Where's the fish?And by fish,I mean in backcountry reds,
snook,trout and tarpon.Offshore,60 miles out grouper and
decent size snapper.
Gone seem the days of 150 reds caught in a year,slot
snook and trout and sheepshead when you expect to
see them temp wise.
Certainly one of the reasons is the huge increase in
boat traffic,SeaDoo's,Skillcraft's.
Maybe the real reason I seem to be losing a step
or two!
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Replies
I'm beginning to suspect that the all those red tides that never made it past Marco in recent years - did put a serious dent in our inshore action... Hope I'm wrong.
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
Things change - and not always getting worse (I hope...).
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
1.Red Tide has moved further South.
2.Oil spills are moving towards us.
3.Increased guide activity and boat traffic.
4.Increased water pollution coming from Big O.
5.Warmer water at wrong times accounting for trout and sheepshead decline.
6.Far more East Coast fishermen coming to West Coast.
We've not seen a single red tide either... We have noted a much reduced trout population this past year though and suspect the kills on the west coast have hurt us... but that nasty red tide has not made it over to Choko at all...
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
Once again - I'm talking about my own actions - and what I've seen. The only fish cutting facilities I use are the Park's cutting tables at Flamingo and the cutting tables at Outdoor Resorts so maybe I'm just not seeing the activities described. I have, of course, heard on more than one occasion of places where illegal taking is going on - but not where I am at all...
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
I see no reason why it doesn't apply all the way down to your area.
The Locals..and I was one, would not think twice about keeping an overslot Snook or 2 Reds..but they ate them for dinner that night and never kept more than they needed for right then.
The Folks that drive 100 miles twice a year are out to Fill the Coolers.
did not see a boat for first four hours.
sheepshead,few trout.But today, a 27"red,tarpon on,two
slot snook and few decent snapper.
Couple of guesses.First time in awhile some jumping
small baitfish.Second good rising incoming tide.
I was at Cape Hatteras, NC last week fishing the Pamlico Sound and among 4 guys, we caught 3 nice trout and 1 small red over 2 full days.
Some of the comments about non-residents doing wrong need to be caveated:
"Local"s have no moral superiority when it comes to doing what's right for a fishery. On the contrary, my experience seems to make me believe that people think "these are our fish, I have a right to keep it".
I drive 90 miles each way to fish 10K islands or Flamingo at least once a month and have never in my life kept an out of season or under / over slot fish, or more than a bag limit.
In contrast, I have a friend that lives in the upper Keys and his neighbors won't throw back a snook or red no matter the size or season. In Chokoloskee, I ran into a guy bragging about shooting goliaths with a .30-06 years ago.
It's no better offshore with people keeping 9" blackfin and every skinny 20" dolphin that comes along.
Yet I hear locals talking about out of season snook they kept.......or tourists keeping every fish they catch.