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Gone
fishing Capt. Larry Blue |
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02/05/2008 |
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Fishing Archives |
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Hard
to believe that it really is winter. With the weatherman turning
out |
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Bluebird
Days, the Chamber of Commerce is a happy bunch. For those
vacationing |
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here,
thinking about the conditions back home should put you in the
mood for |
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something fun to do outdoors; Florida Style. Why not fishing?
Florida is known as the |
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Fishing
Capital of the World. Calm seas, comfortable temperatures and
cooperative |
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fish is
just the answer. The days are warming and so is the Gulf.
Everything is right for |
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a good
day on the water. |
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As
long as the conditions remain as they are we should soon see the
return of |
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the
Spanish mackerel and the King mackerel right behind them.
Recently, we caught |
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a few of
the mackerel and some Little Tunny. Little Tunny are members of
the tuna |
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family
of fishes. Don’t let the name of this fish fool you. They maybe
be called Little, |
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but the
fight like they are Big. A Little Tunny can strip off a hundred
yards of line in a |
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jiffy.
While you hold the rod and try to maintain your dignity, this
"little" fish will make |
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you work
to put line back on the reel. Truly a sport-fish. |
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Bottom
fishing has been great and we expect that trend to continue.
There are |
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several
species that can be caught in the gulf to make for good
table-fare. The variety |
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of fish
include; snappers, grunts, triggerfish, porgies, black seabass,
flounder and |
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many
other good species. Everyone knows of the many groupers that
make
Florida |
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famous.
Some must be catch and release at certain times of the year,
including the |
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largest
of all; Goliath Grouper. Goliath Grouper (formerly known as
Jewfish) can |
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reach
weights of nearly 1000 pounds. We are fortunate enough to have
many of this |
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species
off our coast ready for someone to come challenge them to a tug
of war. Are |
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you
willing and ready to try? |
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Snook
season opened and there are lots of them hiding in their usual
winter |
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haunts.
Recently I saw about 50 rather large snook hanging under one
dock near Fish |
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Famous
Johns Pass. Without a doubt this is the consummate of angling
challenges in |
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shallow
water. Once hooked, they take flight like no other fish. A snook
will strip line |
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with
such speed that the angler will often wonder if the reel can
take the abuse. |
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Snook
often jump free of their watery confines with an aerial ballet
that none can |
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rival.
At times even the mighty Tarpon pale by the abilities of the
snook. |
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Sheepshead
fishing is one of the winter/spring season standby fish. They
are |
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almost
always found around the area bridges and most of the docks and
seawalls. |
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This
fish is known for it’s thievery. They will steal your bait even
before the line settles |
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to the
bottom. An old timer once told me; “Set the hook before he
strikes, he's a |
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thief.”
“Why do you think the creator painted him with those stripes?
Because he is a |
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convict!
And you can’t trust him.” |
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Remember
to check the local fishing regulations before you go. And take a
kid |
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fishing,
it will be a memory that neither of you will forget. |
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Good luck and good fishing, Capt.
Larry |
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Copyright 2008
Logo/editorial, Capt. Larry Blue |
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Capt. Larry Blue is a full
time charter boat operator and guide, launching from Gators
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on the Pass, in Treasure
Island . He is a member of; The Maritime Consortium, The |
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Florida League of Anglers
and The Florida Outdoors Writers Assn. For charter
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information call
727-397-3773 or cell; 727-871-1058 or |
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www.CaptainLarryBlueCharters.com
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