Captain George Gozdz provides you lessons and tips on Largemouth Bass A to Z on Reel Time Florida Sportsman featuring Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort and Lake Kissimmee!
While many parts of the country are still dealing with ice, snow, and ridiculously cold temps, here in Central Florida our bass are already in their summer patterns. And that means we are having a fantastic …
One of the patterns that is fairly consistent in late February during periods of extended warm-ups is that redfish feed aggressively on low incoming tides. They usually are foraging hard as they …
Poling a Hell’s Bay skiff along the edge of the mangroves in Florida Bay’s Garfield Bight, Captain Benny Blanco was delighted with the large numbers of baby tarpon roiling the shallow waters. …
The Florida Keys are steadily digging out from under the rubble and crumbled infrastructure left by Hurricane Irma’s devastating winds and floods that left as many as 10,000 residents homeless. …
After Keith Overton’s infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate …
Just because the kiddos have gone back to school doesn’t necessarily mean the end of vacation season. Families can extend their summer fun into fall with some terrific Florida weekend getaways. …
When Bradenton, FL. mortgage broker Courtland Hunt competes in the St. Pete Open, he doesn’t fool around. The 2015 winner of the spearfishing tournament’s pelagic division with a 73.3-pound …
A record field of 173 guides and anglers has signed up for flats fishing’s favorite rendition of a punt-pass-and-kick competition: the 2017 Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Fishing Tournament …
Roosterfish– the hard-fighting, black-banded fish with the distinctive cock’s comb dorsal fin–is one of the most sought-after recreational species in the eastern Pacific. Anglers happily …
26 Feb 2018 11:48 am
22 Aug 2017 10:51 am
09 Aug 2018 4:33 pm
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 these late winter reds are somewhat persnickety and a little spooky by nature. So picking the right artificial lure to get a positive reaction (we call that a bite) is very difficult. But during these warm up periods with rising temps the redfish typically get a bit reckless. That's when an experienced angler can take advantage of what I call the perfect scenario .
So what lure is ideal for this situation? Well the truth is several offerings will get the job done including spoons, jigs, plugs and even flies. Because when redfish are actively hunting and devouring food... all lures are in play. But still I have a few favorites that allow for accurate casting in spite of windy conditions like the BTB Jig (root beer) with a split tail trailer. Or the Mirrolure Catch Jr (finger mullet look) with single inline hooks, which plays well in cloudy or windy scenarios. And lastly the trusty Aqua Dream Spoons (black color) it gets the call for many anglers including me. Remember spoons are great choices if the clarity of the water is somewhat turbid (dirty/stained). But again if the redfish are fired up, any lure could be the answer... even top water plugs!
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Additionally, don't use a long heavy leaders. Shorter leaders in the 20" to 24" lengths are adequate. Too much leader destroys the action on light weight plugs or pulls the jig down into the grass... creating a fouling issue. And unless your fishing an area inundated with lots of Oyster a 20lb. leader weight should do just fine in most cases.
Also consider, a small skiff or kayak is a huge advantage when targeting these low water redfish. The ability to be ahead of the grazing reds will allow you dozens of shots in comparison to the larger heavier boats more reliant on trolling motors getting to the feed zone a little later. I know it's more work to push pole or paddle into the skinny water (shallow) but that extra 45 minutes to an hour of fishing when the water is low, really pays off.
Here's what you really need to know and that is to focus your efforts on the warming trends later this month and the low incoming tides of course. It may be freezing in some parts of the U.S. this time of year but the light tackle action on redfish in Florida is "red hot"! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/redfish-in-florida-is-red-hot/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Fishing for Hearts: Fun and Worthy Cause&body=After Keith Overton's infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate need.
But the doctor surprised Overton by telling him that isn't the hardest part.
"He said, 'Giving a heart to a kid whose family doesn't have the wherewithal to keep up the treatment,' " Overton recalled. "In many cases, one parent has to stop working to go to the hospital for follow-up care."
The conversation stuck with Overton, president of Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach. Grateful his family had the means to care for daughter MacKenzie, he wanted to give back by helping other families who aren't so lucky.
So in 2009, he founded the Guy Harvey Fishing for Hearts Tournament-- a catch, photo, measure, and release contest that raises funds for Athletes for Hearts -- the Overtons' charity to assist parents of kids with heart conditions and boost medical research on heart disease. The ninth annual tournament, to be held Sept. 21-22, also benefits the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for families of pediatric patients in the Tampa Bay area.
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The 2016 tournament hosted a record 44 boats and raised $155,000 for its two charities. This year, Overton is expecting upwards of 50. The target species are redfish, snook and sea trout, with prizes awarded for greatest total length of individual and aggregate fish.
Captain Mike Anderson, host of the popular Reel Animals television show, will handpick the best inshore guides in the Tampa Bay area and assign them to each angling team. The event includes a kick-off gala at the RumFish Grill on Sept. 21 with dinner, drinks and a silent auction and a day of inshore fishing followed by an awards presentation Sept. 22.
As for Fishing for Hearts' inspiration? MacKenzie Overton is an athletic, 22-year-old student studying hospitality at St. Petersburg College who works part time at a local winery and at the Outpost's water sports concession. Her heart is just fine.
For tournament registration and information, go to the tournament's <a href="https://rmhctampabay.org/fishing-for-hearts/">web site</a>, or call 813.258.6430, ext. 2.
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 to put you on a limit, like he did with my dive buddy and me two weeks ago. Then have your scallops expertly prepared at either Katch Twenty Two in nearby Lecanto (352-746-6691) or at West 82 Bar and Grill at the Plantation on Crystal River resort (<a href="../Documents/www.plantationoncrystalriver.com">www.plantationoncrystalriver.com</a>), which is also a great place to stay. Another fun water activity is to snorkel with Crystal River's resident manatees. Book a tour with Colin's mom, Captain Cindi Guy of Majestic Manatee Tours (<a href="http://www.majesticmanateetours.com/">http://www.majesticmanateetours.com</a>) who will put you up close to the huge, friendly marine mammals. And if you're thinking about getting hitched while you're in Crystal River, talk to Cindi. She's licensed to perform weddings and even operates her own wedding chapel.
Fish, Dive St. Pete Beach
Fishing is excellent both inshore and offshore in the St. Petersburg area in late summer and fall. And Captain Tim Kehoe, the water sports guru at Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach, can hook you up. Wade the resort's beach and catch a hard-fighting snook, or further out, a black drum using live shrimp for bait. You might also bump into pompano and flounder. If you'd like to explore the offshore Gulf for red and gag grouper, Captain Tim will arrange a charter or party fishing excursion for you. And you can have your catch cooked deliciously at the resort's RumFish Grill.
If you make it to the area Sept. 7-10, you can compete in a Lionfish Safari hosted by the non-profit Reef Monitoring, Inc. at North Straub Park in St. Pete. The event combines a spear fishing tournament with an educational, fun festival featuring lionfish tastings, live music, kids' activities, marine conservation programs and cash prizes for the Safari winners. Register at <a href="../Documents/www.reefmonitoring.org">www.reefmonitoring.org</a>.
To book your stay, visit <a href="../Documents/www.guyharveyoutpost.com">www.guyharveyoutpost.com</a>.
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Slam Fish, Golf Balls, and Shake Flippers with a Sea Lion in Islamorada
There is no better place to score flats fishing's big three --bonefish, tarpon, and permit-- than Islamorada on the cusp of summer and fall. From first light to late morning, you may encounter tarpon in the 30-to-50-pound range slow-rolling in Florida Bay that will eagerly gulp a fly or live bait. Bonefish-- some as large as eight pounds--can be found tailing on ocean side flats on the incoming tide, and they are happy to devour a live shrimp or a fly pattern that mimics one. To complete the slam, look for permit on rocky flats near channel edges mainly in the back country. They can be extremely tough to catch on fly rod, but hardly ever refuse a live, silver-dollar crab if it lands anywhere near them. Permit, tarpon and bonefish all are for catch-and-release only, so capture just their images for your Facebook page. To book a fishing charter, check out Bud n' Mary's Fishing Marina at <a href="../Documents/www.budnmarys.com">www.budnmarys.com</a>.
Visitors who enjoy both boating and golf can combine their hobbies in the Conch Scramble charity golf tournament Sept. 30 in Islamorada. Teams of four, plus a designated boat driver "caddy", stop at nine waterfront venues where they come ashore to tee off. Each player gets two shots at floating holes using biodegradable golf balls that dissolve into fish food after a few days in the water. Proceeds benefit athletic programs and facilities for Keys students. To register, visit <a href="../Documents/www.conchscramble.com">www.conchscramble.com</a>.
A favorite family destination in Islamorada is Theater of the Sea-- one of the oldest marine mammal facilities in the world--open since 1946. Here you can watch dolphins perform aerobatics, become acquainted (and paint a picture) with a sea lion, swim with nurse sharks, and visit Quasimodo-- a green sea turtle who wears a special custom life jacket. For more information, go to <a href="https://theaterofthesea.com/">https://theaterofthesea.com</a>.
Book your stay at the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost at <a href="../Documents/www.guyharveyoutpost.com">www.guyharveyoutpost.com</a> or call 1-800-513-5257.
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![](mailto:?subject=Playing Tag with Roosterfish for Science&body=Roosterfish-- the hard-fighting, black-banded fish with the distinctive cock's comb dorsal fin--is one of the most sought-after recreational species in the eastern Pacific. Anglers happily catch them in the surf, from kayaks and in sport fishing boats along the coast from Mexico's Baja California to Peru using both live bait and artificial lures. They can grow to over 100 pounds, but they're not much good to eat so they've been spared from overfishing so far. But almost nothing is known about their life history, reproduction, and movements.
However, that is about to change.
Marine scientist/artist/conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey and daughter Jessica, project manager for the <a href="https://www.guyharvey.com/ocean-foundation">Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation</a>, recently completed the first-ever roosterfish tagging program in Panama.
The Harveys, together with guides and anglers in the third annual Roosterfish Tournament at Tropic Star Lodge in Pinas Bay, Panama, stuck 80 roosterfish with external streamer tags in three days. The tags bear the foundation's phone number and ask whoever recaptures the fish to report its GPS location and fork length. The crews also took some fin clips for DNA samples and sent them to the <a href="http://cnso.nova.edu/ghri/index.html">Guy Harvey Research Institute</a> at <a href="http://cnso.nova.edu/index.html">Nova Southeastern University</a> near Fort Lauderdale. And at the conclusion of the tournament, outdoors television host Mark Davis of "Big Water Adventures" and his team implanted Panama's first roosterfish with a pop-off satellite tag that tracks its movements in near real-time for about three months.
The Harveys also distributed additional tags to the Tropic Star fleet to continue the program throughout the year.
"There were no recaptures during the tournament, indicating the fish move around a bit and the population is quite large," Guy Harvey said. "This gives us a chance to study an animal that's not commercially exploited but is a very important recreational fish."
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The Harveys and their fellow tournament participants caught the roosters by bottom fishing with live bait on downriggers or working poppers on the surface in depths of 30 to 170 feet. More than 100 fish were caught and released in three days of competition.
The Harveys said they plan to work in collaboration with the Pompano Beach, Fla.-based Gray FishTag research program which has tagged scores of roosterfish in Costa Rica and Mexico---including one satellite tag in Costa Rica that popped off after the fish travelled more than 37 miles in 16 days.
Jessica Harvey said the object is to establish a baseline so that fisheries managers can gauge changes in populations.
"These fish occupy the same territory of other jacks, snappers, and tuna," she said. "In a world where overfishing continues, if we get to a point where there's no more snappers and jacks for people to eat, they could turn to roosterfish. Guy Harvey Research Institute and Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation are always trying to fill in the knowledge gap, given it's a high-demand recreational fishery and not much is known about it.
"We've generated a lot of interest in learning about these fish. The more people learn about them, the more they care and the more people will be sustainable in their fishing practices."
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To learn more about the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and its research please visit <a href="http://www.GuyHarvey.com/Ocean-Foundation">www.GuyHarvey.com/Ocean-Foundation</a>. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/playing-tag-with-roosterfish-for-science/){kind=link}
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