On the Water: Mullet migration spawns some of the most frenzied fishing of yearhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-mullet-migration-spawns-some-of-the-most-frenzied-fi2023-10-03T17:14:12.000Z2023-10-03T17:14:12.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12239020489,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12239020489,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12239020489?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="418" /></a>Anthony Javarone Jr. holds a big jack that he caught on a live mullet while fishing from a boat. The fall mullet migration brings predator fish into play. <strong>Steve Waters/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Steve Waters</strong></p>
<p>You know autumn has arrived in New England when the leaves turn different colors.</p>
<p>You know autumn has arrived in South Florida when tarpon turn cartwheels off the beach.</p>
<p>While many locals head north to catch the fall foliage, Palm Beach County anglers head to beaches, fishing piers and jetties, as well as offshore in powerboats and kayaks, to catch the annual fall mullet run, which starts with a trickle in late September and really gets going in October.</p>
<p>The mullet migration offers some of the best, most frenzied fishing of the year, as a variety of predator species show up to feast on the schools of mullet, which swim south before heading farther offshore to spawn.</p>
<p>Tom Greene of Lighthouse Point, who started fishing the mullet run more than 60 years ago when he worked at Boca Tackle on East Palmetto Park Road, one block west of the Intracoastal Waterway, said Oct. 15 is traditionally when schools of mullet show up in force off area beaches.</p>
<p>“Boynton Inlet has always been great,” said Greene. “Boca Inlet has been good the last 10 years, the north side and south side. Fish early in the morning at Deerfield Pier and Pompano Pier.”</p>
<p>During the mullet run, tarpon and Spanish mackerel will crash into a mullet school, then they and other fish gobble up the stunned and maimed mullet. Bluefish and jack crevalle will tear through a school, and snook will lurk underneath and pick up the pieces. Sharks and ladyfish also get in on the fun. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, pelicans and seagulls attack the mullet from above, which makes locating a mullet school easy.</p>
<p>Live mullet are the preferred bait, but Greene said a number of soft-plastic lures that imitate baitfish will catch their share of fish during the mullet run. Feather jigs, topwater plugs and 5/8-ounce Krocodile spoons, cast just beyond or in front of a mullet school, are also effective.</p>
<p>Greene recommended using a 6½- to 7½-foot fishing rod with 12- to 20-pound monofilament line or 30- to 40-pound braided line.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">A teenage fish tale</span><br /> Greene was a teenager when he pedaled his bicycle to a pavilion at the end of Palmetto Park Road on a Sunday morning. He was going to be in church later, so he left the trousers that he was going to change into with his bike, leaving his wallet in a pocket. Casting live mullet that he’d snagged with his fishing rod, he caught several small jacks off the beach. Then he hooked a fish that he’ll never forget.</p>
<p>“That fish ran out and almost took all the line off my reel,” said Greene, who followed the big fish along the beach to the north jetty of Boca Inlet. “When I got to the inlet, I wasn’t about to let that fish cut me off. My rod had a cork handle and I put that in my mouth. Although the tide was ripping out and sharks were swimming through the inlet —you could see their fins — I swam to the south jetty, then I fought the fish all the way to Deerfield Pier.”</p>
<p>Greene landed the fish, which turned out to be a huge jack, after a three-hour fight. He got a ride to the tackle store, where the fish weighed 43.5 pounds. Then he got a ride to the beach to get his bicycle, where the police were looking for him.</p>
<p>The incoming tide had swept over his bicycle and taken his pants out to sea. A swimmer found the pants floating in the ocean, discovered the wallet and assumed young Tom Greene had fallen overboard offshore.</p>
<p>“One of the cops said, ‘Tom, what are you doing here? We heard you were lost in the ocean,’” Greene said. “Then I had to call my mother. That was the scariest thing, but fortunately nobody had called her to say I was missing.”</p>
<p><em>Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.</em></p></div>Summer Fishing Tournamentshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/summer-fishing-tournaments2022-04-28T16:00:32.000Z2022-04-28T16:00:32.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>Fishing Tournaments 2022</strong></p>
<p><br /> <strong>May 14: Lantana Fishing Derby.</strong> Captain’s meeting set for 6 p.m. May 12 at the Lantana Recreation Center, 418 S. Dixie Highway. The awards party is set for May 15 at the recreation center. Entry fee $200 per boat by May 1 or $250 thereafter. Register online at <a href="http://www.Lantanafishingderby.com">www.Lantanafishingderby.com</a>. For details, call the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce at 561-585-8664.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>May 14: Saltwater Shootout</strong> based in Pompano Beach. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. May 12 at Pompano Beach Civic Center, 1801 NE Sixth St. Weigh-in at Alsdorf Park. Entry fee $401.25 by April 29 and $508.25 thereafter. Register online at <a href="http://www.bluewatermovements.com">www.bluewatermovements.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 4: The Palm Beach County KDW Classic</strong> organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and based at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. Entry fee $225 per boat ($200 for fishing club members) by May 20 or $300 per boat after May 20. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 3 at Riviera Beach marina, 200 E. 13th St. Riviera Beach. Register online at <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>. For details, call 561-832-6780.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 11: Saltwater Slam</strong> based in Pompano Beach. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 9 at Pompano Beach Civic Center, 1801 NE Sixth St. Entry fee $401.25 per boat by May 27 or $508.25 thereafter. Weigh-in at Sullivan Park in Deerfield Beach. Register online at <a href="http://www.bluewatermovements.com">www.bluewatermovements.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 25: Big Dog, Fat Cat KDW Shootout</strong> based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Kickoff party 7 p.m. June 7 at Sailfish Marina. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 24 at Sailfish Marina. Weigh-in at Sailfish Marina. Early entry fee $150 per boat. Register online at <a href="http://www.bigdogfatcat.org">www.bigdogfatcat.org</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>July 16: Lake Worth Fishing Tournament</strong> based at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Check the Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle website at <a href="http://www.tuppensmarine.com">www.tuppensmarine.com</a> for updates.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>Aug. 13: Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament.</strong> Captain’s meeting Aug. 11 at Delray Beach Elks Lodge. Weigh-in at Palm Beach Yacht Center. Check <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a> for updates.</p></div>On the Water: SHARK ATTACKS: Study looks at thefts from anglers’ lineshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-shark-attacks-study-looks-at-thefts-from-anglers-lin2021-11-01T20:01:19.000Z2021-11-01T20:01:19.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9757380891,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9757380891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9757380891?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>A study by Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Mississippi State University is researching sharks that steal fish from anglers. Capt. Jake Booth holds a wahoo caught in 500 feet of water off Boynton Beach that was mutilated by a shark. Much of the wahoo was still salvaged for food. <strong>Photo provided by Capt. Chris Agardy, Fish Envy Charters.</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Marine scientists are stepping up research on the problem of sharks stealing hooked fish by way of a study that will rely, in part, on reports from anglers along Florida’s east coast.</p>
<p>Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and researchers at Mississippi State University are sharing a $195,306 grant from NOAA Fisheries to gather more information on the frequency, location and species of sharks involved in shark depredation.</p>
<p>“Few studies have quantified the impact of depredation in recreational fisheries,” said Matt Ajemian, principal investigator on the study and director of the Fisheries Ecology and Conservation Lab at FAU Harbor Branch.</p>
<p>Ajemian has been working with the Facebook group named Sportsmen Fighting for Marine Balance. He and other researchers are asking anglers to continue to post photos and other information on the Facebook site when sharks maul or steal hooked fish.</p>
<p>Scientists would like information on the type of fish hit by sharks, the species of shark involved (if it can be determined) and the general location of where the depredation happened, such as depth, distance from shore and general location along the coast.</p>
<p>They’re not asking anglers to share precise fishing spots.</p>
<p>Palm Beach County offshore anglers have noticed the shark-stealing-fish problem for years, and some say it’s getting worse.</p>
<p>“The sharks are horrible,” said veteran Boynton Beach charter captain Chris Lemieux. “It’s a serious issue.”</p>
<p>Capt. Chip Sheehan of Boynton Beach-based Chips Ahoy Charters said he has seen the shark problem escalate in the past two years to include the mauling of sailfish — billfish that are almost always released alive by sport fishermen.</p>
<p>Sheehan, who has been charter fishing in the waters off Palm Beach County for 30 years, said about 20 of his sailfish have been attacked by sharks annually during the past two winter seasons.</p>
<p>Before that, he said, his sailfish were never “sharked.”<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9757384080,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9757384080,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9757384080?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="329" height="712" /></a></p>
<p><em>One of Capt. Chris Lemieux’s charter clients holds a sailfish that was </em><em>mutilated by a shark after being hooked off southern Palm Beach County. </em><em>Anglers release most sailfish they catch. <strong>Photo provided by Lemieux Fishing Charters</strong></em></p>
<p>The problem of sharks eating fish hooked by anglers used to flare up mostly during the warm months, Sheehan said. Now, he said, it happens all year.</p>
<p>“Now you stop the boat and they’re sitting there waiting,” Sheehan said, referring to the sharks, which he says are mostly bull sharks and sandbar sharks. <br /> One goal of the study is to positively identify which species of sharks are eating hooked fish. It can be hard to differentiate sharks, especially when they might be seen only for a few seconds, often well below the surface. Ajemian said the Mississippi State scientists will use DNA taken from the tissue of bitten fish to identify the sharks involved.</p>
<p><br /> <br /> <strong>FWC proposes limited goliath grouper harvest</strong></p>
<p>After years of debate over the fate of protected goliath grouper, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a draft rule that would allow a limited harvest of the grouper in state waters.</p>
<p>The draft rule, approved in October, is expected to come back to the commission for a final vote in March.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9757386253,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9757386253,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9757386253?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>A goliath grouper. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p><br /> The proposed harvest of goliath grouper would not be allowed in state waters off Palm Beach County or those south of Palm Beach through the Atlantic side of the Florida Keys.</p>
<p>In other parts of the state, the rule would allow the recreational harvest of up to 200 goliaths annually by anglers who win a random-draw lottery — and pay for a tag, priced at $500 under the proposal.</p>
<p>The limit would be one grouper per person annually. The season would be March 1 to May 31, and fish would have to measure between 20 inches and 36 inches to be legal to keep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lagoon restoration area expanding</strong></p>
<p>The Tarpon Cove restoration area in the Lake Worth Lagoon is expanding with the addition of two more mangrove islands being created in part with sand dredged for the town of Palm Beach Marina expansion.</p>
<p>The $2.1 million project was scheduled to begin in October and should be complete in the spring.</p>
<p>Tarpon Cove is located on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway north of Southern Boulevard. Its two existing mangrove islands were completed in March 2020.</p>
<p>It’s one of several restoration islands created by Palm Beach County environmental officials, working with many partners, to improve habitat in the Lake Worth Lagoon — the estuary that stretches from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge.</p>
<p>Shorebirds are using the Tarpon Cove islands. Black skimmers and least terns arrived in May and nested.</p>
<p>Other birds observed at Tarpon Cove include blue herons, plovers, black-necked stilts, white ibises, roseate spoonbills, ruddy turnstones and a variety of gulls and terns.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Coming events</strong></p>
<p>Nov. 6: Lagoonfest celebrating the Lake Worth Lagoon, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. along Flagler Drive, downtown West Palm Beach. Guided boat tours, kayak tours, sailing lessons, touch tanks, games and face painting for kids, native tree giveaway. Free. Details at <a href="http://www.Lagoonfest.com">www.Lagoonfest.com</a>.<br /> Dec. 4: Dust ’Em Off Sailfish Warmup tournament. Details and registration at <a href="http://www.dustemoffsailfish.com">www.dustemoffsailfish.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Email tiowillie@bellsouth.net</em></p></div>On the Water: Silver Palm Park, boat ramp closed for long-term constructionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-silver-palm-park-boat-ramp-closed-for-long-term-cons2021-09-28T13:55:50.000Z2021-09-28T13:55:50.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9619616882,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9619616882,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9619616882?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>BOYNTON PARK TO GET NEW RAMPS: Boat launch ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park will close in the spring, probably in April and May, so they can be rebuilt. </em><strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star </strong></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Boca Raton’s Silver Palm Park and its boat ramp closed on Sept. 7 as work began to transform the 3.7-acre park with new amenities.<br /> The closure is expected to continue for about six months. New boat ramp permits will not be issued until the park reopens once construction is complete.<br /> The adjacent 2.3-acre Wildflower Park closed in January, also for construction work.<br /> When the multimillion-dollar Wildflower/Silver Palm Park project is completed, the parks will be connected and will include promenades, a pavilion, event lawn, enhanced landscaping, a third boat ramp and public art.<br /> <br /> In Boynton Beach, popular boat-launching ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park will close for two months in the spring so the aging ramps can be rebuilt.<br /> The four launch ramps have been damaged over the years — partly because boat propeller thrust, created when boaters use their engines to push vessels onto trailers, has undermined the base that supports the ramps.<br /> Gary Dunmyer, interim director of public works and engineering for Boynton Beach, has heard complaints from boaters about crumbling concrete on the launch ramps, which he said have reached the end of their useful life.<br /> The Florida Inland Navigation District will pay the $1.2 million cost of rebuilding the ramps, which means taxpayers from 12 Florida counties bordering the Atlantic Ocean will share in the cost of the work.<br /> Closing the Oyer Park boat ramps for construction is expected to happen during April and May, though the schedule could change based on the availability and arrival time of materials needed for the job.<br /> The contractor, which had not been selected as of early September, must have the materials on site before work can begin, Dunmyer said. The goal is to minimize the number of days boaters will have to go elsewhere to launch and retrieve their boats while the Oyer Park ramps are renovated.<br /> Dunmyer said the contract stipulates that the ramp rebuilding must be completed within 60 days after work begins. <br /> Updates on the project can be found at <a href="http://www.Boynton-Beach.org/newsletter">www.Boynton-Beach.org/newsletter</a>. <br /> Alternative boat ramps in the Boca Raton/Boynton Beach area include Knowles Park at 1001 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach; Mangrove Park at 1211 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach; Sportsman’s Park at 320 E. Ocean Ave. in Lantana; Bryant Park on Golfview Road at Second Avenue South in Lake Worth Beach, and to the south, Pioneer Park at 217 NE Fifth Ave. in Deerfield Beach. <br /> Prices for next year’s annual parking passes at Oyer Park — required for the extra-long truck/trailer spaces — have been adjusted to reflect the two-month construction closure. The annual pass price will be $165 for Florida residents and $290 for out-of-state residents. <br /> Separately, Palm Beach County, working with the city of Boynton Beach, plans to dredge the channel leading from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Oyer Park boat ramps. <br /> Dredging should make the channel 3 to 4 feet deeper and will be done in conjunction with the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway and the sand trap inside Boynton Inlet, said Andy Studt, environmental program supervisor with Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management. <br /> The dredging work is expected to begin in February or March, depending on the time required to obtain permits.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9619978266,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9619978266,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9619978266?profile=RESIZE_400x" width="240" /></a>Bobber’s Under wins top prize in Gerretson</span><br /> Ryan Lucas and his teammates on Bobber’s Under won the prize for heaviest fish in the 26th annual Mark Gerretson Memorial tournament with a 22.6-pound kingfish.<br /> The Bobber’s Under team won $1,600 for the kingfish, which it caught in somewhat sloppy seas Aug. 28. <br /> Josh Obem and his team on The Boat King won the kingfish division and a $1,000 prize with a 17.8-pound kingfish.<br /> Marc Herman and his team on Uranus weighed the heaviest dolphinfish (mahi mahi) at 8.6 pounds to win $1,000. <br /> Mia Scalo won the mystery fish category (and top female angler) with a 0.8-pound yellowtail snapper.<br /> Sixteen boats participated. The event was postponed by two weeks because of unstable weather during the second week of August.<br /> No wahoo were weighed in this year’s tournament, and none of the fishing teams delivered a trifecta — kingfish, dolphin and wahoo — meaning the trifecta prize increases to $4,000 for next year’s tournament.<br /> Named for its late founder, the Gerretson tournament is run by volunteers and is a nonprofit organization that benefits youth causes in Delray Beach.</p>
<p><em>LEFT: Marc Herman prepares to weigh an 8.6-pound dolphinfish at Palm Beach Yacht Center. It was the largest dolphin caught in the 26th annual Mark Gerretson Memorial tournament, held Aug. 28.<br /> </em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Fort Lauderdale boat show starts Oct. 27</span><br /> The 62nd annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is set for Oct. 27-31 based at Bahia Mar Yachting Center, 801 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. <br /> General admission tickets cost $37 for adults and $15 for ages 6-15. The show managers with Informa note that 80% of the show will be outdoors and that health safety protocols will be in place.<br /> Show hours are 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. except on opening day (Oct. 27), when the hours are noon to 5 p.m. The show closes at 6 p.m. Oct. 31.<br /> Details and tickets can be found at <a href="http://www.flibs.com">www.flibs.com</a>.</p>
<p><em>Mary Hladky contributed to this column.</em></p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Email tiowillie@bellsouth.net.<br /> </em></p>
<p><em> </em></p></div>On the Water: AAH, SUMMERTIMEhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-aah-summertime2021-06-01T20:29:54.000Z2021-06-01T20:29:54.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9021255891,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9021255891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9021255891?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Mike Champlin and Ryan Golubovic with a small wahoo Champlin caught off Mar-a-Lago. The wahoo hit a bonito belly strip trolled below the surface behind a planer. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard / The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Ocean fishing heats up with tournaments, family outings</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Many South Florida anglers look forward to the warm days of summer — a time to enjoy fishing the ocean with friends and family for catch such as mahi mahi, kingfish, mutton snapper, blackfin tuna and wahoo. </p>
<p>With the onset of long days, hot weather and relatively calm seas come a host of fishing tournaments (see list below), most of them targeting kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. </p>
<p><strong>A few tips to consider when fishing the ocean during the summer:</strong></p>
<p>• Get out early and finish early. Avoid the worst of the heat and the afternoon storms. Wear long sleeves, hats, sunscreen and sunglasses for sun protection. Drink plenty of water.<br /> • Use live bait when possible. Catch it yourself with a cast net, small jig or sabiki rig (depending on the type of bait), or buy it from one of the boats that sell live bait, such as the Dynamite Live Bait boat often found just inside Boynton Inlet. <br /> • If you hook a nice fish, tighten down the drag and move the boat toward the fish to bring it in before the sharks find it. Sharks’ eating hooked fish has become a year-round challenge for anglers fishing the waters off Palm Beach County. <br /> • Fish deeper after the sun warms the water. Use weight, trolling planers or downriggers to get your bait below the surface. Try attaching a 2- or 3-ounce bank sinker to the line about 20 feet up from the bait by looping a No. 16 rubber band over the line and through the bank sinker. When the sinker comes up on the line during the fight, break the rubber band, then continue the fight. <br /> • Look out for other boats. Don’t intrude on another boat’s fishing spot, but if several boats are lined up along the coast a few miles off the beach, chances are they’re drifting or trolling around weed mats for mahi mahi. You should be able to fish the same general area without invading the space of anglers on another boat. </p>
<p>There’s no need to own a boat to fish the ocean. </p>
<p>Try fishing on one of the inexpensive local “drift boats” such as the Lady K based in Lantana, the Living on Island Time in Hypoluxo or the Sea Mist III in Boynton Beach — or find a private charter at marinas such as Boynton Harbor Marina in Boynton Beach, Sportsman’s Park in Lantana or Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Sport lobster season in late July</strong> </span></p>
<p>Florida’s two-day sport lobster season is set for July 28-29.</p>
<p>The daily bag limit is 12 spiny lobster per diver, except in Biscayne National Park and Monroe County (Florida Keys), where the daily limit is six. </p>
<p>Night diving is prohibited in Monroe County during the two-day sport season.</p>
<p>Divers must each have a valid Florida saltwater fishing license and lobster permit, unless exempt. </p>
<p>Lobsters must be measured underwater and landed in whole condition. The lobster’s carapace, or head section, must exceed 3 inches. </p>
<p>No egg-bearing lobster may be harvested. (Look for the orange, spongy mass under the lobster.)</p>
<p>Divers must display diver-down flags from boats and in the water and stay close to their flags. </p>
<p>The regular lobster season opens Aug. 6 and continues through March 31.</p>
<p>For details, go to <a href="http://www.myfwc.com">www.myfwc.com</a> and search for “spiny lobster.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9021259060,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9021259060,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9021259060?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Jorge Nunez holds the 51-inch kingfish he caught in April using a live goggle-eye in 100 feet of water off The Breakers hotel. Fishing action for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo tends to heat up with the water temperatures during June and July.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Youth fishing skills program</strong></span></p>
<p>The West Palm Beach Fishing Club is offering a fishing skills program for youths ages 12-15 who are accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone.</p>
<p>This summer’s SALTY program will be held June 18-19. </p>
<p>To request an application, call the fishing club at 561-832-6780.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Fishing tournaments</strong></span></p>
<p>June 5: The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s KDW Classic, based at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. Captains meeting and late registration begins at 6 p.m. June 4 at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. Entry fee $300 per boat. Call 561-832-6780 or visit <a href="http://www.kdwclassic.com">www.kdwclassic.com</a>.</p>
<p>June 5: Ladies Fish-Off, Alsdorf Park, Pompano Beach. Register at <a href="http://www.ladiesfishoff.com">www.ladiesfishoff.com</a>. Awards brunch June 6. Instagram updates at LadiesFishOff.</p>
<p>June 12: Lantana Fishing Derby with weigh-in at the Old Key Lime House restaurant. Captains party set for 6-9 p.m. June 10 at the Lantana Recreation Center. The awards barbecue is 11:30 a.m. June 13 at Lantana Recreation Center. Eligible fish: kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Entry fee $250 for up to four anglers. Enter at <a href="http://www.LantanaFishingDerby.com">www.LantanaFishingDerby.com</a>. </p>
<p>June 12: Hospice KDW Shootout Charity Fishing Tournament. Captains meeting 5-7:30 p.m. June 10 at Hurricane Bar & Lounge, 640 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Weigh-in at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Entry fee $300 per boat. Call Mike Goodridge at 561-703-1907.</p>
<p>June 12: Saltwater Slam for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, tuna and cobia. Captains meeting 6 p.m. June 10 at Pompano Beach Civic Center. Weigh-in 4-8 p.m. at Sullivan Park, Deerfield Beach. Awards June 13. Entry fee $475 per boat. 954-725-4010 or <a href="http://www.saltwaterslam.com">www.saltwaterslam.com</a>. </p>
<p>June 19: Lake Worth Fishing Tournament for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo and snapper. Captains meeting 6 p.m. June 17 at Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle in Lake Worth Beach. Weigh-in at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Entry fee $175 per boat by June 13 or $250 thereafter. Details and entry form at <a href="http://www.Lakeworthfishingtournament.com">www.Lakeworthfishingtournament.com</a>. </p>
<p>July 10: Big Dog, Fat Cat KDW Shootout based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. A kickoff party is set for 7 p.m. June 23 at Sailfish Marina. The captains meeting and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m. July 9. Fishing will be from 6:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. July 10. Eligible fish: kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Enter at <a href="http://www.bigdogfatcat.org">www.bigdogfatcat.org</a>.</p>
<p>Aug. 14: Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo and a mystery fish. Captains meeting is at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at Delray Beach Elks Lodge, 265 NE Fourth Ave., Delray Beach.Weigh-in is at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Details at <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a>. </p>
<p>Through Sept. 6: CCA/Florida’s STAR tournament. Prizes include college scholarships for youths and $10,000 for the registered angler who catches the first tagged dolphinfish (mahi mahi).</p>
<p>Prizes awarded for submitting photos of trash collected from the water. Young anglers can get community service hours for removing trash from the water and documenting their work by submitting a photo taken with the STAR measuring device.</p>
<p>Official 2021 STAR measuring devices are available at marine stores such as West Marine in Delray Beach or Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle in Lake Worth Beach.<br /> Entry fee $40 for CCA members or $75 for non-members, including a one-year CCA membership. Register at <a href="https://ccaflstar.com">https://ccaflstar.com</a> or call 844-387-7827.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9021259269,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9021259269,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9021259269?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Scott Hart with a mahi mahi (dolphinfish) caught around mats of floating sargassum on a calm summer day. Calm summer seas give anglers the opportunity to run well offshore to search for weed mats and mahi mahi.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Tip of the month</strong></span></p>
<p>With more divers taking to the water during the summer and the two-day sport lobster season set for late July, boaters should be especially careful to watch for red-and-white dive flags displayed on boats and on floats pulled by divers in the water. Boat operators should stay at least 300 feet away from dive flags in open water and at least 100 feet away in inlets, rivers and channels.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Email tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></strong></p></div>Wahoo! What a catch Geno Fishing Charters, Lantana — April 6https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/wahoo-what-a-catch-geno-fishing-charters-lantana-april-62021-04-27T19:58:51.000Z2021-04-27T19:58:51.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8857055471,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8857055471,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="400" alt="8857055471?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a>Capt. Geno Pratt, left, kneels alongside the 101-pound wahoo caught aboard his Geno V. The anglers trolled a bonito strip and sea witch behind a planer in 160 feet of water off the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Pratt said the wahoo was the largest he has caught off Palm Beach County in 55 years of charter fishing. It measured 77 inches. Kneeling to the other side of the fish are angler Scott Farrell and Geno V mate Jeff Tom. <strong>Photo provided</strong></p></div>On the Water: Pompano team is tops in Hope Town United sailfish eventhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-pompano-team-is-tops-in-hope-town-united-sailfish-ev2020-12-29T19:17:49.000Z2020-12-29T19:17:49.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8361802486,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8361802486,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8361802486?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Capt. Art Sapp (center) and his Native Son team based in Pompano Beach stand for photos after beating 39 other boats to win the Hope Town United Sailfish Tournament with 13 live-bait releases posted in two days of fishing last month. The team won $79,180. <strong>Photo provided by Hope Town United</strong></em></p>
<p>By Willie Howard</p>
<p>Sailfish tournament veteran Art Sapp of Pompano Beach ran his 39-foot Sea Vee Native Son to the waters off Martin and St. Lucie counties to win the inaugural Hope Town United Sailfish Tournament with 13 sailfish releases scored in two days of fishing. </p>
<p>Often a top contender in South Florida’s winter sailfish tournaments, Sapp and his Native Son team won $79,180 along with a trophy depicting the Hope Town Lighthouse in the Bahamas.</p>
<p>Sapp said most of his team’s sailfish — along with a few mahi mahi and a blackfin tuna — were caught using the standard South Florida tournament bait presentation: live goggle-eyes and threadfin herrings dangled under fishing kites. </p>
<p>The Native Son team fished off Hobe Sound on the first day of the tournament, held Dec. 11-12, and farther north off Port St. Lucie on the second day. </p>
<p>Team Wrapped Up, led by Capt. Dave Dalfo and fishing aboard a 61-foot Spencer, scored seven released using dead bait to win the dead-bait division and $23,290. </p>
<p>Capt. Chris Agardy, who operates Fish Envy Charters based at Boynton Harbor Marina, fished on the No Regrets team that finished second overall in the live-bait division, with a two-day total of 10 releases.</p>
<p>Agardy said the No Regrets captain, Garrett Graue, chose to run his 38-foot boat north to the waters off Stuart, which paid off. No Regrets won top boat on the first day of fishing, with seven releases, and squeezed out another three releases on the second day, despite stormy weather.</p>
<p>An aggressive bull shark almost changed the score for the No Regrets crew. Agardy said the shark chased the team’s last sailfish of the tournament, forcing a quick run to the fish and release before the shark could reach it.</p>
<p>Team No Choos, a Bahama 41 skippered by George Brittain of Palm Beach, finished third overall. Brittain’s team also posted 10 sailfish releases over two days but placed behind No Regrets based on the time of the releases. </p>
<p>As is common practice in modern sailfish tournaments, each sailfish release was documented on video and uploaded for the tournament committee to review, eliminating the need to put human observers on boats. </p>
<p>“The majority of teams definitely follow gentleman’s rules,” tournament director Courtney Bowden said. “However, when you add prize money to the mix, you can never be too careful. Team transparency is key. Video validation ensures this.”</p>
<p>The Hope Town United tournament offered live scoring and team information through its own app, developed by Reel Time Apps.</p>
<p>The tournament was a fundraiser for Hope Town United, a nonprofit organization that is raising money for restoration work on Elbow Cay on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. </p>
<p>Elbow Cay was hit hard by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. More than 70% of the area’s homes were destroyed or badly damaged, according to Hope Town United. For details, visit <a href="http://www.hopetownunited.org">www.hopetownunited.org</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8361804687,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8361804687,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8361804687?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>The Miss Mae team, on a 38-foot Jupiter captained by Brion Weinberg (in background), shows off the 19.3-pound wahoo caught by Luc Croteau (front center) on Dec. 11, the first day of the sailfish tournament. Anglers released all sailfish but brought fish such as kingfish, dolphin and wahoo to the scales at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. <strong>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8361824655,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8361824655,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8361824655?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Anglers on the Southern Ground, based in Delray Beach, won nearly $50,000 in prize money after catching nine sailfish in this early season tournament. In the tower are (l-r) Blake Johnson, Colin Page and Steven Rivero. Below are (l-r) Christian Mignano, David Beaumont, David Elliott, Callum Parrott and Evan Halberg.</em><br /><strong><em>Photo provided</em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>More sailfish tournaments scheduled in January</strong></p>
<p>Popular catch-and-release sailfish tournaments set for January in Palm Beach County include:<br /> Jan. 7-8: The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s 84th annual Silver Sailfish Derby. Started in 1935, the Derby is considered the longest-running billfish tournament anywhere. Entry fee: $1,300 for fishing club members or $1,800 for nonmembers. The Derby begins with a captain’s meeting Jan. 6. Register at <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.<br /> Jan. 15-16: Operation Sailfish, part of the Quest for the Crest sailfish series organized by Bluewater Movements. Tournament begins with a kickoff party Jan. 13 at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Entry fee $1,700. Register at <a href="http://www.bluewatermovements.com">www.bluewatermovements.com</a>.<br /> Jan. 21-23: The 58th annual Buccaneer Cup. Teams fish any two of the three tournament days. Kickoff party Jan. 20 at Viking Yacht Service Center in Riviera Beach. Entry fee $2,000. Register at <a href="http://www.buccaneercup.com">www.buccaneercup.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Watch for right whales</strong></p>
<p>Ocean boaters and beachgoers should be on the lookout for right whales during January and February. Female right whales migrate to Florida’s east coast during the winter to give birth.</p>
<p>Although most of the visiting whales are spotted from Cape Canaveral north, they have been known to move south into the waters off Palm Beach County.</p>
<p>If you see a right whale, stay clear and report the sighting. Federal law requires maintaining a distance of 500 yards.</p>
<p>Right whales are dark gray or black. They have no dorsal fin and have white bumps called callosities on top of their heads. When they come to the surface and exhale, right whales shoot up a V-shaped spout of water. </p>
<p>Report sightings to the Marine Resources Council at 888-979-4253.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong></p>
<p>Fifty-five new artificial reef structures were installed in 40 feet of water off Palm Beach in November as part of the Reef Hope Project. They can be found southeast of Palm Beach Inlet (aka Lake Worth Inlet) at these coordinates: 26/45.321 N and 80/01.566 W.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Email tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Concrete reef balls to become cornerstone of marine parkhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-concrete-reef-balls-to-become-cornerstone-of-marine-2020-12-01T20:38:18.000Z2020-12-01T20:38:18.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8237843088,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8237843088,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8237843088?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Reef balls are made by spraying concrete or gunite over rubber molds, with the intent of getting coral and sea fans to grow on them.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Country singer Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Reefs Foundation, CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter and the Sandoway Discovery Center are teaming up to create an artificial reef off Delray Beach that should attract fish for anglers and scuba divers.</p>
<p>Thirteen concrete reef balls, each weighing 5 tons and rising 8 feet off the bottom, are expected to be placed on the ocean floor in about 65 feet of water off Delray’s public beach before the end of the year, weather permitting. The latest proposed construction date is the week of Dec. 14. </p>
<p>The 32-acre rectangular site that will hold the reef balls — and possibly a retired ship in the future — is a borrow site where sand was removed for beach restoration, creating a hole. Palm Beach County environmental officials secured permits that allow the site to accept artificial reef structures.</p>
<p>The No Shoes Reefs Foundation paid for construction of the reef balls. CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter plans to pay for placing them on the ocean floor, using a $13,000 grant from Impact 100 Palm Beach County and $10,000 raised at a recent CCA banquet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8237847489,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8237847489,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="608" alt="8237847489?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>The proposed site is in about 65 feet of water off the south end of Delray Beach’s public beach, near Anchor Park. <strong>Photos provided</strong></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rodrigo Vera, president of CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter and a Sandoway Discovery Center board member, hopes the 32-acre site will become a “marine park” used for education and recreation. </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8237848888,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8237848888,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" width="125" height="184" alt="8237848888?profile=RESIZE_180x180" /></a>Vera hopes to tie the marine park into the reef room at the Sandoway Discovery Center, which provides coastal environmental education to children. </p>
<p>He’s working on permits for a buoy that would float over the reef balls. The buoy would hold cameras that could provide live underwater video to the Sandoway Discovery Center and, via YouTube, to the world. </p>
<p>Vera, an avid scuba diver and fisherman, said the reef balls will be placed in the northeastern corner of the rectangular reef site and should become “the cornerstone for the rest of the marine park.”</p>
<p>Working through CCA/Florida, Vera has started raising money to buy, clean and sink a coastal freighter that could be scuttled at the reef site. He’s looking at a freighter in Miami called the M/V Hope that Vera said would fit perfectly into the hole left by dredging sand, creating a destination for fish, divers and anglers. </p>
<p>The estimated cost to buy, clean and sink the ship: $125,000.</p>
<p>A fundraising message on CCA/Florida’s website, ccaflorida.org, asks donors to “help CCA fund this 32-acre marine park reef off Delray Beach less than a mile from the Sandoway Discovery Center.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Fishing regulations update</strong></p>
<p>The daily bag limit for bluefish is now three per person in state and federal waters of Florida’s east coast. </p>
<p>The reason? A 2019 study showed that Atlantic populations of bluefish were overfished. The former bag limit was 10. The bluefish minimum size remains the same at 12 inches to the fork of the tail.</p>
<p>Separately, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission created an open season of May 1 to Aug. 31 (and established a three-fish daily bag limit) for blueline tilefish, matching regulations that apply in federal waters — beyond 3 miles off Florida’s east coast. The new tilefish regulations take effect Jan. 1.</p>
<p>A reminder: Hogfish season closed Nov. 1 and will reopen May 1 in state waters along Florida’s east coast and the Florida Keys.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Fish art contest</strong> </p>
<p>Students in grades K-12 are invited to draw or paint a fish and write a short related essay through the 2021 State Fish Art Contest. </p>
<p>It’s free to enter. Participants must submit a 9-by-12 horizontal work of art along with a one-page (or shorter) essay explaining their knowledge of or connection to their chosen fish. (The essay is not required for participants in grades K-3.) </p>
<p>A completed entry form is required. Submissions can be mailed or sent by email. The deadline is March 31.</p>
<p>The list of fish that can be depicted by artists includes familiar South Florida species such as Atlantic sailfish, mahi mahi, tarpon, bluegill and largemouth bass.<br /> Details and pictures of the 2020 winners can be found at <a href="http://www.statefishart.org">www.statefishart.org</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong></p>
<p>For a quick refresher on methods for releasing fish that are not of legal size, are out of season or unwanted, visit <a href="http://www.catchandrelease.org">www.catchandrelease.org</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Fight’s over, now what? Tips on releasing a sailfishhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-fight-s-over-now-what-tips-on-releasing-a-sailfish2020-10-27T19:06:06.000Z2020-10-27T19:06:06.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8084254689,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8084254689,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8084254689?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>A feisty winter sailfish jumps during this year’s West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby. The 2021 derby is set for Jan. 7-8. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>By Willie Howard</p>
<p>November’s northerly winds bring sailfish to South Florida waters, creating an opportunity for anglers who enjoy catching and releasing billfish — but also a responsibility for those who don’t intend to catch a sailfish but suddenly find one stripping line from a reel and leaping from the waves.</p>
<p><br /> Almost all sailfish are released. Anglers must have a federal HMS angling permit to keep one, and the sailfish must be at least 63 inches long (measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail) to be legal to keep.</p>
<p><br /> That means ocean anglers must be prepared to release sailfish in good condition. Sailfish, Florida’s official saltwater fish, are prone to acrobatic jumps and head shaking at the surface in attempts to throw the hook.</p>
<p><br /> After the fish settles down and can be held alongside the boat, remove the hook, if possible, or cut the line as close to the hook as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8084260490,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8084260490,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8084260490?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>Non-offset circle hooks such as these 7/0 Mustads are commonly used by anglers targeting sailfish with live bait. The backswept point of a circle hook is less likely to snag soft tissue inside a fish than a traditional J hook.</em></p>
<p><br /> Wear gloves before trying to grab the bill. Hold the fish in the water, gripping the bill a few inches above the mouth with two hands, thumb touching thumb. After the sailfish is stabilized on the surface, keep the boat moving slowly forward so the sailfish can extract oxygen from the water and regain strength. When the sailfish begins to kick with its tail, set it free.</p>
<p><br /> The reviving process might take five minutes. A caught sailfish is like a boxer winded after a long bout. Generally, the longer the fight, the more exhausted the sailfish will be and the longer it should be revived.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8084261255,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8084261255,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8084261255?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><em>James Swanwick revives his first sailfish, taken on a live pilchard in 100 feet of water straight outside Palm Beach Inlet, in January. The boat is moving slowly forward, pushing water over the sailfish’s gills so it can regain strength.</em></p>
<p><br /> The resuscitation process creates time for photographs and short videos. Show the angler holding the sailfish in the water while it’s being revived. Have the captain move the boat so the sun illuminates the fish and the person holding it. Don’t forget to maintain a good grip on your cellphone or use the strap on your camera to avoid losing it overboard.</p>
<p><br /> Avoid the temptation to haul a sailfish into the boat for photos.</p>
<p><br /> Federal fisheries laws require anglers to release sailfish and other billfish “in a manner that will ensure maximum probability of survival, but without removing fish from the water.”<br /> It’s acceptable to lift the fish’s head out of the water, briefly, for a photo while leaving most of the fish in the water.</p>
<p><br /> Catching and releasing sailfish is not overly difficult during the cool months, November through April. No need to bother with fishing kites, though kite fishing is a popular and effective method for catching sailfish.</p>
<p><br /> Live goggle-eyes, pilchards or threadfin herring attached to a 7/0 non-offset circle hook will catch sailfish. Smaller hooks can be used for smaller baits. Try using a live bait rod fitted with a conventional reel holding 20- to 30-pound main line and 30- to 40-pound leader.</p>
<p><br /> Non-offset circle hooks (mandatory in sailfish tournaments) are recommended for sailfish because they’re designed to slide over soft tissue inside the fish’s mouth and lodge in the corner of the jaw, minimizing damage.</p>
<p><br /> If you’re setting up your boat to drift over a reef for kingfish and snapper, put the live bait intended for sailfish out first and let it move 150 feet or so behind the boat before stopping. That should keep the bait from swimming back under the boat and wrapping around the other lines, but check the bait periodically just in case it has a case of wanderlust.</p>
<p><br /> When a sailfish hits and feels the hook, it’s likely to jump. If it’s connected to your rod, have an angler gradually tighten the drag on the reel and fight the fish. Bring in the other lines and prepare to move the boat slowly toward the fish to regain line.</p>
<p><br /> Have someone on the boat shoot photos or videos during the fight. Sailfish often make spectacular jumps, sometimes close to the boat. Photos of the angler battling a sailfish can be just as exciting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Ft. Lauderdale boat show is on despite pandemic</strong><br /> The 61st annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was scheduled for Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 at seven locations along the waterfront despite challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.<br /> Producer Informa U.S. Boat Shows says extra cleaning, hand-sanitizing, touch-free ticketing and social distancing are part of the show. Extra entrance points aim to minimize lines, and docks are wider — up to 30 feet.<br /> All exhibitors and attendees must wear face coverings.<br /> The Fort Lauderdale boat show is the largest in-water boat show in the world, with more than 80% of the show taking place in open-air spaces, according to the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, which owns the show.<br /> Show hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except on Nov. 1, when the show closes at 6 p.m.) Adult admission is $35. Call 954-463-6762 or visit <a href="http://www.flibs.com">www.flibs.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Nautical flea market set for Nov. 14-15</strong><br /> The 12th annual Palm Beach Marine Flea Market and West Palm Beach Seafood Festival is set for Nov. 14-15 at the South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd.<br /> The market, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, will feature new and used boats for sale along with boating and fishing gear and marine accessories. <br /> Adult admission is $10. Youths 12 and under will be admitted free. For details, visit <a href="http://www.flnauticalfleamarket.com">www.flnauticalfleamarket.com</a>. <br /> <br /><strong>Manatee zones take effect Nov. 15</strong><br /> Seasonal speed zones that require boaters to slow down to avoid striking manatees begin Nov. 15 and continue through March 31 in Palm Beach County.<br /> The area around Florida Power & Light Co.’s Riviera Beach power plant (south of Peanut Island) is one of the most manatee-sensitive areas in Palm Beach County. Manatees are attracted to warm-water discharges from the power plant during cold weather.<br /> Boat operators should wear polarized sunglasses and avoid boating over shallow sea grass beds to reduce the chance of hitting manatees.<br /> Boaters who encounter a sick, dead or injured manatee should call the state’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.</p>
<p><strong>Bahamas updates COVID guidelines</strong><br /> Boaters headed to the Bahamas still must present a negative COVID-19 swab test (less than seven days before arrival), but the requirement that visitors “vacation in place” expires Nov. 1, meaning they can move around beyond the confines of their accommodations. <br /> To enter the Bahamas, visitors must obtain a negative COVID swab test and apply for a Bahamas Health Travel Visa at <a href="http://www.travel.gov.bs">www.travel.gov.bs</a>. Click on the international tab to upload the test results.<br /> In addition, Bahamas visitors will be subject to a rapid antigen test upon arrival and four days (96 hours) after arrival. Details: <a href="http://www.bahamasmarinas.com/procedures-and-protocols">www.bahamasmarinas.com/procedures-and-protocols</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Want to better understand all the notes and symbols on nautical charts? Download NOAA’s free U.S. Chart No. 1 at <a href="http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/us-chart-1.html">www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/us-chart-1.html</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>Outdoors: Winning Wahoo Juno Beach — July 11https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/outdoors-winning-wahoo-juno-beach-july-112020-09-01T17:46:15.000Z2020-09-01T17:46:15.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960961479,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960961479,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960961479?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p>The crew of the Hypoluxo-based Southern Comfort IV holds the 51.3-pound wahoo caught July 11 to win the Big Dog/Fat Cat KDW Shootout. From left are mate Josh Joyner, Capt. Bill Cox and mate Ashley Mann. Winning angler Mark Boydston reeled in the wahoo, which hit a trolled bonito strip/sea witch combination in 250 feet off Sloan’s Curve. It was the heaviest fish of the 233-boat tournament. <strong>Photo provided by Southern Comfort Charters</strong></p></div>On the Water: Summer Sargassum mats lead South Florida anglers to mahi mahihttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-sargassum-brings-mahi-mahi-close-to-shore-during-sum2020-06-30T17:30:00.000Z2020-06-30T17:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949687,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949687,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960949687?profile=original" /></a></strong><em><strong>ABOVE:</strong> Doug O’Neal and Chris Deen hold a 30-pound bull dolphinfish, or mahi mahi, that Deen caught using a live goggle-eye near a large sargassum mat off Palm Beach in July 2019. Mahi mahi fishing tends to be good during July and August in the waters off Palm Beach County.</em> <br /> <em><strong>BELOW:</strong> A small dolphinfish leaps from the water after being hooked east of the Boynton Inlet.</em><strong><br /> <em>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949884,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949884,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960949884?profile=original" /></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Summer is prime time for South Florida anglers to search the ocean for dolphinfish, better known by their Hawaiian name, mahi mahi, or simply mahi.<br /> Floating mats of sargassum, the tan-colored marine algae that holds small fish and serves as feeding grounds for mahi, often appear along the coast of South Florida during the long, hot days of July and August.<br /> Sargassum mats are floating habitat. They harbor tiny crustaceans and attract small fish such as almaco jacks, triggerfish and filefish, which mahi find tempting.<br /> Many offshore anglers enjoy searching around sargassum mats for mahi, especially in the relatively calm seas of summer. Brightly colored, mahi are easily spotted in the clear Gulf Stream water. They fight hard, jump high and make excellent table fare if handled properly after being caught. <br /> Unlike many other places where mahi reside, they’re often caught relatively close to shore in the waters off South Florida — though runs of 10 miles or more into the Atlantic are not uncommon for anglers searching for mahi during the summer. <br /> Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) are renewable resources compared with other ocean fish. They start reproducing at a young age and can grow several pounds a month, which is one reason fisheries regulators allow anglers to keep a generous 10 mahi per person daily. (Minimum size: 20 inches to the fork of the tail.)<br /> Anglers searching for summer mahi can troll along lines of sargassum that form along bands of current, or stop near sargassum mats and pitch out jigs, plugs and chum such as chunks of sardines or squid. <br /> Mahi trolling baits include the classic rigged ballyhoo (often dressed up with a hooded skirt such as an Ilander) and trolling lures such as Billy Bait’s Mag Turbo Whistler or the C&H Rattle Jet. <br /> If you catch a mahi while trolling, consider leaving it behind the boat and casting out jigs or hooks holding chunks of dead sardine or hunks of squid. Other mahi often approach the boat and linger around a hooked fish in the water. <br /> Another popular method for finding mahi is running from one sargassum mat to the next, favoring larger, thicker mats that shelter lots of small fish. Cast out jigs, dead baits (pieces of sardines, ballyhoo or squid) and splash the surface with topwater plugs to attract mahi. <br /> If no fish show up around the weed mat, move on. <br /> Show courtesy to other anglers while fishing for mahi. Don’t invade a spot already occupied by another boat. Wait for the boat to leave or hunt elsewhere.<br /> Similarly, don’t cut in front of a boat that’s trolling.<br /> Keep an eye out for floating objects such as logs, wooden pallets or even buckets. They could be sheltering small fish that attract mahi. Sea birds circling or swooping down to the surface can point the way to mahi, which often push flying fish and small baitfish to the surface where the birds can snatch them. <br /> Once you’ve caught a legal-sized mahi and decided to keep it, ice it well. Try leaving the plug in the fish box or cooler and adding ocean water to create an icy slush. Proper icing will make mahi easier to clean and better at the dinner table. <br /> Any anglers planning offshore fishing trips should leave some type of float plan telling where they’re headed, who is on the boat and when (and where) they’re due back on land. A simple text message to a friend or relative will do.<br /> For safety, boaters headed into the open Atlantic should carry quality life jackets, plenty of drinking water and a ditch bag holding a satellite beacon (an EPIRB) and hand-held VHF radio to use in case of trouble.<br /> Anglers interested in tagging and releasing mahi for research can get started by going to <a href="http://www.dolphintagging.com">www.dolphintagging.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>CCA/Florida’s STAR tournament</strong> <br /> CCA/Florida is hosting its STAR summer fishing tournament again this year, with big prizes for registered anglers who catch tagged fish and smaller prizes for anglers who submit photos of their catches to benefit fisheries research.<br /> The first tagged dolphinfish caught by a 2020 STAR-registered angler wins $10,000 or a scholarship. A registered angler who catches one of the tournament’s tagged redfish could win a boat.<br /> Participating anglers can win prizes by submitting photos of fish, including redfish, snook, sea trout, grouper, kingfish, dolphinfish or tarpon. Any fish photographed and submitted by registered anglers can be entered in the Power Pole Conservation Division. <br /> To promote conservation, fish can be released after photos are taken. <br /> Anglers are encouraged to collect plastic and garbage from waterways while fishing and to submit photos showing 5-gallon buckets of rubbish (photographed with the 2020 STAR fish measuring device). <br /> Registered anglers who submit photos of collected trash will be entered in a drawing to win prizes, including a three-day trip to Key West to visit the Hemingway Rum Distillery.<br /> The STAR entry fee is $40. Participants download the CCA/Florida STAR smartphone app and must pick up a 2020 STAR measuring device at boating stores such as West Marine in Delray Beach, Marine Connection in West Palm Beach and Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle in Lake Worth Beach.<br /> To register or learn more, visit <a href="http://www.ccaflstar.com">www.ccaflstar.com</a> or call 844-387-7827.</p>
<p><strong>FWC extends survey of reef fish anglers</strong> <br /> The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is extending its Gulf Reef Fish Survey to the waters of the Atlantic and Monroe County. <br /> As of July 1, recreational anglers who fish on Florida’s east coast for reef fish such as snapper, grouper, amberjack and triggerfish will be required to add a free “reef fish angler” designation to their saltwater fishing licenses.<br /> The designations were not available until July 1, so law enforcement planned to take an educational approach to the requirement at first, FWC spokeswoman Amanda Nalley said.<br /> “We suggest you get it as soon as possible,” Nalley said. <br /> The FWC plans to use the system to improve data collection about recreationally caught reef fish. Every month, a group of reef fish anglers will receive a short survey about their fishing trips in the mail.<br /> Any place that sells fishing licenses can add the reef fish angler designation to a license, including the phone-based system, 888-347-4356, or the online fishing license portal, <a href="http://www.gooutdoorsflorida.com">www.gooutdoorsflorida.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Restrictions eased on dive boats, pier anglers</strong><br /> Palm Beach County eased coronavirus-related restrictions slightly on operators of commercial dive boats and on pier fishing.<br /> Effective June 11, county officials amended earlier restrictions to allow dive boats to operate with the same capacity as other recreational commercial boats, meaning they must comply with CDC social distancing guidelines.<br /> Restrooms on commercial recreational boats must post CDC guidelines and offer soap, water and/or hand sanitizer for patrons.<br /> Operators also must mark seating areas with tape to separate passengers by at least 6 feet.<br /> All boaters still must maintain social distancing. Boats still must remain at least 50 feet apart and cannot raft up or engage in other activities that result in gatherings of 10 or more people.<br /> A previous restriction that required dive shops to fill tanks by appointment and deliver tanks curbside has been lifted.<br /> Anglers at fishing piers must stay 6 feet apart under the updated order. A previous order required pier anglers to stay 10 feet apart.<br /> Details on the latest emergency order can be found at <a href="http://www.pbcgov.org">www.pbcgov.org</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Coming events</strong><br /> <strong>July 11:</strong> Second leg of West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo Tournament Series. (Third leg set for Aug. 1.) Entry fee $60 per boat. Catches must be verified on video. Weigh fish 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 to 9 p.m. at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Each team must include at least one fishing club member. Entry fee $60. Call 561-309-1397 or register at <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.<br /> <strong>July 11</strong>: Big Dog & Fat Cat KDW Shootout fishing tournament is planned, based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Captain’s meeting July 10 at Sailfish Marina. Entry fee $200 per boat through July 6 or $250 thereafter. Details: <a href="http://www.bigdogfatcat.org">www.bigdogfatcat.org</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Summer is nesting time for shorebirds and seabirds. They often nest on mangrove islands and other relatively quiet beaches. Boaters and beach-goers can do their part by staying at least 300 feet away from posted nesting areas and trying not to disturb nesting birds, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission advises. <br /> If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you’re too close. Birds calling loudly or dive bombing are signs that you should back off.</p></div>Bigeye Tuna — Juno Beach — March 14https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/bigeye-tuna-juno-beach-march-142020-04-01T16:11:25.000Z2020-04-01T16:11:25.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960939088,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960939088,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960939088?profile=original" /></a><em>The fishing team aboard Hy Jenx celebrates the catch of this 194.8-pound bigeye tuna that hit a trolling lure intended for wahoo in about 80 feet of water near the Juno Beach Pier. The fight by angler Beau Kelly, far right, lasted about an hour. Capt. Steve Jenkins of Hobe Sound, second from right, said the big tuna didn’t count in the Shamrock Shootout fishing tournament, but remains a once-in-a-lifetime catch. <strong>Photo provided by Steve Jenkins</strong></em></p></div>On the Water: Kingfish reign this time of yearhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-kingfish-reign-this-time-of-year2020-04-01T16:00:00.000Z2020-04-01T16:00:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960939494,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960939494,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960939494?profile=original" /></a><em>Capt. Bruce Cyr of the Lantana-based Lady K drift fishing boat shows the 60-pound kingfish he caught off Boynton Inlet in early May 2019. Cyr’s kingfish hit a dead sardine on double 5/0 hooks in 180 feet of water. <strong>Photo provided by Bar Jack Fishing</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Related:</strong><em><strong> </strong></em><strong>Boat ramps and public parks <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boat-ramps-and-public-parks-closed-for-now" target="_blank">closed for now</a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Fishing action heats up with water temperatures during April and May, leading anglers to catches of rod-bending king mackerel, better known as kingfish, along the coast of Palm Beach County.</p>
<p><br /> Kingfish are hard-charging fish that make reels sing and are relatively easy to catch. That makes them tempting targets for a variety of anglers, from drift-boat novices to saltwater tournament veterans.</p>
<p><br /> One of the easiest ways to catch kingfish is a personal favorite: a dead sardine on triple 5/0 hooks topped with a quarter-ounce sinker and a flashy kingfish “duster” that covers the weight and the leader-to-hook connection.</p>
<p><br /> Thread the sardine onto the trio of hooks so that the bait covers the hooks. Use 30- to 50-pound leader (monofilament or fluorocarbon), depending on water clarity. The clearer the water, the lighter the leader.</p>
<p><br /> Start by drifting in 80 to 120 feet of water, watching the depth finder for “marks” of fish below the boat. Drop the bait over the windward side of the boat and let it sink slowly. Kingfish love a falling bait, so watch the reel and engage it if the line starts to fly off the reel.</p>
<p><br /> Check the baits frequently; you could be fishing with bare hooks.</p>
<p><br /> Fighting a kingfish requires steady tension. Anglers who get too excited and create slack in the line often lose toothy kingfish when they bite through the leader.</p>
<p><br /> If the kingfish turns and charges the boat, be prepared to reel fast to wind in the slack. If the fish takes off for Grand Bahama Island, hold the rod tip up and let it run.</p>
<p><br /> The bend in the rod will tire it, assuming the reel drag is properly adjusted.</p>
<p><br /> Other methods for catching kingfish include using live bait, such as goggle-eyes and blue runners. Use wire leader and double hooks to reduce the chance that the kingfish will sever the leader or eat half the bait and miss the hook.</p>
<p><br /> Try rigging live baits with about 2 feet of No. 5 fishing wire holding a 5/0 live-bait hook and connected to the monofilament leader with a small 80-pound swivel — or tie the wire directly to the mono leader with an Albright knot.</p>
<p><br /> Some anglers use trailing treble hooks, or “stingers,” to catch kingfish, especially in tournaments that allow treble hooks. I prefer double J hooks.</p>
<p><br /> Smaller live baits such as pilchards and threadfin herring can be deployed on 3/0 or 4/0 hooks tied to about 6 inches of light fishing wire, then attached to the leader with a small swivel or Albright knot.</p>
<p><br /> Trolling spoons (often towed behind planers or downriggers) will catch kingfish, as will vertical jigging with metal jigs, flashy bucktail jigs or diamond jigs. Like their smaller cousins, Spanish mackerel, kingfish will strike flashy jigs, spoons and lures.</p>
<p><br /> Kingfish are oily fish, making them good candidates for smoking. Try soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in water mixed with kosher salt and brown sugar. Then dry it and smoke it at 200 degrees or so for about four hours.</p>
<p><br /> Mix the smoked kingfish with mayonnaise to create a dip that can be served on crackers with hot sauce or a jalapeño slice. (Every angler seems to have his or her own favorite recipe for smoked kingfish dip.)</p>
<p><br /> Smaller kingfish also can be marinated in mojo or Italian salad dressing, then grilled.</p>
<p><br /> Mercury warnings apply to kingfish. The Florida Department of Health (<a href="http://www.Floridahealth.gov">www.Floridahealth.gov</a>) advises young children, women of childbearing age and pregnant women to avoid eating kingfish.</p>
<p><br /> Healthy adults should limit consumption and avoid kingfish over 31 inches, according to the state.</p>
<p><br /> Anglers should consider releasing large kingfish. Smaller ones (24 to 31 inches) make better table fare anyway.</p>
<p><br /> Regulations for kingfish include a minimum size of 24 inches (measured to the fork of the tail). Daily bag limit is two kingfish per angler.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>Water-related events postponed or canceled</strong></p>
<p><br /> The Palm Beach International Boat Show and the Superyacht Show, originally set for March 26-29, have been postponed until further notice. As of late March, <a href="http://www.pbboatshow.com">www.pbboatshow.com</a> listed May 14-17 as new dates for the shows.</p>
<p><br /> The Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Chili Cook-Off, set for April 18, was canceled because of coronavirus concerns. It’s possible the tournament could be rescheduled. For updates, go to <a href="http://www.boyntonbeachfirefighters.com">www.boyntonbeachfirefighters.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> The kickoff party for the Lantana Fishing Derby and Kids Derby has been postponed until the second week of April. As of mid-March, the captain’s party was still set for April 30, followed by fishing May 2 and the awards party May 3. Go to <a href="http://www.lantanafishingderby.com">www.lantanafishingderby.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s annual yard sale, originally set for April 18, has been postponed until further notice. Some club meetings have been canceled. For updates, call 561-832-6780 or go to <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong></p>
<p>Help fisheries managers track populations of recreationally caught fish in the South Atlantic by reporting your catches through the MyFishCount smartphone app. The app allows anglers to create a personal fishing log while sharing much-needed recreational fishing data with fisheries managers. For details, and to see what other recreational anglers have reported, go to <a href="http://www.MyFishCount.com">www.MyFishCount.com</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Sharks frustrating anglers by eating hooked fishhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-sharks-frustrating-anglers-by-eating-hooked-fish2019-09-01T16:02:09.000Z2019-09-01T16:02:09.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960891300,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960891300,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960891300?profile=original" /></a><em>Angler Doug Sarmousakis holds what remains of a kingfish that was mostly eaten by a shark during the Aug. 10 Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament. <b>Photo provided by John Miller</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Sharks are lingering around fishing boats and eating hooked fish from lines along the coast of Palm Beach County — a familiar problem for South Florida anglers that many captains say is worse this summer than in years past.</p>
<p class="p3">Several tournament fish were lost to sharks during the Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament, held Aug. 10.</p>
<p class="p3">“It was clear that local populations of sharks were celebrating Shark Week,” tournament chairman Tim Knapp wrote in his summary of the tournament. “Numerous anglers reported donating their fish to the sharks as they were being reeled in.”</p>
<p class="p3">John Miller said his fishing team caught a bull shark and lost a nice kingfish to another shark off Manalapan during the Gerretson tournament.</p>
<p class="p3">Capt. Chip Sheehan of Chips Ahoy Charters in Boynton Beach said sharks have been “out of control” in the waters off Boynton Inlet. Sheehan also reported losing half of a large kingfish to a shark during a tournament.</p>
<p class="p3">Sea Mist III drift boat Capt. Ryan Carr said the sharks have been stealing fish from his customers’ lines all year. In the past, they seemed to disappear for a few months and return.</p>
<p class="p3">Carr said the sharks seem to be most problematic for anglers right in front of Boynton Inlet and north of the Lake Worth Beach pier.</p>
<p class="p3">“I won’t even go to my big mutton (snapper) spots right now because I don’t want to feed them to the sharks,” Carr said.</p>
<p class="p3">Capt. Tony Coulter, a veteran dive charter operator, said he has seen more than the usual number of lemon and hammerhead sharks in the waters off Boca Raton and Delray Beach this summer.</p>
<p class="p3">“We had a thresher shark hanging around for a few weeks here in Boca as well,” Coulter said.</p>
<p class="p3">Florida Atlantic University shark researcher Stephen Kajiura said there were more blacktip and spinner sharks moving along Palm Beach County beaches this year than in the previous two years, possibly because of cooler winter weather.</p>
<p class="p3">But the number of those smaller sharks is still down from eight years ago, Kajiura said.</p>
<p class="p3">Mote Marine Lab spokeswoman Stephannie Kettle said Mote could not confirm the species of sharks that are eating hooked fish or estimate whether South Florida’s shark population is growing based on anglers’ reports.</p>
<p class="p3">“It’s important to remind readers that sharks and anglers both want the same thing: tasty fish,” Kettle said. “Sharks follow where the food goes, as do fishermen.”</p>
<p class="p3">In the Bahamas, a vacation turned fatal for 21-year-old Jordan Lindsey, a California college student who was bitten by a shark June 26 while snorkeling near Rose Island.</p>
<p class="p3">In Florida waters, 26 species of sharks are protected, meaning they must be released.</p>
<p class="p3">To protect sharks (and beach swimmers), the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission requires anglers targeting sharks from shore to take an online class and obtain a shore-based shark fishing permit.</p>
<p class="p3">The new shore-based shark fishing rules include a prohibition on removing any protected shark from the water, mandatory use of non-offset circle hooks and a prohibition on chumming the water from beaches.</p>
<p class="p3">To take the free shark-education course and obtain a shore-based shark fishing permit, go to <a href="http://www.myfwc.com/sharkcourse">www.myfwc.com/sharkcourse</a>.</p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960891659,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960891659,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960891659?profile=original" /></a><em>Angela Garber stands beside Jim Gerretson as he weighs a 14.3-pound kingfish that earned her the prize for top lady angler at the Mark Gerretson Memorial tournament. Jim is the brother of Mark, who died in 2005. <b>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p5"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>28.4-pound mahi mahi </b></span><span class="s1"><b>wins Gerretson tournament</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Joe Cozzolino of Delray Beach and his fishing team aboard Anticipation won this year’s Mark Gerretson tournament with a 28.4-pound dolphinfish (mahi mahi).</p>
<p class="p3">Cozzolino said he and his fishing team ran way offshore looking for dolphin. On the way back toward land, they spotted two small sargassum patches holding dolphin in about 500 feet of water off Palm Beach.</p>
<p class="p3">None of the dolphin around the floating weed mat was large enough to hit a live goggle-eye, Cozzolino said. But after they fished the spot for a while, the tournament-winning big dolphin finally came along and hit a goggle-eye.</p>
<p class="p3">Cozzolino said his team’s dolphin, caught by Chris Shores, also won the Mariner’s Cove tournament that day because he registered for both tournaments.</p>
<p class="p3">Team Getting’ Jiggy won top kingfish in the Mark Gerretson tournament, at 25.4 pounds. Sheehan on Chip’s Ahoy won the mystery fish division with a 23.4-pound blackfin tuna.</p>
<p class="p3">No wahoo came to the scale in the tournament, which attracted 19 boats and was based at Veterans Park in Delray Beach.</p>
<p class="p3">This was the 25th year for the tournament created by Delray Beach resident and fishing fanatic Mark “Rock” Gerretson, who died in 2005. Proceeds from the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> tournament support several causes, including the Delray Beach Police Department’s annual holiday toy drive and scholarships for Atlantic High School students.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Blackfin tuna update</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">State regulators approved a draft rule in July that would create a recreational bag limit for blackfin tuna.</p>
<p class="p3">The proposed daily limit: two blackfin tuna per angler or 10 per boat, whichever is greater.</p>
<p class="p3">The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has proposed extending the blackfin tuna bag limit into federal waters (more than 3 miles off Florida’s east coast).</p>
<p class="p3">FWC commissioners are expected to hold a final public hearing on the blackfin tuna bag limit during their Oct. 2-3 meeting in Cape Canaveral.</p>
<p class="p6"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>September:</b> Snook season opened Sept. 1 on Florida’s east coast and remains open through Dec. 14. To be legal to keep, a snook must measure between 28 and 32 inches in total length. Bag limit: one snook per person. A Florida saltwater fishing license and snook permit are required, unless you are exempt. Details at <a href="http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater">www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Sept. 14-15:</b> Florida Marine Flea Market and BBQ Festival featuring boats, fishing gear, marine art and barbecue, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. Admission $10. Youths 12 and under free. Call 954-205-7813 or visit <a href="http://www.flnauticalfleamarket.com">www.flnauticalfleamarket.com</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Sept. 19: </b>Coastal Conservation Association Florida South Palm Beach County Chapter banquet and auction, 6-10 p.m., Seagate Country Club, Delray Beach. Tickets $140 or $270 per couple. Call Rebekah Bourque at 676-5265.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Sept. 21:</b> X-Generation Anglers for Soldiers KDW fishing tournament for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, blackfin tuna, bonito, mutton/yellowtail snapper and cobia. Captain’s meeting and final registration 5-8 p.m. Sept. 20 at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Weigh-in 1-4 p.m. at Sailfish Marina. Awards luncheon 3 p.m. Sept. 22 at Sailfish Marina. Entry fee $350. Call 577-0706.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Sept. 28:</b> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 331-2429.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p2">Develop a plan for securing your boat before a hurricane approaches Florida. Tips on where and how to secure a boat and a hurricane preparation checklist can be found at <a href="http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes">www.boatus.com/hurricanes</a>.</p>
<p class="p7"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: Gerretson Memorial set for Aug. 10https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-gerretson-memorial-set-for-aug-102019-07-30T19:30:00.000Z2019-07-30T19:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960876255,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960876255,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960876255?profile=original" /></a><em>The Whoa Nellie team (from left, Kate Spinweber, Barry Spinweber, Rhonda Throop and Todd Spinweber) shows the 49.5-pound wahoo that won largest fish in the Lake Worth tournament. The team caught the fish north of Boynton Inlet on a surface-trolled ballyhoo in 425 feet. The tournament attracted 44 teams. <strong>Photo provided by Leonard Bryant Photography</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>The 25th annual Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament is scheduled for Aug. 10, with the weigh-in at Veterans Park in Delray Beach.<br /> The tournament begins with a captain’s meeting and final registration set for 6-9 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Elks Lodge, 265 NE Fourth Ave., Delray Beach.<br /> Fishing for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo (and a mystery fish) will be from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. <br /> The entry fee is $225 per boat, up to four anglers. The annual tournament benefits youth and family causes in the Delray Beach area.<br /> Anglers are being asked to donate used fishing rods (in working condition) to be given away to boys and girls under 12 during a free raffle at the captain’s meeting.<br /> Rules and the entry form can be found at <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Divers take 535 lionfish in Boynton Beach derby</strong><br /> Forty-eight divers removed 535 invasive lionfish from South County reefs during the Rock the Marina Lionfish Derby, held June 1.<br /> Four dive boats based at Boynton Harbor Marina took divers to the reefs. Experts from the Reef Environmental Education Foundation measured and examined each lionfish for research. <br /> Native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, lionfish are well established on Florida reefs, where they eat native fish and compete with them for food. <br /> Divers must be trained to handle lionfish because they have 18 venomous spines.<br /> The lionfish derby was organized by Boynton Beach Dive Center and the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.</p>
<p><strong>62.7-pound wahoo wins KDW Classic</strong><br /> Dustin Haff and his teammates won top wahoo and largest fish of the Palm Beach County KDW Classic tournament with a 62.7-pound wahoo caught in the waters off Boynton Beach.<br /> Haff said he and his teammates on Haff Time were trolling a large swimming mullet in 210 feet when the big wahoo hit.<br /> It was the only wahoo weighed in at the June 1 tournament, which attracted 233 boats. The team’s winning wahoo beat the previous KDW Classic tournament record for wahoo (55.3 pounds) and won $3,000 as heaviest wahoo, plus a $1,000 big-fish bonus from Ande Monofilament. <br /> Haff was crowned King of the Classic for being the male angler with the largest fish of the tournament.<br /> Stephen Ray on Shimako won top kingfish, with a 48.5-pound fish. David Batignani and his crew on In Your Dreams caught the winning dolphin, a 28.3-pound mahi mahi taken on a trolled ballyhoo about 22 miles offshore. <br /> Sherri Beswick won top lady angler and was crowned Queen of the Classic for her 26.9-pound kingfish, caught aboard Spiced Rum III.<br /> Casen Emmons won top junior anger with a 26-pound kingfish caught on Knot Possible.</p>
<p><strong>Coming events</strong><br /> Aug. 6: Regular spiny lobster season opens and continues through March 31. Daily bag limit: 6. Lobster’s carapace (head section) must measure at least 3 inches. No egg-bearing lobster may be harvested. Lobster must be brought ashore whole. Saltwater fishing license and lobster permit required unless exempt. Details at <a href="http://www.myfwc.com">www.myfwc.com</a>. <br /> Aug. 10: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 (or $5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600. Leave a message.<br /> Aug. 10: Lobsterfest featuring food, music, nautical art, pet costume contest and children’s activities, noon to 8 p.m. at Sailfish Marina, 98 Lake Drive, Palm Beach Shores. Admission $10. Children 12 and under free. Call 844-1724 or go to <a href="http://www.sailfishmarina.com/lobsterfest">www.sailfishmarina.com/lobsterfest</a>.<br /> Aug. 24: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 331-2429.</p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Looking for some water-related summer reading? Check out Fifty Women Who Fish, by veteran South Florida outdoors writer Steve Kantner (Wild River Press, $59.95). The book profiles anglers from throughout the country, including two from Palm Beach County: Maggie Luneke of Palm Beach Gardens and Allison Montgomery Stattner of Tequesta.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>Nice wahoo: Caught off Boynton Beach — May 17https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/nice-wahoo-caught-off-boynton-beach-may-172019-05-28T22:00:16.000Z2019-05-28T22:00:16.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960874068,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960874068,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960874068?profile=original" /></a><em>Lady K drift boat Capt. Bruce Cyr, left, and mates Ashley Mann and Hernando Castano show the 92-pound wahoo they caught trolling in 90 feet of water off Boynton Beach. The wahoo hit a red-and-black Wahoo Whacker lure. The Lady K is based at Sportsman’s Park in Lantana. <b>Photo provided by Bar Jack Fishing</b></em></p></div>On the Water: It’s tournament time for saltwater anglershttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-it-s-tournament-time-for-saltwater-anglers2019-04-30T17:30:00.000Z2019-04-30T17:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960863691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960863691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960863691?profile=original" /></a></b></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><em>ABOVE:</em></b> <em>Capt. Carl Torresson of the Slob City fishing team holds aloft the 47.2-pound kingfish that won biggest fish</em><em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> honors and $14,200 in the Boynton Beach event. Angler Chris Bradshaw of Kings Park, N.Y. (second from left) caught the big kingfish on live bait near St. Lucie Inlet. Photo provided</em></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><em>BELOW:</em></b> <em>Sherri Beswick of Lake Worth won top lady angler in the April 6 Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament with this 35.4-pound kingfish caught near The Breakers hotel while fishing on Spiced Rum III with Capt. Billy Wummer (holding fish) and teammates Mike Lomastro (second from left) and Christian Long. <b>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em> </em></p>
<p class="p1"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864080,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864080,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960864080?profile=original" /></a></b></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Fishing tournament season officially begins in May with the arrival of longer days, warmer weather and schools of bait fish.</p>
<p class="p3">One of the first kingfish-dolphin-wahoo tournaments of the season — the 25th annual Lantana Fishing Derby — is set for May 4, with the weigh-in at the Old Key Lime House docks that afternoon. All boats must be at the docks by 3:30 p.m. to weigh fish. (Details at Lantanafishingderby.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">The following weekend, May 11, tournament anglers will target dolphin, kingfish, wahoo, blackfin tuna and cobia in the Saltwater Shootout, based in Pompano Beach. (Details at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> saltwatercircuit.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">Also scheduled for May 11: the 24th annual Grand Slam KDW tournament based in Jupiter. Teams will weigh their fish at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores and the Square Grouper Tiki Bar in Jupiter. (Details at fishgrandslamkdw.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">The Sail Inn KDW Charity Fishing Tournament, organized by the Sail Inn Tavern in Delray Beach, is set for June 1, with the weigh-in scheduled for 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. (For more details, call 703-1907.)</p>
<p class="p3">Also set for June 1: The Palm Beach County KDW Classic, organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club, which often attracts well over 200 boats. </p>
<p class="p3">The KDW Classic weigh-in is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. (Details at kdwclassic.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">Another large summer tournament, the Big Dog Fat Cat KDW Shootout, is set for July 13 and based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. The weigh-in is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. at Sailfish Marina. (Details at bigdogfatcat.org.)</p>
<p class="p3">For those who prefer a longer, more flexible, less expensive tournament, there’s the Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge.</p>
<p class="p3">The fourth annual Fishing Challenge begins May 24 and runs through July 4. There’s no entry fee, and participating anglers can win prizes such as Mang T-shirts, Engel coolers and Penn rod-and-reel combinations.</p>
<p class="p3">Open to anglers ages 5 and older, the Fishing Challenge is a citizen science tournament that gives biologists information on the size, types and whereabouts of fish in the county’s largest estuary, which stretches 20 miles from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge.</p>
<p class="p3">During last year’s Fishing Challenge, 49 anglers caught 57 species of fish. Many were caught around areas that have been restored to improve habitat, such as the Snook Islands Natural Area and the man-made mangrove islands off Lake Worth’s Bryant Park (where three redfish and a permit were caught last year).</p>
<p class="p3">Anglers catch, photograph and submit their catches via cellphone using the iAngler Tournament app. Fish can be kept, if they’re in season and of legal size, or released.</p>
<p class="p3">Find details on the Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge at <a href="http://www.lwli.org">www.lwli.org</a> or call 233-2448.</p>
<p class="p3">Another long-running tournament is CCA/Florida’s STAR tournament, which runs from May 25 to Labor Day.</p>
<p class="p3">Registered anglers who catch a STAR-tagged redfish could win a new boat or pickup truck.</p>
<p class="p3">CCA/Florida also will release 20 tagged dolphin (mahi mahi). The first registered angler to report catching a tagged dolphin wins $10,000.</p>
<p class="p3">Catches can be reported using the CCA/Florida STAR tournament smartphone app.</p>
<p class="p3">The STAR entry fee is $40 for CCA members ($75 including a one-year CCA membership).</p>
<p class="p3">For details, go to ccaflstar.com or call 352-665-4868.</p>
<p class="p3">Wahoo anyone? Anglers who enjoy fishing for the striped ocean speedsters can enter one or more of the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo tournaments.</p>
<p class="p3">These are relaxed, low-entry-fee tournaments held on the Saturdays closest to the full moons of June, July and August.</p>
<p class="p3">This year’s dates are June 15, July 20 and Aug. 17. The entry fee is $60 per tournament or $150 for all three.</p>
<p class="p3">At least one member of the fishing team must be a West Palm Beach Fishing Club member in good standing to register. For details, call 832-6780 or visit westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.</p>
<p class="p1"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960864301?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>Ed Ducar of Lakeland holds a blackfin tuna he caught on a live pilchard near Boynton Inlet in May 2017. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is holding workshops to discuss management options for largely unregulated blackfins. <b>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>FWC seeks public</b></span> <span class="s1"><b>input on blackfin tuna</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will gather public input on the management of blackfin tuna.</p>
<p class="p3">Blackfin tuna are regulated in state waters only by the state’s default recreational bag limit of 100 pounds. </p>
<p class="p3">There are no regulations on blackfin tuna in federal waters (more than 3 miles off Florida’s east coast).</p>
<p class="p3">A meeting to discuss management options for blackfin tuna is set for 6 p.m. May 6 at Keiser University, Room 402-B, 1500 NW 49th St., Fort Lauderdale.</p>
<p class="p3">To view the blackfin tuna presentation online and submit comments to the FWC, visit myfwc.com/SaltwaterComments.</p>
<p class="p4"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 1</b>: Grouper fishing season opens and remains open through Dec. 31 in state waters of the Atlantic. Minimum sizes: 20 inches for red grouper, 24 inches for black and gag grouper. Three-fish aggregate daily grouper bag limit can include only one black and one gag grouper. For details, go to myfwc.com and look under saltwater fishing regulations.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 4</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 7</b>: Boynton Beach Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. in the clubhouse by the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. bifc.org.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 18</b>: “Suddenly in Command” three-hour boating safety course offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Free. 331-2429.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 25</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. 331-2429.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Planning to take your boat to the Bahamas this summer?</p>
<p class="p3">Consider cruising over in a group boating “fling” led by the Bahamas Tourist Office. This year’s fling schedule begins June 12-16 with a trip to Grand Bahama Island, followed by trips to Bimini June 19-23 and June 26-30. An extended fling to the Exuma islands is set for July 10-21.</p>
<p class="p3">Trips leave from Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale. The registration fee is $75. Go to Bahamas.com or call 954-236-9212.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p6"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: With summer on way, it’s time to clean up, inspect your boathttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-with-summer-on-way-it-s-time-to-clean-up-inspect-you2019-04-02T19:57:46.000Z2019-04-02T19:57:46.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960850458,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960850458,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960850458?profile=original" /></a></strong></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">If you’re a boat owner living in southern Palm Beach County, you understand that boating is a year-round pursuit.</p>
<p class="p3">But the longer, warmer, calmer days of spring and summer lead many boaters to more hours on the water as they fish, dive and cruise with family and friends.</p>
<p class="p3">Boats often get a workout during the summer. That’s good. Marine mechanics say a boat that’s used frequently is less likely to develop problems than one that sits around.</p>
<p class="p3">But if your boat has been at rest for months — or if you simply want to prepare it to avoid problems during the busy boating days ahead — here are a few suggestions for spring boat maintenance.</p>
<p class="p3">• Fuel filters/water separators. If they haven’t been replaced in a few months, change them. It’s cheap insurance.</p>
<p class="p3">• Batteries. Clean corroded terminals with a small wire brush and treat them with anti-corrosion spray. Check water levels and add distilled water if needed.</p>
<p class="p3">• Have a marine mechanic change the engine oil (or do it yourself) and make routine checks of fuel lines, steering, running lights, bilge pumps (and bilge blowers) and propellers. Timing belts on outboards should be replaced every few years. (Check the engine owner’s manual.) Water pumps on outboards should be replaced annually.</p>
<p class="p3">• Inspect the anchor, anchor line and mooring lines. Replace chafed lines and damaged anchors.</p>
<p class="p3">• After the boat is in the water, look inside the bilge to check for leaks. (Don’t forget to install the drain plug before launching.)</p>
<p class="p3">• Paperwork. Is your boat insurance in effect? Is your Florida boat registration current? If you have an EPIRB (satellite beacon), does it have a current registration with NOAA?</p>
<p class="p3">• Safety gear. Are there plenty of life jackets of the correct size in good condition for everyone who will be coming aboard? Do you have a throwable flotation device such as a boat cushion or life ring? Are fire extinguishers and emergency signal flares still in date? Inspect the first-aid kit and replace items as needed.</p>
<p class="p3">• Inspect through-hull valves (seacocks). Reach down into the bilge to make sure valves, which control water flow into the boat for uses such as live bait wells, are still working. If the valve is stuck open and a hose bursts, there would be no way to stop the flow of water, meaning the boat could sink.</p>
<p class="p3">Will Beck, owner of Sea Tow Palm Beach, has been helping stranded boaters in the waters off Palm Beach County for 33 years. Beck and his crew tow about 2,000 disabled boats annually in the waters from Deerfield Beach to Hobe Sound.</p>
<p class="p3">Beck said dead batteries and fuel problems are common when boaters begin using their boats during the summer. He recommends installing fresh batteries every two years.</p>
<p class="p3">If a boat has been sitting around for a few months, new fuel filters/water separators might ward off any fuel problems. But a boat that has not been used for a year or more might need the fuel pumped out and replaced, especially if the fuel contains ethanol.</p>
<p class="p3">New water pumps for the engines are usually good investments in the spring, Beck said. The rubber blades on the impellers, which pump the water that cools the engine(s), can rot when a boat sits around.</p>
<p class="p3">Just in case you might overlook something, schedule a free vessel examination with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.</p>
<p class="p3">Auxiliary volunteers will check many of your boat’s key safety features, including life jackets, navigation lights, signal flares, horn and fire extinguisher.</p>
<p class="p3">Members of Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton offer free vessel exams from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month at the Silver Palm Park boat ramps in Boca Raton (and on the second Saturday of the month at Lake Ida Park boat ramp in Delray Beach, weather permitting).</p>
<p class="p3">To schedule a free safety exam with Flotilla 36, call 391-3600 and leave a message or email fso-ve@cgauxboca.org.</p>
<p class="p3">Flotilla 54, which serves Boynton Beach and Delray Beach, sends vessel examiners to the Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park on Saturdays and Sundays, usually from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., weather permitting.</p>
<p class="p3">To schedule a free boat examination, go to <a href="http://www.cgaux.org">www.cgaux.org</a>, click on <i>get a</i> <i>vessel safety check</i> and complete the online form or call Flotilla 54’s vessel examination officer at 312-6439.</p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960849898,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960849898,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960849898?profile=original" /></a><em>Brian Bowden (l) of New York caught this 60-pound cobia while fishing March 8 aboard the Lantana-based Lady K drift boat. It hit a dead sardine rigged in 52 feet of water. Mate Danny Turner (r) helps hold the fish. <b>Photo provided by Bar Jack Fishing</b></em></p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Blue Wild expo</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo, featuring seminars and exhibits on scuba diving, free diving, fishing, spearfishing, surfing, paddleboarding and adventure travel, is set for April 27-28 in Fort Lauderdale.</p>
<p class="p3">Experts will share tips on fishing, spearfishing, knot tying and other topics. Free art classes and crab races will be offered in the Kid Zone.</p>
<p class="p3">The Blue Wild will be held at the Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 27 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 28.</p>
<p class="p3">Admission is $20. Children under 12 will be admitted free.</p>
<p class="p3">For more details, visit TheBlueWild.com.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 6</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 (leave a message).</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 6</b>: Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Firehouse Chili Cook-off based at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park. Eligible fish: kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Entry fee $300 per team. </p>
<p class="p3">Register at boyntonbeach firefighters.com.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 6</b>: The nonprofit Fishing for Families in Need hosts Cruise for a Cause fundraiser with food, music, art exhibit and dancing aboard the Catalina, 6-10 p.m., Sun Dream Yacht Charters, 2950 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets $100. Details: f4fn.eventbrite.com.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 13</b>: West Palm Beach Fishing Club Yard Sale, featuring used rods, reels, tackle boxes as well as gear for boating, fishing and diving, 7 a.m. to noon at the fishing club, 201 Fifth St. (on Flagler Drive north of Okeechobee Boulevard) in West Palm Beach. Free admissions. Tax-deductible donations of used gear accepted before the sale. Call 832-6780.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 18</b>: Early-entry deadline for 25th annual Lantana Fishing Derby. Entry fee $200 for teams up to four anglers by April 18 or $250 thereafter. Captains meeting May 2 at Lantana Recreation Center. Fishing May 4 with weigh-in at Old Key Lime House. Call 585-8664 or visit Lantanafishingderby.com.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 27</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>April 27</b>: Volunteers needed for Great American Cleanup events, 8 a.m. at South Inlet Park and Spanish River Park in Boca Raton. See keeppbcbeautiful.org.</p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">As days grow longer and the sun becomes stronger, cover yourself with clothing when you’re on or near the water.</p>
<p class="p3">In addition to a well-ventilated, long-sleeved shirt that will dry quickly, wear a Buff (multifunctional head wear) to shield your neck and face. Buffs can be pulled up to cover your face when the sun is really beating down. With many styles available, they can add a little fashion sense to your outdoor garb.</p>
<p class="p3">Keep several hats ready —some big floppy ones for general use and others that will work in windy conditions, such as riding in an open boat.</p>
<p class="p3">Consider wearing gloves. Buy gloves without fingertips if you need your fingers for tasks such as tying fishing knots — or cut the fingertips out of inexpensive garden gloves.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p6"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: Gumbo Limbo beachcombing walks offer entertainment, educationhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-gumbo-limbo-beachcombing-walks-offer-entertainment-e2019-02-27T00:27:18.000Z2019-02-27T00:27:18.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839457,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839457,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960839457?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Beachcombers enjoy the breeze, sand and surf during a guided outing at Red Reef Park. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Scavenging the wrack zone for shells and sea beans can fill collectors’ baskets and pique the curiosity of anyone interested in the origins of things deposited on the sand.</p>
<p>To learn a bit more about the many things that wash ashore, I attended one of the free Beach Treasures outings offered by Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.</p>
<p>Our beach guide and instructor, Debbie Wilson, began our session with a classroom talk at Gumbo Limbo to give us some idea of what to look for before we hit the beach.</p>
<p>Wilson showed us several types of seashells and the marine animals that live in them, as well as corals, sponges, sea stars, volcanic rock, sandstone, sea glass and “sea beans” or seed pods from plants, many from far-away places.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839085,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839085,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="330" alt="7960839085?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="330" alt="7960839882?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960839692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="330" alt="7960839692?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960840290,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960840290,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="330" alt="7960840290?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>TOP LEFT: The purple sea snail shell is a real find for beachcombers. TOP RIGHT: The lightning whelk gets its name from bolt-like streaks on its shell. BOTTOM LEFT: Walk leader Debbie Wilson displays a bowl containing golf ball beans, tropical almonds and mangrove seedlings. BOTTOM RIGHT: The sea heart, a seed pod from trees growing in South America and Africa, is <em>carried to Florida beaches by current and wind. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></em></p>
<p>After Wilson’s classroom talk, we drove to Red Reef Park — where we did not have to pay for parking — and headed onto the beach, where we found strong wind, piles of decaying Sargasso weed and purple Portuguese men-of-war, which we avoided after being warned about their venomous tentacles.</p>
<p>Our eager group found several golf ball beans — round, brown seed pods — as well as lighter colored tropical almonds. (Check them out on seabean.com.)</p>
<p>A flip-flop on the sand was covered in gooseneck barnacles, a sign that it had been drifting for a while. Some members of our group were rewarded with treasures, such as the shells of the purple sea snail and the lightning whelk.</p>
<p>“It’s really good for the kids to be out here,” said Jennifer Longinos of Delray Beach, whose son found a purple sea snail. <br /> Allison McCarrick, a winter resident of Lake Worth, used a stick to sift through decaying mats of Sargasso weed to find a sea heart — a handsome, dark-brown seed pod shaped like a heart.</p>
<p>Impossible to ignore was the rubbish on the beach, including plastic bags, baby shoes, flip-flops, drink bottles, shards of plastic and a tiny glass ampule containing something, possibly perfume.</p>
<p>We left the beach with bags of trash to throw away and with a few natural treasures to take home.</p>
<p>Gumbo Limbo Nature Center offers free Beach Treasures talks and walks twice a month. This month’s schedule is 3 p.m. March 6 and 20. Find more and sign up online at gumbolimbo.org.</p>
<p><strong>FWC approves shore-based shark fishing rules</strong></p>
<p>Anglers fishing for sharks from Florida beaches will be required to take a class and obtain a free shore-based shark fishing permit under rules approved Feb. 20 by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.</p>
<p>The new FWC rules, effective July 1, follow months of public workshops held to address growing concerns that shark fishing from the beach endangers swimmers and harms sharks that are sometimes dragged onto beaches for photos before being released.<br /> Some of the new rules apply to anglers targeting sharks from boats as well as from beaches.</p>
<p>In addition to mandatory education to obtain a shore-based shark fishing permit, the new rules will:</p>
<p>• Prohibit chumming from beaches.</p>
<p>• Require the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks when targeting sharks — from land or from a boat.</p>
<p>• Require anglers to cut the leader, line or hook to prevent the delayed release of sharks that are protected from harvest. Twenty-six species of sharks, such as hammerhead, lemon and Caribbean reef sharks, cannot be possessed or harvested in Florida.</p>
<p>• Require anglers to keep protected sharks in the water while releasing them from land or from a boat.</p>
<p>• Require anglers targeting sharks, from land or from a boat, to carry a device that can quickly cut a hook or leader to release a shark.</p>
<p>The shore-based shark fishing permit requirement will apply to anglers younger than 16, unless they are fishing with an adult who holds a permit. Florida anglers older than 65 (who are exempt from the fishing license requirement) also will be required to take a class and obtain the free shore-based shark fishing permit if they plan to fish for sharks from land.</p>
<p>Also on Feb. 20, FWC commissioners banned the harvest of live fish and invertebrates for aquariums from the Blue Heron Bridge dive site near Phil Foster Park, effective April 1.</p>
<p>Jessica McCawley, director of the FWC’s Division of Marine Fisheries Management, said the Blue Heron Bridge dive site north of Peanut Island has become an internationally recognized diving destination.</p>
<p>The ban on live harvest of marine life does not affect hook-and-line fishing, cast netting or the legal harvest of spiny lobster in the Blue Heron Bridge area. Boaters carrying live fish legally taken from other areas will be allowed to transport them through the sanctuary.</p>
<p><strong>Palm Beach boat show set for March 28-31</strong></p>
<p>The 34th annual Palm Beach International Boat show — featuring $1.2 billion worth of boats and accessories on display as well as fishing seminars for adults and children — is set for March 28-31 along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach.</p>
<p>Hook the Future will present free fishing clinics for kids on March 30 and 31.</p>
<p>Experts with the IGFA School of Sportfishing will offer adult fishing seminars, free with admission, throughout the show.</p>
<p>Admission: $28 for adults and $18 for ages 6-15. There’s no admission charge for children younger than 6.</p>
<p>For information on tickets, parking and transportation maps, visit PBBoatshow.com.</p>
<p><strong>Fishing tournament to benefit Navy SEALs</strong></p>
<p>The Naked Warrior Project and 26 North Yachts will host a fishing tournament March 9 to raise money to memorialize fallen Navy SEALs and to help injured SEALs and their families.</p>
<p>The inaugural Naked Warrior Project Fishing Tournament for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, tuna and cobia will be based at Sands Harbor Resort and Marina, 125 N. Riverside Drive, Pompano Beach. The captains meeting and kickoff party is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 7 at Sands Harbor Resort and Marina.</p>
<p>The entry fee is $500 per boat. Fishing teams can register and pay online at nakedwarriorproject.org or at 26 North Yachts, 2525 Marina Bay Drive in Fort Lauderdale.</p>
<p>The nonprofit Naked Warrior Project was founded by John Owens, whose brother, Ryan, a Navy SEAL, was killed in action in 2017.</p>
<p>Report encounters with diseased lionfish, FWC asks <br /> Invasive lionfish with ulcers have been found in Florida waters as far south as Fort Pierce, and state researchers are asking anyone who encounters a diseased lionfish to report it.</p>
<p>Lionfish have been found with ulcers that expose muscle tissue. Anyone who finds such a lionfish is being asked to note the number of fish affected and the location. Take photographs if possible.</p>
<p>Reports can be submitted through the FWC Reporter smartphone app or by calling the Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511.</p>
<p><strong>Coming events</strong><br /></p>
<p><strong>March 2:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 and leave a message.</p>
<p><strong>March 5:</strong> Boynton Beach Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. at classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Free. bifc.org.</p>
<p><strong>March 23:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p><strong>March 29-30:</strong> REEF’s Winter Lionfish Derby. Final registration and captains meeting 5:30 p.m., March 29, at REEF headquarters, 98300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Lionfish diving March 30. Lionfish will be taken to the docks at Sharkey’s Pub for scoring. Entry fee $120 per team of two to four divers. Call 305-852-0030 or visit reef.org.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960840885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960840885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-right" alt="7960840885?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><strong>Nearly 100-pound kingfish caught off Fort Lauderdale</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>The Happy Day Today crew, including honeymooning couple Mike and Brooke Hayes of Indiana, celebrates the 97.8-pound kingsh that Mike Hayes caught while fishing off Fort Lauderdale Jan. 20. Toasting with the couple are Capt. J.B. Sirgany, in yellow coveralls, and mate Troy McDonald. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Nearly 100-pound kingfish caught off Fort Lauderdale</strong></p>
<p>Mike and Brooke Hayes were visiting Fort Lauderdale during their honeymoon in January when they decided to take a half-day fishing trip aboard the Happy Day Today charter boat.</p>
<p>Fishing with Capt. J.B. Sirgany and mate Troy McDonald, Mike Hayes caught a kingfish so big it could have broken a 20-year-old world record — if it had been caught on different tackle.</p>
<p>Jack Vitek, chief of staff for the International Game Fish Association, which verifies world records, said the IGFA would not consider the kingfish for world-record status because IGFA rules prohibit the use of treble hooks when fishing with live bait.</p>
<p>The owner of the charter boat, Capt. Thomas Zsak, said Mike Hayes caught the kingfish using 30-pound-test tackle after it hit a small, live “bullet” bonito.</p>
<p>The Happy Day Today crew was fishing a drop-off along the coast of Fort Lauderdale. Mike Hayes fought the fish for an hour and 53 minutes.</p>
<p>The kingfish weighed 97.8 pounds. It measured 67 inches to the fork of the tail and had a girth of 31.75 inches.</p>
<p>The all-tackle world record for king mackerel, better known as kingfish, is 93 pounds. Steve Graulau caught that kingfish in April 1999 off San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Florida record kingfish — 90 pounds — was caught in 1976 by Norton Thomton off Key West. <br /> <br /> <strong>Tip of the month</strong></p>
<p>Want to fish spring tournaments for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo? If so, start planning. The KDW tournament season kicks off April 6 with the Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Firehouse Chili Cookoff. (Visit boyntonbeachfirefighters.com). The Lantana Fishing Derby is set for May 4. (Visit lantanafishingderby.com). Discounts apply for early entry.</p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Kite fishing can be productive on breezy winter dayshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-kite-fishing-can-be-productive-on-breezy-winter-days2019-01-29T18:14:40.000Z2019-01-29T18:14:40.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960842453,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960842453,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960842453?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Capt. Nick Cardella holds one of his favorite fishing kites, an SFE light-wind<br /> kite, during a kite-fishing seminar. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Anyone who has fished the ocean off Palm Beach County — or even observed fishing boats from the beach — has probably seen fishing kites flying near boats.</p>
<p>Dangling live baits under fishing kites was popularized as a way to catch sailfish and other ocean game fish in the 1960s by Capt. Bob Lewis of Miami.</p>
<p>Suspending live baits under kites causes baitfish such as pilchards or goggle-eyes to thrash on the surface, attracting predators.</p>
<p>Fishing with kites also spreads baits out over a wide area and allows anglers to fish both sides of a boat while drifting.</p>
<p>But popular as kite fishing is, proficiency still eludes ocean anglers who don’t have the right tools or have not taken time to master the art.</p>
<p>Capt. Nick Cardella — a Delray Beach native, charter captain and member of many tournament fishing teams — sought to demystify the art of kite fishing by sharing tips during a Dec. 20 seminar at West Marine in Delray Beach.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843268,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843268,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="7960843268?profile=original" /></a><em>A typical kite rig includes a ring above a brightly colored marker float and a small sinker to hold the float down in the wind.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843077,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843077,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="300" alt="7960843077?profile=original" /></a><em>A basic kite rod — a short fishing rod and conventional reel fitted with Dacron line and release clips. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong><br /></em></p>
<p>Some background: Kite fishing consists of flying a fishing kite from a small rod (the kite rod). The line under the kite typically holds three release clips spaced about 65 feet apart. Fishing lines attach to the release clips with small ceramic or metal rings.</p>
<p>When a fish strikes and tugs the fishing line, the release clip opens and the fishing line drops free.</p>
<p>Windy winter days can create good conditions for kite fishing. Serious kite anglers carry several kites for a variety of wind conditions and attach helium balloons to their kites to hold them aloft when the wind speed slows.</p>
<p>Here are a few of Cardella’s tips for anglers learning to fish with a kite:</p>
<p>• Match the weight (used under the marker float on the fishing line) to the wind conditions. Cardella will use an ounce or more of weight to hold lines down in stout winds.</p>
<p>• For days with less-than-steady wind, use a heavy-duty balloon (available from tackle shops) filled with helium to hold the kite up. One place to find tanks of helium for balloons is Party City.</p>
<p>• Tie the helium balloon directly to the kite spar. The kite will tend to pull to the opposite side the balloon is attached to. That’s good. When using two kites, attach balloons so that one kite pulls to the left, the other to the right.</p>
<p>• Use a sea anchor to slow the drift and stabilize the boat, especially in relatively rough winter seas. An alternative is to hold the boat into the wind with the engines by bumping them in and out of gear.</p>
<p>• Monofilament leaders and circle hooks are standard tackle for sailfish. But when toothy fish such as kingfish and wahoo are severing leaders, have wire leaders ready. Cardella uses about 30 inches of No. 6 wire and a standard J hook when rigging live baits for toothy fish.</p>
<p>• If you plan to kite fish regularly, consider buying an electric reel for the kite rod. A power reel will save time and cranking muscles when you retrieve the kite.</p>
<p>• Even if you don’t need a helium balloon to keep the kite aloft, attach a regular balloon to the kite. If the kite winds up in the water, the balloon will keep it afloat.</p>
<p>• Adjust the yoke lines on the bridle to fit wind conditions. If a kite is flying too high or wobbling, move the bridle in toward the kite. If it’s flying too low, move the bridle out away from the kite.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Silver Sailfish Derby</strong> <br /> Capt. Joe Garberoglio and his team on the Fragrant Harbor won top boat in the Silver Sailfish Derby, with 13 sailfish releases posted over two days of fishing Jan. 10-11.</p>
<p>The Fragrant Harbor team — including David and Lynne Henderson, Trent Glaub, Ryan Hullihan, Owen Buckman and Tim Smith — took an early lead on the first day, with nine releases, then caught and released another four fish on Day 2 to win by one release.</p>
<p>Two other teams — Native Son led by Capt. Art Sapp and Sparhawk led by Capt. Joe Ferrulle — finished the derby with 12 releases.</p>
<p>The fourth-place team, Singularis led by Capt. John Van Dellen, caught nothing on Day 1 but found the fish and scored 10 releases on Day 2, earning top-boat honors for the second day.</p>
<p>Billed as the oldest sailfish tournament in the world, the Silver Sailfish Derby was started in 1935 by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and has been held every year since, except during the fuel shortages of World War II. Forty-three boats participated in this year’s 82nd derby.</p>
<p>Also noteworthy: Teams fishing in the Fort Pierce-based Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament shattered sailfish release records, including posting the tournament’s best single day of 709 releases by 27 boats on Jan. 10, Treasure Coast Newspapers reported.</p>
<p>Teams found most of the sailfish off Cocoa Beach.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843670,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960843670,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="300" alt="7960843670?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Ashley Ramey holds the tagged 43-inch bull dolphin caught Nov. 23 south of Boynton Inlet from Capt. Chris LeMieux’s boat. When the fish was tagged and released June 10 off Cudjoe Key, it measured only 16 inches. <strong>Photo by LeMieux Charters</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Mahi mahi catch</strong><br /> Most South Florida anglers who fish for mahi mahi know that they grow really fast.</p>
<p>A November catch by Kyle Veits and Ashley Ramey — clients of charter Capt. Chris LeMieux of Boynton Beach — demonstrates just how fast these dolphinfish can grow.</p>
<p>The 43-inch bull dolphin, caught Nov. 23 south of Boynton Inlet, had been tagged and released less than six months earlier as part of the Dolphinfish Research Program (dolphintagging.com).</p>
<p>When Capt. Don Gates tagged and released the fish off Cudjoe Key on June 10, it measured only 16 inches. The fish grew 27 inches in less than six months (166 days to be exact).</p>
<p>The take-away message, says Dolphinfish Research Program Director Wessley Merten: “Let them go and they will grow.”</p>
<p><strong>Manatee deaths rise</strong><br /> Florida lost 824 manatees last year, well above the latest five-year average of 532, partly because of a strong red tide bloom on the state’s west coast.</p>
<p>Lee County had the largest number of reported manatee deaths in 2018 at 182, according to preliminary manatee mortality statistics compiled by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.</p>
<p>Thirteen manatee deaths were documented in Palm Beach County, including five related to strikes by boats. <br /> Statewide manatee deaths included 121 related to the slow-moving marine mammals’ being hit by boats and other types of watercraft.</p>
<p>Another 321 of last year’s dead manatees tested positive for red tide exposure, the FWC reports.</p>
<p>Boaters can avoid manatees by obeying slow-speed zones, staying in marked channels and wearing polarized sunglasses that help them see manatees in the water.</p>
<p>Anyone who spots a sick, injured or dead manatee should report it to the state’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.</p>
<p><strong>Coming events</strong><br /> <strong>Feb. 2:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 and leave a message.</p>
<p><strong>Feb. 14-18:</strong> Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show based at Miami Marine Stadium Park, 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway. Hours: 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Activities include boat-handling clinics on the water and a conservation village featuring tips for protecting marine ecosystems. Advance tickets $25 ($40 on Feb. 14). Children 12 and younger free. VIP passes $150 ($175 on opening day). Call 954-441-3220 or visit miamiboatshow.com.</p>
<p><strong>Feb. 23:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee, $20. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong></p>
<p>Fishing for sailfish with live bait this winter? Be patient. Just because the reel clicks a few times doesn’t mean a sailfish is hooked.</p>
<p>Wait until the line is going out steadily for a few seconds before tightening the drag.</p>
<p>Most anglers targeting sailfish use circle hooks (required in billfish tournaments). The goal is to snag the circle hook in the corner of the sailfish’s jaw so it can be caught, photographed and released unharmed.</p>
<p>Hold sailfish in the water alongside a slow-moving boat, allowing water to wash through their gills, until they regain strength and are ready to swim free.<br /> <br /> <em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Waterfront park beautified, thanks to Boynton grouphttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-waterfront-park-beautified-thanks-to-boynton-group2019-01-02T16:00:00.000Z2019-01-02T16:00:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960832881,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960832881,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960832881?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Matthew Simmons of Boca Raton plucks trash from clumps of seaweed along the shoreline. Simmons and his 12-year-old son, Hayden, were among the 30 or so volunteers who turned out for the monthly cleanup. <strong>Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard </strong></p>
<p>Nature lover Kevin Homer was astonished by the volume of trash he found while visiting Boynton Beach’s Intracoastal Park early last year.<br /> So he decided to do something about it. Homer organized monthly cleanups through a group he named Boynton C.A.R.E.S. — Community Activists Rehabilitating the Ecosystem.<br /> After notifying Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Director Wally Majors, Homer approached local businesses for equipment and began hosting monthly cleanups at the waterfront park.<br /> Lowe’s donated buckets. Harbor Freight donated pickup tongs. Dunkin’ Donuts gives the group free coffee and doughnuts for each cleanup; Domino’s donates pizza gift certificates.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960832493,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960832493,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="7960832493?profile=original" /></a><em>Sean McKillop of Boynton Beach and Noah, his 8-month-old son, removed trash together during the Dec. 9 Boynton C.A.R.E.S. cleanup at Intracoastal Park in Boynton Beach.</em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Homer said more than 30 restaurants have donated gift cards, given to volunteers as raffle prizes at the end of each cleanup.<br /> Most Boynton C.A.R.E.S. cleanups are the first Sunday of the month at Intracoastal Park — an attractive waterfront park at 2240 N. Federal Highway.<br /> Anyone willing to help can simply show up. Cleanups last about 45 minutes, followed by a brief discussion of environmental topics and raffles.<br /> About 30 volunteers attended the Dec. 9 cleanup, including 18 clients from the Bright Futures Treatment Center in Boynton Beach.<br /> In addition to the usual scraps of plastic packaging, Styrofoam, aluminum cans, cigarette butts and glass bottles, the Boynton C.A.R.E.S group found the remains of a small inflatable boat, several boat fenders, large wooden planks, heaps of rope and a black handgun wrapped in a plastic bag.<br /> The handgun was treated as real until a Boynton Beach police officer determined that it was plastic.<br /> Volunteer Charles Droog of Boynton Beach said the previous month’s cleanup generated a backpack filled with jars of pills, a packed duffle bag and a car door.<br /> Homer, who owns a waterfront home near Intracoastal Park, said he became emotional at the Dec. 9 event when raffle prize winners donated back their restaurant gift cards and free pizza certificates so other volunteers could win them.<br /> “We have a great group of volunteers who consistently attend each month,” Homer said. “People are becoming more conscious and aware about pollution and what it can do.”</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960833078,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960833078,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960833078?profile=original" /></a><em>Volunteer instructor Steven Schwartz helps young angler Riley Murphy at the Juno Beach Pier during the Dec. 8 Kids Fishing Program organized by the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The fishing program is open to kids ages 7-12 with parents on Saturday mornings through April.</em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Program introduces children to pier fishing</strong><br /> Aspiring anglers ages 7-12 can learn the basics of fishing along with casting and knot-tying and fish conservation at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Kids Fishing Program.<br /> The Saturday program runs from 9 to 11 a.m. through the end of April. The cost is $10 per angler. Parents or guardians must attend. Adults can fish, too, for a $5 fee, after the group reaches the Juno Beach Pier.<br /> The Kids Fishing Program meets at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, where staff instructors and volunteers teach proper fish handling, how to measure fish and how to tie basic fishing knots.<br /> Casting practice follows the sit-down instruction. Then the instructors meet the kids and their parents at the pier, where they fish.<br /> All fish are released during the instructional program to promote the catch-and-release ethic. <br /> Parents interested in registering their children for one of the programs can do so by going to marinelife.org. (Click on “experiences,” then navigate to the calendar and look under Saturday for the Kids Fishing Program.)<br /> Parents and children who show up at the Marinelife Center on a Saturday morning can participate without advance registration if space allows. Each program is limited to 10 young anglers.</p>
<p><strong>Shore-based shark fishing regulations to get update</strong> <br /> The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission approved draft changes to shark-fishing regulations in December that would prohibit chumming from beaches and require anglers to obtain a free shore-based shark fishing permit. <br /> The FWC plans to require some basic education for shore-based shark anglers, possibly through an online course, to obtain the permit.<br /> The shark-fishing regulation changes must receive another approval by the FWC; a final vote is scheduled for February. <br /> The FWC says the changes should increase the survival rate of released sharks — and reduce public concerns about shark fishing from the state’s beaches. <br /> In addition to requiring a permit and prohibiting chumming, the regulations would prohibit the delayed release of any of the 26 shark species that cannot be harvested in Florida — and require that those prohibited sharks remain in the water while being released. <br /> The FWC also plans to require that anglers fishing for sharks, from land or from a boat, use non-offset circle hooks that are not made of stainless steel — hooks that would rust if left in the shark. <br /> The proposed rules also would require shark anglers to have and use a device, such as wire cutters, that could quickly cut the leader or hook. <br /> Also at its Dec. 12 meeting in St. Augustine, the FWC tentatively expanded protection for the Blue Heron Bridge dive site in Palm Beach County.<br /> If approved in February, the dive-site regulations would prohibit the collection of fish and other marine life for the aquarium trade and expand the existing protected area to include waters north of Phil Foster Park. <br /> <br /> <strong>Coming events</strong><br /> <strong>Jan. 5:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 and leave a message.<br /> <strong>Jan. 10-11:</strong> 82nd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, a sailfish release tournament organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Captain’s meeting Jan. 9 at West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Awards party Jan. 12. Call 832-6780 or visit westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.<br /> <strong>Jan. 18-19:</strong> Operation Sailfish, a sailfish release tournament based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Kickoff party Jan. 16 at Sailfish Marina. Awards party Jan. 20. Call 954-725-4010 or visit operationsailfish.com.<br /> <strong>Jan. 26:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Schedule a free boat safety exam.<br /> Boaters want to have the correct safety equipment on board, but sometimes they overlook a thing or two. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free vessel safety examinations to check equipment such as life jackets, navigation lights, signal flares, horns and fire extinguishers. <br /> Volunteers with Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton offer free vessel exams from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month at the Silver Palm Park boat ramps in Boca Raton (and on the second Saturday of the month at Lake Ida Park boat ramp in Delray Beach, weather permitting). To schedule a free safety exam, call 391-3600 and leave a message or email fso-ve@cgauxboca.org.<br /> Flotilla 54, which serves Boynton Beach and Delray Beach, sends vessel examiners to the Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park boat ramps on Saturdays and Sundays, usually from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. To schedule a boat safety exam, go to cgaux.org, search for vessel examinations and complete the online form.</p>
<p><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Spanish mackerel moving into South Floridahttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-spanish-mackerel-moving-into-south-florida2018-11-28T16:30:00.000Z2018-11-28T16:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822700,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822700,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960822700?profile=original" /></a><em>At the Juno Beach pier, Jose Villanueva shows two of the Spanish mackerel he caught using a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow lure.</em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Cool weather of the late fall and winter brings schools of hard-fighting Spanish mackerel to the coast of Palm Beach County.</p>
<p class="p3">Often called simply “Spanish,” the slender silver fish with golden spots on their sides can be found in shallow water along the county’s beaches as well as the inshore waters of the Lake Worth Lagoon from October through March.</p>
<p class="p3">Casting jigs, spoons or lures from the Lake Worth Pier, the Boynton Inlet jetties or the inshore waters around Lantana’s Ocean Avenue Bridge can produce Spanish mackerel, especially after a cold front.</p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822294,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822294,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960822294?profile=original" /></a>Casting lures for Spanish mackerel include the chrome Gotcha lure (top), the Kastmaster casting spoon and the half-ounce Gulfstream Flash Minnow jig.</em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p3">Popular lures for Spanish include Gulfstream Flash Minnow jigs (try the half-ounce jig in the chartreuse/pearl color), Gotcha lures and silver surf-casting spoons such as Kastmasters.</p>
<p class="p3">Lures need not be fancy. Some creative anglers put hooks and small weights into 2-inch sections of drinking straws or green surgical tubing to create mackerel jigs.</p>
<p class="p3">Leader is important because toothy mackerel can sever fishing line with ease. Try tying on mackerel lures and jigs with about 2 feet of 40-pound-test monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, or use a trace of No. 4 wire to guard against cutoffs.</p>
<p class="p3">Spanish like fast-moving baits, so don’t be shy after casting. Let your lure, spoon or jig sink for a few seconds, then reel fast, pausing now and then. Twitch the rod tip a few times until you develop a rhythm that triggers strikes from aggressive Spanish.</p>
<p class="p3">For casting at Spanish, a 7-foot, medium-action spinning rod and reel spooled with 30-pound braided line (or 20-pound monofilament line) will get the job done. Just add leader and the jig, spoon or lure.</p>
<p class="p3">For trolling — a good way to find Spanish when fishing from a boat — use a conventional rod holding 20- to 30-pound-test line. Rig the trolling rod with a small cigar weight, a swivel and a trolling spoon such as a 3-inch Clarkspoon. (Use about 2 feet of No. 4 wire above the spoon to guard against cutoffs.)</p>
<p class="p3">Live natural baits such as pilchards and shrimp will catch Spanish as well.</p>
<p class="p3">Lake Worth pier attendant Linda Carr said anglers caught large mackerel when schools of ballyhoo were around the pier in October.</p>
<p class="p3">Cooler weather in December should encourage mackerel to move from points north into Palm Beach County’s near-shore waters.</p>
<p class="p3">Limits are generous for anglers targeting Spanish mackerel. They can keep up to 15 Spanish daily. Anglers must have a Florida saltwater fishing license (unless exempt).</p>
<p class="p3">The minimum size for Spanish is 12 inches, measured from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail.</p>
<p class="p3">Consider releasing smaller mackerel in favor of those that are at least 15 inches. A 20-inch Spanish is dinner for two.</p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822893,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960822893,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960822893?profile=original" /></a><em>Spanish mackerel fillets after being soaked overnight in a brine solution and smoked on a charcoal grill with a side firebox.</em></p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align:center;"><em><span class="s1"><b>Photos by Willie Howard/ The Coastal Star</b></span></em></p>
<p class="p3"></p>
<p class="p3">As with other saltwater fish, mackerel intended for the dinner table should be iced soon after they’re caught. Immersion in slush of icy saltwater is ideal.</p>
<p class="p3">Spanish are among the easiest of saltwater fish to clean. Just lay them flat and fillet them, being careful to remove the rib cage and any remnants of the fins. Leave the skin on.</p>
<p class="p3">Mackerel are best eaten fresh — the same day they’re caught or the next day — unless they’re soaked overnight in a brine solution (in the fridge) and smoked for a longer shelf life.</p>
<p class="p3">Options abound for cooking Spanish. They can be broiled skin-side down in the oven, cooked in a skillet with olive oil and garlic or placed on foil with olive oil, lemon slices and spices for grilling.</p>
<p class="p3">My favorite Spanish recipe (available online) is the Food Network’s mackerel with fennel, olives and sun-dried tomatoes.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Seasonal manatee </b></span><span class="s1"><b>speed zones in effect</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Seasonal boating idle-speed, no-wake zones designed to protect manatees took effect Nov. 15 and will remain in effect through March 31.</p>
<p class="p3">Among the largest of the idle-speed manatee zones in Palm Beach County is south of Peanut Island near FPL’s Riviera Beach power plant, which attracts manatees with its warm-water outflow.</p>
<p class="p3">To avoid manatees, boat operators should wear polarized sunglasses and watch the surface of the water for the swirls produced by their tails and the snouts of manatees surfacing for air.</p>
<p class="p3">Problems with a manatees and suspected violations of boating regulations can be reported to the state’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.</p>
<p class="p3"></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960823265,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960823265,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960823265?profile=original" /></a>The Sea Mist III drift fishing boat cruises down the Intracoastal Waterway during last year’s Boynton Beach/Delray Beach Holiday Boat Parade. This year’s parade is Dec. 14.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <b>Photo provided by Boynton Beach CRA</b></em></p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Holiday boat parades</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Boats decorated for the holiday season will light up the Intracoastal Waterway Dec. 14 during the annual Boynton Beach/Delray Beach Holiday Boat Parade.</p>
<p class="p3">Parade boats will gather at Palm Beach Yacht Center and cruise south beginning at 6:30 p.m. The parade will end at the C-15 canal (south end of Delray Beach).</p>
<p class="p3">Viewing locations include Boynton Harbor Marina, Intracoastal Park and Jaycee Park in Boynton Beach as well as Veterans Park and Knowles Park in Delray Beach.</p>
<p class="p3">Viewers also are expected to watch the parade from waterfront restaurants such as Two Georges, Banana Boat and Prime Catch in Boynton Beach and Deck 84 in Delray Beach.</p>
<p class="p3">A captain’s meeting for participating boaters is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Banana Boat restaurant. Entry forms can be found at <a href="http://www.catchboynton.com">www.catchboynton.com</a> (click on “what’s happening”).</p>
<p class="p3">Boca Raton is holding a separate holiday boat parade Dec. 22.</p>
<p class="p3">Boca’s parade boats are scheduled to assemble near the C-15 canal and head south beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Boca parade will end at the Hillsboro Boulevard bridge.</p>
<p class="p3">Note: Bridges will be held open for about 45 minutes at Spanish River Boulevard, Palmetto Park Road and Camino Real to allow the parade boats to pass.</p>
<p class="p3">Viewing locations include Red Reef Park, Spanish River Park and Silver Palm Park.</p>
<p class="p3">Entry forms and details about the Boca Raton Holiday Boat Parade can be found at <a href="http://www.myboca.us">www.myboca.us</a> (look under things to do and special events).</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>Dec. 1</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($20 for ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Dec. 4</b>: Boynton Beach Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. in the clubhouse next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Details at <a href="http://www.bifc.org">www.bifc.org</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Dec. 22</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $25. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">If you’re going boating, surfing or snorkeling in the ocean, it’s smart to look for a wind and wave forecast. Problem is, that’s just a prediction. Better to know the actual wind direction and speed just before you head out. Search the internet for NDBC (National Data Buoy Center) and Lake Worth Pier. Click on recent data for Station LKWF1 to find fresh information on wind speed and direction, the speed of wind gusts plus air and water temperatures.</p>
<p class="p6"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: FWC considers regulating shore-based shark fishinghttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-fwc-considers-regulating-shore-based-shark-fishing2018-10-03T01:42:28.000Z2018-10-03T01:42:28.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812097,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812097,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960812097?profile=original" /></a></strong></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>A shark provides a photo op for on-shore anglers before its release. Some beached sharks do not revive and later die. <b>2013 photo by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering measures to regulate fishing from shore for sharks — a sport that has become increasingly popular as Florida beaches attract devotees for catch-and-release shark tournaments.</p>
<p class="p3">Social media posts showing sharks being hauled into shallow water or onto beaches before being released have increased public concern that shore-based shark fishing is luring sharks into swimming areas — and that catching sharks, including species that are protected from harvest, is damaging shark populations.</p>
<p class="p3">Requiring anglers to take a class and receive a free shore-based shark-fishing permit were among the recommendations that anglers and FWC officials discussed during the commission’s Aug. 28 shark-fishing workshop in West Palm Beach. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p class="p3">“We’re not here to talk about shutting down this fishery,” the FWC’s Melissa Recks said while moderating the discussion. “We’re here to talk about managing it better.”</p>
<p class="p3">Recks said there is no credible evidence that shark fishing from shore has led to an increase in shark attacks on swimmers. But she acknowledged that shark fishing might make swimmers uncomfortable, even though most shore-based shark fishing happens at night.</p>
<p class="p3">Not all sharks survive after being caught and released. But the FWC says shark mortality associated with shore-based fishing in Florida does not threaten the sustainability of shark populations.</p>
<p class="p3">Other possible regulations discussed at the FWC workshop included:</p>
<p class="p3">• A ban on shark chumming from shore, though experienced shark anglers say they don’t use chum, noting that they set their baits hundreds of yards offshore using kayaks or other vessels.</p>
<p class="p3">• Gear and handling requirements, such as the use of non-offset circle hooks and/or barbless hooks to facilitate quick releases. The FWC said it also could require that sharks remain in the water while being released and that the releases not be delayed by measuring.</p>
<p class="p3">• Prohibiting shore-based shark tournament anglers from targeting sharks that are protected from harvest, such as hammerhead, lemon and Caribbean reef sharks. Twenty-six species of sharks cannot be possessed or harvested in Florida waters.</p>
<p class="p3">The FWC has begun a shark fishing educational push, issuing “shark-smart” guidelines that encourage anglers to learn which sharks are prohibited from harvest, to use tackle that does the least harm to sharks, to minimize handling time and to leave sharks in the water while releasing them.</p>
<p class="p3">“It’s better to educate than to regulate,” said Josh Jorgensen, founder of the Blacktip Challenge shark fishing tournaments, during which anglers tag sharks for research before releasing them. “There’s thousands of people who want to fish our beaches.”</p>
<p class="p3">The FWC staff is expected to present shore-based shark fishing management options to FWC commissioners at their December meeting in St. Augustine.</p>
<p class="p3">If commissioners adopt rules in December, they would have to be finalized at another meeting, possibly in early 2019, before they would take effect.</p>
<p class="p3">To submit comments about shore-based shark fishing, go to myfwc.com/saltwatercomments and scroll down to “shark fishing from shore.”</p>
<p class="p3">Delray Beach approved a 2014 ordinance that prohibits shark fishing within 300 feet north and south of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> the municipal beach and Atlantic Dunes Park, even though attorneys argued at the time that only the state can regulate shore-based fishing.</p>
<p class="p3">No chumming, or cutting up fish parts to create a scent line below the surface, is allowed in those areas, according to the city ordinance.</p>
<p class="p3">The ordinance also requires shark carcasses and pieces to be removed from beaches in the city limits. Any sharks caught by accident must be released, the ordinance says.</p>
<p class="p3">The town of Palm Beach has considered regulations on beach shark fishing in the past, but the council decided that state law would supersede any surf fishing ordinance the town might pass.</p>
<p class="p3">“We will be watching closely if the state changes the existing law,” Town Manager Kirk Blouin said.</p>
<p class="p3"></p>
<p class="p3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812468,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812468,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960812468?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>The West Palm Beach Fishing Club spearheaded the design, construction and deployment of recycled concrete power poles to create vertical reef darts, an inexpensive type of artificial reef. The club has placed 36 of the structures off Singer Island. <b>Photo provided by West Palm Beach Fishing Club</b></em></p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Fishing club deploys reef darts off Singer Island</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The West Palm Beach Fishing Club scuttled a second group of vertical pole artificial reefs known as reef darts Aug. 21 in 105 feet of water north of Lake Worth Inlet.</p>
<p class="p3">The fishing club’s second deployment of pole reefs brings to 36 the number of darts it has deployed off Singer Island.</p>
<p class="p3">Reef darts rise 20 to 35 feet off the bottom and are expected to attract small baitfish and larger predator fish. Fishing club President Tom Twyford said the club plans to sink reef darts every summer.</p>
<p class="p3">At a cost of about $3,000 each <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> and built largely from surplus materials such as concrete power poles, the dart reefs are relatively inexpensive and versatile, Twyford said, noting that they might be used to fill mucky holes in the Lake Worth Lagoon. </p>
<p class="p3">Fish are attracted to the structures in the water, specifically the marine organisms that grow onto the concrete. Fish feed on the growth.</p>
<p class="p3">The fishing club paid for the reef darts with funds from its charitable arm, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation, along with private donations.</p>
<p class="p3">The reef darts are located off Singer Island near the Princess Anne wreck, about 1.5 miles north of Lake Worth Inlet (also known as Palm Beach Inlet). Coordinates: 26/47.6556 N and 80.00.1500 W.</p>
<p class="p3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812655,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960812655,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960812655?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>Team Yellowfin won the three-event Full Moon Wahoo series by catching fish in June, July and August totaling 94.6 pounds. Holding a 44.2-pounder caught Aug. 25 are (l-r) Kyle Munson, Mike DeLuca, Mark Prazak and Capt. Guy Bartels. <b>Photo provided by Leonard Bryant Photography</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Team Yellowfin wins</b></span> <span class="s1"><b>full-moon wahoo series</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Catching wahoo in a tournament can be difficult.</p>
<p class="p3">But Guy Bartels and his Team Yellowfin caught them consistently, weighing in a wahoo on tournament days in June, July and August for a total weight of 94.6 pounds to win the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo Tournament Series.</p>
<p class="p3">Bartels and his teammates won the $1,000 cash prize donated by C&L Insurance of Boca Raton.</p>
<p class="p3">Scott Goldsmith and his team Solution took second place after weighing a 44.8-pound wahoo on Aug. 25 for a tournament total of 76.8 pounds.</p>
<p class="p3">Bones Outfitters/Mr. Mullet caught the largest wahoo of the series, 50.2 pounds, on Aug. 25 and finished the series in third place with 69 pounds.</p>
<p class="p3">Overall, 64 teams weighed in 27 wahoo in the three-tournament series.</p>
<p class="p3">The fishing club holds the summer wahoo tournaments on the Saturdays closest to the full moons of June, July and August. The club plans to host the wahoo tournaments again next summer.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>Oct. 6</b>:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Oct. 11</b>: CCA Florida’s South Palm Beach Chapter banquet and auction, 6-10 p.m., Seagate Country Club, 3600 Hamlet Drive, Delray Beach. Dinner, drinks, raffles and auctions. Tickets $140 per person. Corporate and sponsor tables available. Register at ccaflorida.org or call Nick Pectol at 407-401-7677.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Oct. 27</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $25. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>Oct. 31</b>: Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show opens at noon and continues through Nov. 4 at seven waterfront locations. Adult fishing seminars by IGFA School of Sportfishing Nov. 1-4 at Broward County Convention Center. Hook the Future youth fishing seminars (ages 4-16) offered Nov. 3-4 at convention center. Adult admission $33. Children 5 and under free with adult. Details: flibs.com.</p>
<p class="p6"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">If you plan to clean and eat your catch of dolphinfish (mahi mahi) or other saltwater fish, chill the fish quickly and thoroughly by placing them in an icy saltwater slush, advises Capt. Ray Rosher of Miss Britt Charters in Miami.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Open some ice bags in the boat’s fish box and add ocean water. Immersed in a salty ice slush, fresh fish are instantly chilled, extending their shelf life and making them firm and easier to clean than poorly iced fish.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p7"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: A giant win for goliath groupers (and fans) as FWC upholds banhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-a-giant-win-for-goliath-groupers-and-fans-as-fwc-uph2018-05-29T19:30:00.000Z2018-05-29T19:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960788271,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960788271,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-center" alt="7960788271?profile=original" /></a><em>Scuba divers and dive charter operators turned out in force at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s April 26 meeting in Fort Lauderdale to oppose a proposal that would have allowed a limited harvest of goliath groupers. FWC commissioners scrapped the idea, leaving the groupers' protected status intact. <b>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">After hearing pleas from South Florida scuba divers and dive-charter operators, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission scrapped a proposal to allow anglers to keep a limited number of goliath groupers — a large, slow-growing fish that has been protected from harvest since 1990.</p>
<p class="p3">During their April 26 meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FWC commissioners decided not to pursue a rule that would have allowed the statewide harvest of 100 goliath groupers annually. Instead, they directed the agency’s scientists to continue research on goliath groupers and to “develop a road map for future conservation efforts.”</p>
<p class="p3">After holding 16 workshops around the state last year, the FWC gathered more than 5,000 comments on the possibility of a limited goliath grouper harvest.</p>
<p class="p3">The sentiment at the April FWC meeting was clearly pro-grouper, with many divers in the crowd wearing “Save the Goliath Grouper” T-shirts and dive operators touting the economic value of the big fish, which often linger around artificial reefs during the summer spawning season.</p>
<p class="p3">Charter operators said goliath groupers attract divers from around the world to South Florida during the relatively slow summer tourist season.</p>
<p class="p3">“There are very few countries that have giant animals like this that will swim right up to you,” said Jim Abernethy, a veteran Palm Beach County dive charter operator. “These types of wildlife interactions are world-class.”</p>
<p class="p3">Abernethy showed photographs of one of his favorite goliath groupers, nicknamed Shadow, who he said moves with the group on drift dives. Another goliath grouper, named Wilbur, can be found on the MV Castor wreck off Boynton Beach. Wilbur has become so popular with divers that he has his own Facebook page.</p>
<p class="p3">Some divers at the April FWC meeting said the state’s population of goliath groupers — overharvested by anglers and spearfishers during the 1980s — has not recovered enough to justify the proposed harvest.</p>
<p class="p3">CCA/Florida, the recreational fishing organization, disagreed, arguing that removing 100 groupers annually from Florida waters would not harm the goliath grouper population.</p>
<p class="p3">The FWC staff and others noted that anglers might not eat goliath groupers even if they harvested them, because the flesh of larger groupers contains high levels of mercury.</p>
<p class="p3">If a limited harvest of the groupers were allowed, the FWC noted, the agency would have to work with the Florida Department of Health to develop consumption advisories.</p>
<p class="p3">“Why are we even considering a fishery?” said Chris Koenig, a retired Florida State University researcher who spent 20 years studying goliath groupers. “We already have a catch-and-release fishery.”</p>
<p class="p3">The goliath grouper, <i>Epinephelus itajara</i>, is known to live at least 37 years and can grow up to 8 feet in length and 800 pounds. It reaches sexual maturity at 3 to 6 years of age. But the FWC says there are still many unknowns about the large groupers, meaning more research is needed.</p>
<p class="p3">Ed Tichenor, director of Palm Beach County Reef Rescue, told commissioners that allowing goliath groupers to be harvested, even in limited numbers, would be a “state-sanctioned animal sacrifice.”</p>
<p class="p3"></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960788456,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960788456,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="445" class="align-center" alt="7960788456?profile=original" /></a><em>Goliath groupers often stay around wrecks such as the artificial reefs off Boynton Beach where scuba divers find them. The long-lived groupers have been protected from harvest since 1990. <b>Photo provided by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission</b></em></p>
<p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>FWC increases minimum size for tripletail</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission voted April 26 to increase the minimum size for tripletail by 3 inches, to 18 inches in total length.</p>
<p class="p3">The new minimum size takes effect July 1.</p>
<p class="p3">Commissioners also reduced the daily bag limit for sheepshead to eight fish per person, a reduction of seven.</p>
<p class="p6"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Full Moon Wahoo Tournament starts June 30</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The West Palm Beach Fishing Club will host its Full Moon Wahoo Tournament Series again this summer with three wahoo-fishing events scheduled around the full moons of June, July and August.</p>
<p class="p3">Fishing dates are June 30, July 28 and Aug. 25.</p>
<p class="p3">The kickoff party begins at 6 p.m. June 28 at Twisted Trunk Brewery in Palm Beach Gardens.</p>
<p class="p3">Cash and merchandise prizes will be awarded.</p>
<p class="p3">The entry fee is $60 per team for each full-moon tournament or $150 for all three. Each fishing team must include at least one West Palm Beach Fishing Club member.</p>
<p class="p3">Call 309-1397 or visit <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Paddlers headed to Lake Worth Beach from Bimini</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Paddle boarders and kayakers will take to the water early on the morning of June 16 in Bimini for a human-powered trip to Lake Worth Beach as part of the Crossing for a Cure (<a href="http://www.crossingforacure.com">www.crossingforacure.com</a>).</p>
<p class="p3">Travis Suit, whose daughter, Piper, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, started the event in 2013. Suit wanted to raise awareness about people living with the disease.</p>
<p class="p3">Participants in this year’s crossing are asked to raise at least $1,000 each for the Piper’s Angels Foundation (<a href="http://www.pipersangels.org">www.pipersangels.org</a>). Their journey is scheduled to begin at 1 a.m. in Bimini.</p>
<p class="p3">Paddlers are scheduled to arrive on the north side of the Lake Worth pier between 4 and 7 p.m.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Lantana Fishing Derby canceled due to weather</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Lantana Fishing Derby was canceled because of strong winds on May 5.</p>
<p class="p3">The National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory that morning, and conditions at Boynton Inlet were dangerous for boaters, said David Arm, tournament chairman and president of the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce.</p>
<p class="p3">“The safety of our anglers is our primary concern,” Arm said.</p>
<p class="p3">A land-based Kids Derby for boys and girls was held from the platform under the Ocean Avenue Bridge on May 5, with volunteers from the Lantana chamber and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office assisting.</p>
<p class="p3">Prize money was awarded by random drawing during the May 6 awards party at the Lantana Recreation Center.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Lagoon fishing tournament helps researchers</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge began May 25 and continues through July 8.</p>
<p class="p3">The free fishing tournament, open to anglers ages 5 and older, offers the chance to win prizes.</p>
<p class="p3">Fish can be kept if they are of legal size and in season, or may be photographed, measured and released.</p>
<p class="p3">The tournament helps scientists gather data about fish in the 20-mile-long estuary, which stretches from Ocean Ridge to North Palm Beach. For details, go to <a href="http://www.LWLI.org/FishingChallenge">www.LWLI.org/FishingChallenge</a>.</p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>June 2:</b> Palm Beach County KDW Classic tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo based at Riviera Beach Marina. Captain’s meeting and final registration 6 p.m. June 1 at Riviera Beach Marina, 200 E. 13th St. Entry fee $300 per boat after May 18. Call 832-6780 or go to <a href="http://www.kdwclassic.com">www.kdwclassic.com</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>June 5:</b> Boynton Beach Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. in the clubhouse building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Call 436-4690 or visit <a href="http://www.bifc.org">www.bifc.org</a>.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>June 9:</b> Sail Inn KDW Charity Fishing Tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Benefits Hospice of Palm Beach County. Captain’s meeting June 7 at Sail Inn Tavern in Delray Beach. Weigh-in at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Entry fee $250 per boat after May 4. Call 703-1907.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>June 9:</b> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>June 23:</b> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in building next to boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $25. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.</p>
<p class="p4"></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Want to take your family to the Bahamas by boat this summer but aren’t confident about crossing to the islands alone? Try joining a group of boaters as part of a “fling” led by the Bahamas Tourist Office. The boating groups leave Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale on Thursdays and return Sundays on selected dates. The first fling is scheduled for June 21-24. The minimum boat size is 22 feet. The nonrefundable registration fee is $75. For details, call the Bahamas Tourist Office at 800- 327-7678 or visit <a href="http://www.bahamas.com">www.bahamas.com</a> and click on boating.</p>
<p class="p7"></p>
<p class="p8"><i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>23nd annual Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament: Boynton Beach — Aug. 12https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/23nd-annual-mark-gerretson-memorial-fishing-tournament-boynton-be2017-08-29T18:33:58.000Z2017-08-29T18:33:58.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960739693,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960739693,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960739693?profile=original" /></a><em>Team Tuppens members Christopher Sprague, 12, Steve Sprague and Mike Folsom show off some of their catch. Christopher’s 6.2-pound dolphin netted him the prize for top junior angler. <strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p></div>On the Water: Proposed goliath grouper harvest gets giant push-back from divershttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-proposed-goliath-grouper-harvest-gets-giant-push-bac2017-08-29T18:27:12.000Z2017-08-29T18:27:12.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960740495,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960740495,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960740495?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Underwater photographer Sandra Edwards shows a photo of a goliath grouper nicknamed Wilbur that stays around the M/V Castor wreck off Boynton Beach. She was one of many divers who came to a July 31 Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting at the Lantana branch library to oppose the possibility of a limited goliath grouper harvest. <strong>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Divers are fighting a proposal to allow a limited harvest of goliath grouper — the large, slow-growing grouper that have become the darlings of many South Florida divers.<br /> Fishing for goliath grouper, formerly known as jewfish, has been closed since 1990 in both state and federal waters after populations were hurt by decades of harvest by anglers and divers armed with spear guns. <br /> Populations of the long-lived grouper have “substantially recovered” since the prohibition on harvest took effect 27 years ago, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission says. <br /> Goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara, are known to live at least 37 years and can grow to 8 feet in length and up to 800 pounds. The largest goliath caught on hook and line in Florida weighed 680 pounds, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.<br /> The FWC is gathering public comments on the possibility of allowing anglers to harvest a limited number of goliath grouper. <br /> The FWC’s initial proposal calls for issuing tags that anglers would purchase, limiting the harvest to 100 goliaths per year statewide. To be legal to keep, the groupers would have to be between 47 and 67 inches long, and harvesting would not be allowed during the spawning months, July through September.<br /> If a limited harvest is allowed, the FWC hopes to expand its knowledge of goliath grouper by gathering carcasses that fisheries biologists could study.<br /> Divers adamantly opposed the possibility of a limited goliath grouper harvest during the FWC’s July 31 workshop at the Lantana branch library, noting that gatherings of goliaths during the summer spawning season attract divers from around the world to the waters off Palm Beach County. <br /> “It’s become a phenomenon,” said Lynn Simmons of Splashdown Divers in Boynton Beach. “They are so gentle. Sometimes they will come to you and let you hold them.”<br /> Simmons said the spawning months of August and September are the best to find goliaths on wrecks along the coast of Palm Beach County.<br /> “All of the wrecks have a resident population,” Simmons said. “But when it’s time for their orgy, they all come.”<br /> A favorite local goliath, nicknamed Wilbur, lives on the M/V Castor wreck off Boynton Beach and has his own Facebook page. <br /> Charter fishing Capt. Danny Barrow of Lantana said he would support a limited take of goliath grouper — but only if anglers paid for harvest tags, generating money for research, and each grouper taken was reported to the FWC and its carcass donated for research. <br /> “If they’re going to allow it to happen, make sure it all goes to research,” Barrow said.<br /> Capt. Carl Miller of Miller Time Fishing Charters in Boynton Beach likes to catch and release goliath grouper. He devised a weight system that pulls groupers to the bottom before releasing them, reducing the chance that distended swim bladders would prevent them from returning to deep water. <br /> Miller said he often removes multiple sets of hooks from goliaths before releasing them. He said he doesn’t oppose a limited harvest of the protected groupers, but wonders why anyone would want to keep one because they’re not great table fare, and the flesh of larger groupers is laden with mercury.<br /> Ed Tichenor, executive director of Palm Beach County Reef Rescue, said the goliaths should be left alone.<br /> “They haven’t been recovered that long, and the population is fragile,” Tichenor said.<br /> The FWC’s next goliath grouper workshops in South Florida are scheduled for Oct. 11 in Stuart and Oct. 12 in Davie.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960741094,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960741094,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960741094?profile=original" /></a><em>This goliath grouper was caught near a wreck off Boynton Beach by anglers fishing with Capt. Carl Miller of Miller Time Fishing Charters in Boynton Beach. Miller says he has removed several sets of hooks from the large groupers before releasing them.</em> <br /><strong><em>Photo contributed by Miller Time Fishing Charters</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><br /><em> To submit comments about the possible limited harvest of goliath grouper, go to <a href="http://www.myfwc.com/saltwatercomments">www.myfwc.com/saltwatercomments</a> or email Marine@myfwc.com.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br /><br /><strong>Boynton Fishing Club organizational meeting</strong><br /> The Boynton Beach Fishing Club held a special meeting Aug. 1 in hopes of boosting interest in the club.<br /> President Ken Sorensen said Teddy Green of Boynton Beach has joined the club to promote membership and club activities.<br /> The club meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in the classroom building next to the boat ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park in Boynton Beach. The next meeting is set for Sept. 5. For updates, go to <a href="http://www.bifc.org">www.bifc.org</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Coming events</strong><br /> Sept. 16: International Coastal Cleanup seeks volunteers to remove trash from waterfront locations. Check-in sites include South Inlet Park in Boca Raton, Sandoway Discovery Center in Delray Beach, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park in Boynton Beach and Lantana Beach. Most cleanups begin at 8 a.m. Registration is suggested. Go to <a href="http://www.keeppbcbeautiful.org">www.keeppbcbeautiful.org</a>.<br /> Sept. 23: X Generation 440 Challenge fishing tournament for kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, snapper, cobia, blackfin tuna and bonito. Captain’s meeting 5-8 p.m. Sept. 21 at Lakeside Anchor Inn, Lantana. Weigh-in 1-5 p.m. Sept. 23 at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Awards party at noon Sept. 24 at Lakeside Anchor Inn. Entry fee $225 per boat by Sept. 9 or $250 thereafter. Call 296-7637. <br /> Sept. 23: Boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Discounts for ages 14 to 18 and for family groups. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.<br /> Sept. 27: CCA/Florida South Palm Beach County Chapter’s seventh annual banquet, 6-10 p.m. at Seagate Country Club, 3600 Hamlet Drive, Delray Beach. Open bar, dinner, silent auction, live auction and raffle. Tickets $130 or $250 per couple. Call Caitlin Mitchell at 407-401-7677 or go to <a href="http://www.ccaflorida.org">www.ccaflorida.org</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Looking for some quick how-to information on boating? Check out the instructive BoatUS videos at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/boatus">www.youtube.com/boatus</a>. The free, short videos demonstrate how to trim, dock, launch and beach powerboats and include tips on maintenance, such as how to change a propeller. <br /><br /><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>On the Water: Courses help dormant divers refresh scuba skillshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/courses-help-dormant-divers-refresh-scuba-skills2017-07-31T21:00:00.000Z2017-07-31T21:00:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960732499,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960732499,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960732499?profile=original" /></a><em>Diving student Seth Butcher, foreground, practices buoyancy control during a scuba diving class held on the bottom of the pool at Pompey Park Recreation Center in Delray Beach. <strong>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Even if you live near the ocean in South Florida and you’re a certified scuba diver, diving might not be something you do regularly.<br /> I was certified in the late 1970s — but truth be known, I haven’t logged that many dives, especially in recent years. <br /> I wanted to start diving again this summer. But it had been three years since I’d strapped on a scuba tank, so I decided to take an in-the-pool refresher course offered by the Boynton Beach Dive Center.<br /> My pool class cost $99. The dive center also offers a pool refresher class plus two open-water dives for $199.<br /> To begin my training, I lugged my tank and dive gear up the steps to the pool deck at Pompey Park Recreation Center in Delray Beach, where I met instructor Bill Utterback and other students on a hot July afternoon.<br /> I managed to remember how to assemble my tank, buoyancy compensator and regulator. <br /> Once our gear was ready, we filled our buoyancy control devices, or BCDs, high-tech swim bladders that can be inflated using air pressure from the tank. We set our tanks and packs into the pool, where they floated while we donned our masks, snorkels and fins.<br /> Utterback showed us an easy way to slip on fins by crossing a foot over a knee to slip on one fin, then the other. <br /> After entering the pool, we worked our way into our BCD packs, fastened the clips, snugged the shoulder straps and added anti-fog solution to our masks.<br /> We released air from our BCDs and sank below the surface to practice a skill at the heart of scuba diving — buoyancy control.<br /> As instructed, we adjusted the amount of air in our BCDs until we each rose slowly from the bottom when we took a breath, then sank when we exhaled. <br /> Our group practiced several essential skills in the pool, including recovering a lost regulator (the mouthpiece from which a diver draws air), equalizing the pressure in our ears, clearing flooded masks, removing and putting on tank packs underwater and two methods for towing an incapacitated diver through the water.<br /> Utterback taught me a trick I had forgotten or never learned — how to breathe from a free-flowing regulator, or a scuba mouthpiece spewing out air instead of delivering it on demand as it should. <br /> Toward the end of the refresher class, I went to the deep end of the pool with Utterback to practice sharing air with another diver, hovering below the surface during a safety stop and an emergency ascent to the surface.<br /> After the pool class ended, I felt more confident with my re-learned skills and ready to dive in the ocean.<br /> Keeping dive skills fresh is important not only for safety but for the enjoyment of the dive — both for the diver and for those diving around him or her.<br /> Capt. Tony Coulter of Boca Raton, who operates the dive boat Diversity, said it’s painfully obvious when divers show up who haven’t been diving for a while. Their gear might not fit properly, or they often have trouble controlling their buoyancy.<br /> Coulter, who has been working in the dive charter business since the late 1970s, said divers who want to get back in the water after a hiatus should at least hire a dive master to accompany them on a dive to refresh their skills.<br /> The dive training organization PADI offers its divers the online Reactivate program ($59.95) that uses video scenarios to refresh divers’ knowledge. <br /> Divers who complete the online course can add an in-the-water refresher course and receive a replacement certification card with a reactivated date.<br /> PADI says reactivation is not required to maintain a certification card but is recommended for those who haven’t been diving in a while.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960732898,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960732898,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960732898?profile=original" /></a><em>The Lantana-based Bait Me fishing team of Pat Gregorchik, left, his son Ian and his brother Mike hold the 52.9-pound wahoo that won heaviest fish in the June 24 Lake Worth Fishing Tournament based at Palm Beach Yacht Center. Ian Gregorchik caught the wahoo on a spinning rod holding a cedar plug in 350 feet of water north of Boynton Inlet. <strong>Photo provided/Leonard Bryant Photography</strong></em></p>
<p><br /> <strong>Lake Worth Fishing Tournament winners</strong><br /> Pat Gregorchik, of Lantana, was fishing with his son Ian and brother Mike in the June 24 Lake Worth Fishing Tournament when something unusual happened.<br /> A strong fish hit a cedar plug while Ian Gregorchik was reeling it in after trolling it behind his family’s 23-foot boat, Bait Me.<br /> After a 10-minute fight in the waters off Lantana Beach, Ian Gregorchik brought to the boat a 52.9-pound wahoo — the heaviest fish of the 58-boat tournament.<br /> Commonly trolled for tuna, the plain-looking cedar plug is not a traditional wahoo lure. <br /> Another outstanding catch in the Lake Worth tournament: Capt. Matt Liskay’s 48.2-pound dolphin (mahi mahi), caught trolling a bonito strip behind a black-and-red skirt in 450 feet off Mar-a-Lago aboard Liskay’s boat, Born-N-Raised.<br /> <br /> <strong>Surfrider Foundation campaign</strong><br /> Surfer and technology entrepreneur Jeff Max is leading a campaign to help the Surfrider Foundation raise $100,000 by Labor Day.<br /> In a short video on Spotfund (<a href="http://www.spot.fund/surfrider">www.spot.fund/surfrider</a>) Max lists threats to the health of the oceans, including global warming, overfishing, plastic pollution and oil drilling. <br /> Donations to Surfrider can be made through the Spotfund site. As of mid July, Max’s campaign had raised slightly more than $5,000.<br /> Founded in 1984, the Surfrider Foundation organizes networks of everyday citizens to promote the preservation and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches. <br /> The San Clemente, Calif.-based nonprofit has 84 chapters, including one in Palm Beach County.<br /> <br /> <strong>Florida reef survey</strong><br /> NOAA and partners are conducting a survey to better assess the economic importance of Florida’s coral reefs.<br /> Anyone who has been diving or snorkeling in Florida in the past year is being asked to complete the short online survey.<br /> The survey can be found at <a href="http://www.floridareef">www.floridareef</a> expendituresurvey.com. <br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Boating security zones near Mar-a-Lago</strong><br /> The Coast Guard is considering whether to make permanent three boating security zones put in place when President Donald Trump visits Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach estate.<br /> The Coast Guard accepted public comments on the plan through July 20. After responding to each comment, the Coast Guard will publish the final rule in the Federal Register.<br /> The three Mar-a-Lago boating security zones used since early 2017 are:<br /> Zone 1: A section of the Lake Worth Lagoon immediately west of Mar-a-Lago extending about halfway across the waterway from the southern tip of Everglades Island to 1,000 yards south of Southern Boulevard. Entry by boat is prohibited. <br /> Zone 2: The western side of the lagoon west of Zone 1. Boaters moving through this zone must maintain a steady speed and not stop (unless they must wait for the drawbridge).<br /> Zone 3: Extends 1,000 yards off the beach from Banyan Road south to Ocean View Road. As in Zone 2, boaters moving through this ocean zone should maintain a steady speed and avoid stopping.<br /> If the boating security zone regulations become permanent, they would apply when Trump, the first lady or anyone else protected by the Secret Service visits Mar-a-Lago.<br /> To read comments on the proposed security zones, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. Search for the document labeled “USCG-2017-0016.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Coming events</strong><br /> Aug. 5: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 for adults or $20 ages 12 to 19. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.<br /> Aug. 5: Full moon wahoo tournament, the last of three summer wahoo fishing tournaments organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Entry fee $60 per team. Each team must have at least one West Palm Beach Fishing Club member. Call 832-6780 or visit <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.<br /> Aug. 12: Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. Aug. 10 at Hurricane Bar & Lounge, 640 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Weigh-in at Boynton Harbor Marina. Entry fee $225 per boat. Call 927-8092 or visit <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a>.<br /> Aug. 12: Palm Beach County Lionfish Derby. Final registration and captain’s meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 11 at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. Lionfish collection Aug. 12, followed by scoring and awards Aug. 13. Entry fee $120 per team. Contact REEF at 305-852-0030 or <a href="http://www.reef.org">www.reef.org</a>.<br /> Aug. 26: Fish for Disabled Vets KDW tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Captain’s meeting 5 p.m. Aug. 24 at Lakeside Anchor Inn in Lantana. Weigh-in at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park in Boynton Beach. Entry fee $225 through Aug. 23 or $250 at captain’s meeting. Details at <a href="http://www.disabledvetskdw.com">www.disabledvetskdw.com</a>.<br /> Aug. 26: Boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Discounts for ages 14 to 18 and for family groups. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.<br /> <br /> <strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Fishing for bottom fish such as snapper and grouper during this summer? <br /> Carry a venting tool that can be used to allow fish to return to deep water after their swim bladders have inflated on the ascent to the surface.<br /> Fish brought up from depths of more than 30 feet often have distended swim bladders, which causes their stomachs to turn inside out and show inside their mouths.<br /> Don’t puncture the distended stomach. Instead, use a venting tool (small, hollow needle) to puncture the fish’s body near the tip of the pectoral fin. After you hear the swim bladder gas escape through the venting needle, gently release the fish. <br /> Small, narrow-bodied fish such as porgies, grunts and many snappers often do better when returned to the water as soon as possible without venting. Find a two-minute video on fish venting at <a href="http://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/">www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/</a>.<br /> <br /> <em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>Highland Beach: Rescued boaters have off-duty officers to thankhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/highland-beach-rescued-boaters-have-off-duty-officers-to-thank2017-06-28T14:52:24.000Z2017-06-28T14:52:24.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960729693,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960729693,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960729693?profile=original" /></a><em>Highland Beach Police Officers Dwayne Fernandes and Paul Shersty</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>helped rescue four people in a sinking boat on one of their days off.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960729884,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960729884,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960729884?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>A tow boat arrives to haul in a boat that took on water about a mile off the Boynton Inlet.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Highland Beach police officers assisted with the rescue.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo provided</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Rich Pollack<br /><br /></strong> Paul Shersty and Dwayne Fernandes had planned a quiet Friday morning fishing on one of their days off last month. <br /> Instead, the Highland Beach police officers ended up saving four people — and four stowaway kittens — in a daring rescue full of surprises. <br /> “I don’t know what we would have done if they weren’t there,” said Richard Bengal, a passenger on the boat owned by his friend Joe Trebbe. “We would have been in serious trouble.” <br /> Shersty and Fernandes arrived about 9 a.m. at a popular fishing spot about a mile off the Boynton Inlet when they heard people shouting and saw waving passengers on a boat about a half mile away. <br /> At first the two thought the people were cheering because they’d caught a big fish, but it became apparent they were in trouble. <br /> As Shersty and Fernandes got closer, they were taken aback to see two men standing in almost a foot of water on the boat. Shersty was also surprised to see Bengal, a friend with whom he had grown up.<br /> On the sinking boat, that wasn’t the only surprise. <br /> As the water rose, Bengal, Trebbe and their rescuers heard meowing under the boat’s console. Soon, four soaked black-and-white kittens, apparently stashed there by their mom while the boat was in storage, emerged.<br /> “They had no idea there were kittens on the boat,” Shersty said. <br /> While the passengers on the boat were panicking, Shersty and Fernandes relied on their police training and experience to remain calm and develop a plan. <br /> Although the seas were only moderately choppy, the waves were big enough to keep Fernandes from getting his boat close enough to pick up the boaters. Instead, they devised a plan to tow the boat to shore while calling for a tow boat designed for similar missions. <br /> The challenge, Shersty said, was to use their small boat to tow one that was getting heavier by the minute as it was taking on more water than could be forced out by a barely functioning bilge pump. <br /> Eventually, the tow boat arrived and took over the rescue operation, taking the stricken boat through the Boynton Inlet with the help of marine patrols from the Boynton Beach Police Department, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. <br /> Shersty, an experienced boater and angler, says he had some doubts the rescue that morning would be successful. <br /> “If any one of several things had gone wrong, the people on the boat would have been swimming,” he said. “I told [Fernandes] they must have had a guardian angel looking after them.”<br /> After the boat reached shore, Boynton Beach police turned the kittens over to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. <br /> Shersty said he and Fernandes were just happy to be in the right place at the right time as water came over the transom of Trebbe’s boat and shorted out the electrical system.<br /> “If we had come five minutes later, there would have been nothing there,” Shersty said. “That boat would have sunk.”<br /> He said that the rescue made him decide to double- check the equipment on his own boat. <br /> “I went out and bought two new bilge pumps and a battery,” he said.</p></div>On the Water: Spring catches: Near-record African pompano and 94-pound wahoohttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-spring-catches-near-record-african-pompano-and-94-po2017-05-31T14:03:29.000Z2017-05-31T14:03:29.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960725054?profile=original" /></a><em>Mike Minia of Boynton Beach, a member of the Bootlegger fishing team, caught this 47.7-pound</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>African pompano south of Boynton Inlet in March. His fish was about 3 pounds shy of the</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>International Game Fish Association world record for that species.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo provided</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725259,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725259,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960725259?profile=original" /></a><em>Rosie Nocera and Paul Sheridan of Delray Beach show the 94-pound wahoo they caught</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>on a trolled ballyhoo off Boynton Beach on May 8 while fishing on the Sea Hottie.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo provided by Paul Sheridan</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"> Spring fish have arrived. As the water warms and days get longer (and hotter), anglers are pulling some amazing fish from the waters off south Palm Beach County.<br /> Mike Minia of Boynton Beach, a member of the Bootlegger fishing team, caught a 47.7-pound African pompano while bottom fishing in 110 feet south of Boynton Inlet on March 10.<br /> Minia was fishing the bottom for snapper with a dead sardine on a 5/0 circle hook tied to 30-pound-test fluorocarbon leader when the African pompano hit.<br /> His fish was about 3 pounds below the all-tackle world record for African pompano, based on records from the International Game Fish Association.<br /> (The all-tackle world record African pompano, 50.5 pounds, was caught by Tom Sargent on April 21, 1990, while fishing the bottom off Daytona Beach with a live pinfish, according to the IGFA.)<br /> Minia also caught a 12.5-pound mutton snapper on the same trip while fishing with Andy Alvarez of X-Generation Custom Rods in Lantana, Brian Humphreys of Wellington and Alicia Lipscomb of Boynton Beach.<br />•<br /> Two days before the full moon, on May 8, Paul Sheridan and Rosie Nocera, both of Delray Beach, caught a 94-pound wahoo while trolling a ballyhoo behind a planer in 300 feet of water off Boynton Inlet. <br /> Sheridan said a hammerhead shark tried to eat the wahoo as he pulled it toward the boat by hand. While Nocera ran the boat, Sheridan gaffed the big ’hoo and grabbed its tail to haul it over the covering board before the shark could reach it.<br /> Although huge for the waters off South Florida, the 94-pound ’hoo is not even close to the all-tackle world record wahoo caught off of Mexico in 2005. The record ’hoo weighed 184 pounds.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">•</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725453,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960725453,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960725453?profile=original" /></a><em>Terry Joyce of Boynton Beach with the 18.6-pound gag grouper he caught while fishing</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>off Highland Beach. At left is mate Michael Stemle.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo provided</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br /> On Mother’s Day, Terry Joyce of Boynton Beach caught an 18.6-pound gag grouper on a dead sardine while fishing off Highland Beach on the Southern Comfort IV, a drift boat based at Palm Beach Yacht Center.<br /> Capt. Bill Cox said one of the Southern Comfort IV anglers also pulled a pair of 9-pound mutton snappers from the reefs off Highland Beach.<br /> Anglers on the Lady K drift boat based in Lantana were catching blackfin tuna of more than 20 pounds on dead sardines in early May, but the tuna bite slowed after the full moon arrived on May 10, owner Marc Lee said.<br />•<br /> In the Sail Inn KDW fishing tournament, held May 6, team Slimer weighed a 45.4-pound kingfish to win largest fish and $7,300 in the 32-boat event, based at Boynton Harbor Marina.<br /> John Manera of West Palm Beach, captain of team Change Order, said most of the big kingfish were being caught north of Palm Beach. Manera ran north to the Loran Tower off Hobe Sound to catch the 42.1-pound kingfish that placed second in the Sail Inn tournament.<br /> Sarina Heine of Glen Ridge caught a 40.6-pound cobia to win the mystery fish division. Her mother, Ramona Heine of Lake Worth, won top lady angler with a 20.7-pound kingfish.<br /> The Heines were fishing on the 36-foot power catamaran Weak Moment, skippered by Dave Kalil, whose wife, Pam, served as mate.<br />•<br /> Even though May is supposed to be one of the best dolphin fishing months in South Florida, only one dolphin, or mahi mahi, was weighed in the Sail Inn tournament – a 9.3-pound fish taken by Capt. Billy Blackman’s team on Serve It Up.<br /> Joseph Modenos won top junior angler in the Sail Inn tournament with an 8.6-pound kingfish caught aboard the Royalty Check with his dad, Phil Modenos of Lake Worth, at the helm.<br /> Boy Scouts from Troop 301 in Delray Beach helped with the weigh-in at the Sail Inn event and earned $700 toward their summer camp.<br /> The Sail Inn tournament raised $10,000 for the Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Full-moon wahoo tourneys begin June 10</span><br /> The West Palm Beach Fishing Club is hosting a summer wahoo tournament centered on the full moons in June, July and August.<br /> The “e” tournaments costs $60 per tournament or $150 for all three events.<br /> Anglers must be West Palm Beach Fishing Club members to register a team, but anyone can participate as members of the team.<br /> The weigh station will be at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores (Singer Island). Catches must be verified with live video footage.<br /> Prizes include $500 and a Boone fish bag for the heaviest wahoo in each tournament. Second- and third-place prizes also will be awarded.<br /> The top team for the three-tournament series wins $1,000 and a special entry rate for the Old Bahama Bay Wahoo Charity Cup.<br /> The captain’s party is set for 6 p.m. June 8 at Twisted Trunk Brewing in Palm Beach Gardens. <br /> For details, contact Tom Bzura at 309-1397 or email: Tbzura@westpalmbeachfishingclub.org<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Lionfish derby set</span> <br /> The Boca Raton dive shop World of Scuba is hosting the Gold Cup Lionfish Derby again this year to encourage removal of the invasive, nonnative fish from South Florida’s reefs.<br /> This year’s lionfish derby will begin June 16 with a kickoff party. Divers will spear lionfish June 17 and bring them to the docks at the Waterstone Resort & Marina in Boca Raton.<br /> The awards party is scheduled for June 18. <br /> For details, call Sean Meadows at World of Scuba in Boca Raton: 368-2155.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Kingfish rules modified</span><br /> Anglers can keep three king mackerel, better known as kingfish, daily instead of two in Monroe County (the Florida Keys) and on Florida’s west coast.<br /> The new kingfish bag limit, approved by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, took effect May 11 and applies only to kingfish caught in state waters south and west of the Dade/Monroe county line.<br /> The recreational daily bag limit on Florida’s east coast remains two kingfish per angler. The minimum size is 24 inches to the fork of the tail.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Coming events</span><br /> <strong>June 3:</strong> Palm Beach County KDW Classic fishing tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo based at Riviera Beach Marina. Begins with captain’s meeting at 6 p.m. June 2 at the marina. Entry fee: $300. Call 832-6780 or <a href="http://www.kdwclassic.com">www.kdwclassic.com</a>.<br /> <strong>June 3:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 for adults or $20 ages 12 to 19. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email: fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.<br /> <strong>June 24:</strong> Boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Discounts for ages 14 to 18 and family groups. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.<br /> <strong>June 28:</strong> Capt. Mike Beebe discusses summer fishing tactics for wahoo, 7 p.m., West Palm Beach Fishing Club, 201 Fifth St., West Palm Beach. Free. 832-6780 or <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.<br /> <strong>June 30:</strong> West Palm Beach Fishing Club outing on Living on Island Time drift boat (for club members). Fee of $55 includes cash prize for big fish and lunch. Reservations required. Call 832-6780.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Tip of the month</span><br /> If you fish the ocean waters off Palm Beach County, you probably catch dolphin (mahi mahi). Many are small “peanut” dolphin. The minimum legal size off Florida’s east coast is 20 inches to the fork of the tail, but many anglers choose to release all dolphin under 25 inches.<br /> Before releasing small dolphin, consider taking a little extra time to tag them. Taggers jot down key information about their catch to benefit dolphin research, including the amount of Sargassum (floating weed) present, the length and sex of the fish, if known, along with the date and coordinates of the release. Anglers who tag and release more than 20 dolphin a year can win prizes such as fishing rods and reels. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.dolphintagging.com">www.dolphintagging.com</a>.<strong><br /> <br /></strong><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>