National Fishing & Boating Week June 3-11 showcases the importance of recreational fishing and boating to the U.S. economy — and to the nation’s overall well-being. There’s no better …
By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer [Everglades City, FL–] Yes, the weather may still be hot, muggy, and buggy in southwest Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands, but the fishing is …
Day 1 of the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show was a huge success for the team from Guy Harvey Outpost Ltd. Lots of fans of the Big Game Club – old and new – came by the Guy Harvey booth …
A great advantage of being a Florida native and living on the coast is the abundance of fishing opportunities our state offers. Whether it’s fishing on the open ocean, lake, river, or fishing from the …
BIMINI BIG GAME CLUB FISHING REPORT CATCH: Wahoo, Yellowtail Snapper Nothing kills a good fishing trip faster than the 1-2 punch of rough seas and mechanical problems. However, with a little help from …
Get your New Year’s Game On at the legendary Bimini Big Game Club. Get yourself and your friends to our “New Years party at the end of the world” in the original party town, Alice Town. …
Captain Bouncer Smith gives back on a regular basis but this week you can get a two-fer. Tuesday Nov. 18th Bouncer will be teaching Bottom Fishing Wrecks and Reefs at the IGFA School of Sportfishing. …
BILLFISH INVITATIONAL AUCTION ITEM: “SURFACED”, a Guy Harvey Original Growing up in Jamaica, Guy Harvey spent many hours fishing with his father along the island’s south coast. He was …
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![](mailto:?subject=Friends of Bimini: Your Invitation to the Billfish Invitational, May 18th – 21st at the World-famous Bimini Big Game Club&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bi-mayevite.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-597" title="BI.MayEvite" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bi-mayevite.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="733" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/friends-of-bimini-your-invitation-to-the-billfish-invitational-may-18th-21st-at-the-world-famous-bimini-big-game-club/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Fishing The Wild West in Florida's Ten Thousand Islands&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/eveg.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2943 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/eveg.jpg?w=300" alt="Eveg" width="300" height="225" /></a>By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
[Everglades City, FL--] Yes, the weather may still be hot, muggy, and buggy in southwest Florida's Ten Thousand Islands, but the fishing is what is truly smokin'.
Pending the onset of late fall/winter cold fronts, this remote region of jagged oyster bars, mangrove-fringed mud flats, and offshore wrecks and artificial reefs can be unmatched for rod-bending action and bountiful table fare.
Consider: on calm-weather days, anglers are free to motor 30 miles west of Everglades City into the open Gulf of Mexico to catch a limit of snapper, grouper, and whatever else deigns to stop by on rock piles, artificial reefs, and shipwrecks.
Or, those who prefer near-shore sight-fishing can battle big snook along the shorelines of most of those Ten Thousand Islands, especially the natural moats surrounding the mangroves and in the sloughs that ring the outside sand bars on lower tide stages. Redfish also are plentiful along those sand bars, as well as oyster bars and island moats. Large numbers of spotted sea trout patrol the sloughs and channels on higher tides and can also be found --(surprise!)-- on live, rocky bottom 10-12 feet deep several miles offshore. There's also a good chance of locating resident tarpon around island points and river mouths.
Fall is a great time of year to hunt for tasty tripletail, a mysterious fish found throughout Florida from near shore waters a few feet deep to miles out in the Atlantic Gulf Stream. But here in the Ten Thousand Islands, the search area is narrowed to crab trap lines strung a few miles offshore in the Gulf and dead tree stumps that have washed up in the shallows.
And there are several more species to be found cruising the region this time of year, including cobia, sheepshead, pompano, black drum, and Spanish mackerel. And don't forget sharks; they're pretty much everywhere and very satisfying to catch and release on all ranges of tackle. Lucky anglers might even catch sight of an endangered sawfish-- a very distinctive-looking member of the stingray family-- plying the flats or the sloughs, but they are closed to all harvest.
While it is possible to catch many of the region's fish on fly rod and on artificial lures such as plugs, jigs, and soft plastics, using live bait is far and away the best bet for closing the deal. Securing enough bait for a day's fishing is rarely a problem around the Ten Thousand Islands at this time of year.
Check out dimples on the surface revealing the presence of threadfin herring and pilchards. In open water, diving pelicans are very helpful guides. Mullet can be found schooling on the flats, especially in coves and creeks; single fish will be seen flipping for no apparent reason or else leaping en masse when chased by predators. Bait hunters finding no joy on the flats may find it necessary to head offshore to live-bottom areas to get what they need. Being able to throw a large cast net is a necessary skill. Caution: using live shrimp for bait will probably draw all kinds of unwanted interlopers such as ladyfish, blue runners, catfish, and who knows what.
Anglers not inclined to get wet and dirty throwing a cast net will probably do just fine purchasing live or fresh-frozen bait in Everglades City. A couple weeks before the Oct. 8 recreational red grouper closure, part-time Everglades City resident Lou Volpe and a companion caught their limit of four (and released 30 that were undersized), plus a dozen lane and gray snapper and a limit of eight sea trout using mostly dead finger mullet and pilchards on 'knocker rigs' where the egg sinker is next to the hook. The pair had a well full of just-caught pilchards, mullet, and pinfish netted by Volpe on his 22-foot bay boat, but they didn't really need all that live ammo. And despite fishing on a sunny, calm Sunday, they encountered perhaps four other boats the entire day.
Despite its proximity to Naples (45 minutes) and urban Southeast Florida ( 1 1/2 hours), the Everglades City-Chokoloskee region still has the feel of a fishing frontier.
Saddle up and check it out.
*****
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing, and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fishing-the-wild-west-in-floridas-ten-thousand-islands/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Successful First Day at the FTL Boat Show&body=Day 1 of the <a title="FTL Boat Show web site" href="http://www.showmanagement.com/fort_lauderdale_international_boat_show_2010/event/" target="_blank">Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show</a> was a huge success for the team from <a title="About the GH Outpost" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/aboutus.htm" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost Ltd</a>. Lots of fans of the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Big Game Club</a> - old and new - came by the Guy Harvey booth at <a title="Bahia Mar web site" href="http://www.bahiamarhotel.com/" target="_blank">Bahia Mar Marina</a> to register for the BGC getaway, tell some fishing stories, and to meet the man himself, Dr. Guy Harvey.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/boatshoweblast.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-224" title="Bimini Big Game Club Giveaway" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/boatshoweblast.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>
In addition to Guy, many other Guy Harvey Outpost and Guy Harvey Inc. notables were in the booth today - Mark Ellert, GHO President; Chris Pollock, GHO Dir. of Operations; <a title="Dive Bimini web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/diving.htm" target="_blank">Dive Bimini's </a>Neal Watson; Steve Stock, President of <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Inc.; </a>Sean Collins, VP of <a title="ARK Paddleboards web site" href="http://arkboards.com/" target="_blank">ARK Paddleboards</a>; and Doc Gruber, Director of the <a title="BBFS web site" href="http://www6.miami.edu/sharklab/index.html" target="_blank">Bimini Biological Field Station</a>.
Lots more in store for the remainder of the show, so come by the booth, meet the team and register for a chance to win the BGC getaway. Also, check us out on <a title="BBGC on Facebook" href="http://www.facebook.com/BiminiBigGameClub" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and follow us on <a title="Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for news and photos from the show. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/223-2/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Surf Fishing in the Nation’s Oldest City&body=A great advantage of being a Florida native and living on the coast is the abundance of fishing opportunities our state offers. Whether it’s fishing on the open ocean, lake, river, or fishing from the surf, Florida has a thriving ecosystem that provides anglers an array of fishing experiences. As Florida begins its summer months, I’ve already landed a few pompano, redfish, and whiting on the Atlantic side of the state. While I’ve mostly fished the intercoastal waterway, I recently had the opportunity to learn more about surf fishing alongside Guy Harvey Resorts Pro Guide, Noel Kuhn. Guy Harvey Resorts St. Augustine Beach offers an excellent surf fishing academy for anglers of all experience levels at its resort location. As a founding member of the Florida Surf Casters Club and an expert in surf fishing techniques, Noel will hook you on this sport and have you casting up to 600 feet by the end of your lesson.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_71321871609650_20190627_163932553.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5336" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_71321871609650_20190627_163932553.jpeg" alt="" width="779" height="778" /></a>Photo by Katie McCafferty
The beautiful pristine coastline of St. Augustine Beach is well known as one of Florida’s premier fishing destinations, which makes it an excellent location for an early morning surf fishing excursion. I met Noel on the beach just north of Anastasia State Park before dawn and began the process of finding the prime location. After choosing our spot near the runout, Noel demonstrated the proper cutting and baiting techniques when using a fresh assortment of blue crabs, clams, sand fleas, and small fish.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_71499200935468_20190627_164229882.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5338" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_71499200935468_20190627_164229882.jpeg" alt="" width="1496" height="999" /></a>Photo by Katie McCafferty
Throughout the summer months, surf anglers on Florida’s east coast can expect to catch a wide variety of species including redfish, flounder, jacks, whiting, seatrout, and sharks. Due to differences in fish species size, diets, and depths at which they feed, each pole is outfitted with specialized rigging. Noel shared factors such as hook size, test, lures, and types of sinkers that affect your probability of catching fish. Having the proper surf fishing gear combined with the knowledge of fish species migrations are essential to hooking the fish you’re targeting.
As an accomplished surf angler, Noel specializes in long distance casting techniques and demonstrates on multiple rigs the importance of mastering the timing, technique, and tempo of your cast. Regardless of your skill level, he will teach you how to cast long distances and effectively land within the prized sandbar location. An additional benefit of attending the Guy Harvey Outpost Angler Academy is learning from Noel’s expertise in reading the structures of waves and tides and checking for differences in surf to locate the runout and sandbars.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_17719764501515_20190623_110901381.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5337" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LRM_EXPORT_17719764501515_20190623_110901381.jpeg" alt="" width="1003" height="1002" /></a>Photo by Katie McCafferty
Whether you are a local or vacationing in Florida, the <a href="http://www.Guyharveyresortstaugustinebeach.com">Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts in St. Augustine Beach</a> offers you the opportunity to try your hand at surf fishing while improving your casting techniques. The Angler Academy has surf fishing spots available with Noel Kuhn on ,July 21, August 18, September 22, October 20, and November 17 and can be booked at <a href="http://www.outpostacademy.com">OutpostAcademy.com</a>. All gear and equipment will be provided and ready on site when you arrive. The only items necessary for you to bring along are your fishing license, sun protection, and a notepad. In addition to surf fishing, Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts offers many ecoadventures for the whole family that can be booked directly on the Outpost website. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/surf-fishing-in-the-nations-oldest-city/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bimini Big Game Club’s New Year’s Three Peat Package Includes Free Room and Free Airfare&body=Get your New Year's Game On at the legendary <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a>. Get yourself and your friends to our "New Years party at the end of the world" in the original party town, Alice Town.
Got plans? Change them!! Bring the party with you! Have we got an offer for you! We call it the New Years Three Peat Package, because we love those Miami Heat...
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/drink.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-380" title="New Year's Party, Bimini Style!" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/drink.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="366" /></a>
Book three rooms for a minimum of four nights, checking in anytime between Christmas and New Year Eve, and we'll give you one of the rooms free! And, there's more! There's also 2-for-1 airfare...now, getting to Bimini is as cheap as a drive to Key West!
Take charge. Get your friends off the couch. Get your Game On...at the Big Game Club. Guaranteed more fun and less money than staying at home stateside, and no risk of a late night run in with the law!
Join us New Year's Eve for the <a title="New Year’s Boat Parade & Pool Party, Bimini Style!" href="http://guyharveyoutpostnews.com/2010/12/09/new-years-boat-parade-pool-party-bimini-style/" target="_blank">1st Annual Bimini Boat Parade and Pool Party</a>. Cruise the harbor with the Scuba Radio Mermaids on our 60' twin deck party machione, <a title="The Big Game Club’s Name That Dive Boat Competition is Over! It’s…Bimini Blue!" href="http://guyharveyoutpostnews.com/2010/10/15/the-big-game-club%e2%80%99s-name-that-dive-boat-competition-is-over-it%e2%80%99s-bimini-blue/" target="_blank">M/V Bimini Blue</a>. Then, join us poolside for live music by Mango Man, and drink specials till midnight when we ring in the New Year.
On New Years Day, its Rum Bloody Marys and football - all the games, all day long.
For all the details and to book your group's Ultimate New Year's Three Peat Package, call the Big Game Club today at 800-867-4764. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bimini-big-game-clubs-new-years-three-peat-package-includes-free-room-and-free-airfare/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Get a Double Shot of Capt. Bouncer Smith’s Fishing Knowledge This Week&body=<a href="http://www.captbouncer.com/">Captain Bouncer Smith</a> gives back on a regular basis but this week you can get a two-fer. Tuesday Nov. 18th Bouncer will be teaching Bottom Fishing Wrecks and Reefs at the <a href="http://igfa.org/Educate/School-of-Sportfishing.aspx">IGFA School of Sportfishing</a>. Thursday Bouncer will be teaching Live Bait & Kite Fishing at the <a href="http://www.duskyonline.com/">Dusky Sport Center</a>. In addition to his knowledge of fishing, Bouncer is well known for his generous spirit and his willingness to share. His easy going demeanor makes him and excellent teacher. One of the reasons Bouncer was inducted into the Legendary Captains & Crew is his regular support of conservation and children's causes. Pictured below is Bouncer helping <a href="http://fishtomakeadifference.com/">Fish To Make a Difference</a>
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/bouncer-at-the-helm.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2348" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/bouncer-at-the-helm.jpg?w=225" alt="Bouncer at the helm" width="500" height="667" /></a>Bouncer supporting Fish To Make A Difference. Photo courtesy of Brooke Heddon
Bottom Fishing Wrecks and Reefs is the prefect class if you have ever had a slow day of fishing and want to improve your performance on the reef. You will learn techniques for catching snapper and grouper from one of the best bottom guys in South Florida. IGFA School of Sportfishing classes are held at the IGFA's Fishing Hall of Fame: 300 Gulf Stream Way
Dania Beach, FL 33004. Classes are from 7pm-10pm.
Live Bait & Kite Fishing takes place from 6:30-8pm Thursday November 20th. Weather you are a novice angler or an old salt you can always pick up a few pointers from Capt. Bouncer to improve your catching. If you have never been to the Dusky Sport Center go early cause they have almost everything you need for fishing and boating. Dusky Sport Center: 110 N. Bryan Rd. - Dania Beach, FL 33004
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/" target="_parent">www.ghofish.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost's great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/get-a-double-shot-of-capt-bouncer-smiths-fishing-knowledge-this-week/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Billfish Invitational Auction Spotlight – “Surfaced”, a Guy Harvey Original&body=<a title="Billfish Invitational web site" href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com" target="_blank">BILLFISH INVITATIONAL</a> AUCTION ITEM: "SURFACED", a Guy Harvey Original
<a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/surfaced.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-674" style="border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;" title=""Surfaced", an original pen and ink by Guy Harvey" src="http://guyharveyoutpost.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/surfaced.jpg" alt="" width="545" height="304" /></a>
Growing up in Jamaica, <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a> spent many hours fishing with his father along the island's south coast. He was obsessed with the creatures of the sea and began drawing pictures of the many different fish he observed.
In 1985, Guy produced a series of 44 original pen and ink drawings inspired by the <a title="Wikipedia entry for Ernest Hemingway" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway" target="_blank">Ernest Hemingway</a> classic <a title="Wikipedia entry for "The Old Man and the Sea"" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Man_and_the_Sea" target="_blank">"The Old Man & the Sea"</a>, and displayed them at an exhibition in Jamaica. Based on the show’s success, and a subsequent trip to Havana to fish the <a title="Hemingway Billfish Tournament web site" href="http://www.cubatravelusa.com/Hemingway%20Marlin%20Tournament.html" target="_blank">Hemingway Billfish Tournament</a>, Guy was compelled to create a complete series of drawings to honor Hemingway’s work. As they say, the rest is history!
Al these years later, Guy continues to find inspiration in the bigger-than-life exploits of Hemingway. In 1999, Guy and fellow <a title="IGFA web site" href="http://www.igfa.org" target="_blank">IGFA</a> trustees celebrated the opening of the organization’s new facility with an exhibit of Hemingway’s fishing exploits, literature and memorabilia. And now, a decade later, Guy has returned to Bimini to honor Hemingway’s contributions to big game fishing and his celebration of this “Island in the Stream”.
This Guy Harvey original is one of Guy’s most cherished pieces. This original pen and ink highlights the power of the majestic blue marlin, and defines the enduring spirit of anglers who challenge these great fish. In a fitting tribute, Guy has rendered the blue marlin in bold, real-life color – a detail that emphasizes the blue marlin’s supremacy of the oceans.
In addition to this stunning piece of artwork, the offering also includes an autographed copy of “Santiago’s Finest Hour”, a special edition, out-of-print book published in 1999 on the Centennial of Hemingway’s birth. Enjoy a first-hand perspective of Guy’s appreciation for Ernest Hemingway, whose exploits and writing have inspired Guy and millions others, including those participating in the inaugural Billfish Invitational. Framed 25 ½” x 36 ½”. Donated by Guy Harvey.
AUCTION INFORMATION:
Tickets to nightly events of the inaugural 2011 Billfish Invitational are available for $150/pp. Price includes cocktails, dinner and participation in the auction and award presentations.
On-site auction is Thursday, May 19th at the Bimini Big Game Club. Online bids accepted through Midnight, Wednesday, May 18.
Please contact Capt. Ned Stone (<a href="mailto:nstone@guyharveyoutpost.com">nstone@guyharveyoutpost.com</a>) for details.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/billfish-invitational-auction-spotlight-surfaced-a-guy-harvey-original/){kind=link}
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