Florida Sea Trout Bill Passed with Changes (No Seine Nets!)

The Florida sea trout bill was recently passed at the FWC meeting in the keys. The large issue of the bill was the idea of using seine nets for commercial fishermen. The bill was changed at the meeting and it seems to have come to a good conclusion.

Changes take effect Feb.1, 2012, and include:

*  Removing regional recreational season closures (removing the current February closure in northern Florida and the November-through-December closure in southern Florida);

*   Raising the recreational bag limit in northeast Florida from five to six;

*  Changing commercial seasons based on region – lengthening them from three months to five months in the northwest, southwest (June 1 - Oct. 31) and southeast (May 1 - Sept. 30) regions, and from three months to six months in the northeast region (June 1 - Nov. 30);

*  Allowing spotted seatrout to be sold 30 days after the close of the regional commercial season;

*  When there are two commercially licensed fishermen aboard, changing the commercial vessel limit to 150;

*  Redefining the areas where spotted seatrout are managed by splitting the state into four management zones instead of three.

The changes come after a 2010 spotted seatrout stock assessment indicated numbers were consistently exceeding the annual management goal across the state, and nearly double in the northeast region of Florida.

-Info from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) at www.myfwc.com

It looks like we will have our sea trout fishery intact and we will be able to catch and keep sea trout year round with new season closures. 

 

Sight Casting Reds in the Marsh Pre Cold Front

Started with the morning coffee, and arrived to St. Marks Florida at around 7:45am. Launched at an almost slack low tide, immediately started throwing top waters with no luck. Moved to a large bar with mullet all around throwing paddle tales and top waters and again had no luck.

Moved down the flat to the marsh entrance, poled the flat and ran up on a lone redfish sitting in a sand hole about five feet away from the bow of the boat. Sight casted a DOA Cal paddle tail to the fish and immediately hooked up. Took a couple of runs and then boated a just over slot 28” redfish. Snapped some photos and successfully released the fish to battle another day. 

The tide started to move again so we decided to drift our way into the marsh. TONS of mullet were in the marsh going in with the tide, we successfully slammed with some more reds, trout, and a lone flounder that was caught on the way out of the marsh. 

Ran back to the ramp with an incoming tide and was off the water by 12pm. Weather was beautiful at around 78 degrees with a 5mph wind from the SE. Until Next time Tight Lines!

Anchored up Cold Front Fishing @ The Lighthouse, Reds and Trout

Wake up call was at 7am, and awoke to a cold and damp morning at a low temp of around 45 degrees and a stiff 15mph breeze it was definitively not a prime fishing day. We decided to go anyway, and just try to hide from the wind and find some fish. Launched after a coffee and idled out of the canal. The northwest wind was hard to hide from by the light house so we anchored up next to a sandbar, and tossed some gulps around a mullet school. Ended up with a Red and a Large Trout. I also caught a stingray that thankfully came unbuttoned right at the boat. Also lost something large that was ripping drag that came off right as I tightened the drag. Cold but a decent day for staying in the same spot and tossing artificial, off the water by 11am.

Breezy Start to November in the Gheenoe

Got a late start to the day as my buddies alarm didn't go off. Finally made it to the water at around 8:30am. Launched and fished long bar and the marsh. Caught Reds, Trout, and Black Seabass all in the same area. coming into the marsh an air boat spooked all the fish and ran through right where we were fishing. Pictures Below:

First Solo Trip in the Gheenoe

Hitch up the 'noe around 6am on Friday morning and headed to St. Marks. Stopped to get a coffee and let the sun rise a bit, then launch to another ultra low tide.

Motored out tossing a top water, and caught a couple of trout on the flats.

Poled around a long sand and oyster bar and only managed to spook some reds. Ended up catching a couple of flounder bouncing a jig head off the sand. Moved on and did a little photo shoot with the gheenoe.

Overall and nice relaxing solo trip at the lighthouse! As always Tight lines, and Happy Halloween- Dave