Yes, sometimes your best shots come from your camera’s shutter
Fishing adviceDid you go fishing but didn’t get any bites? These area anglers have some advice for you
Sometimes, your best shot may come with the camera and not the reel.
“A few minutes in front of the camera might capture what you captured today – jumping, feeding fish, a stunning sunrise or sunset, and water reflections. The situations you might see are endless.”
So says David Tucker, one of our News-Journal photographers and one of a couple (okay, maybe three) staffers who prefer to fish rather than eat.
He sent over a few snapshots from last week — the kinds of photos usually reserved for shiny fishing mugs — and it got me wondering why more of us don’t spend our idle time more often using a camera or cell phone’s camera.
“Cellphones work for some people, cameras are getting better all the time, everyone has one, but I’m an old-school camera guy,” says David.
“Sometimes the fishing gets slow, and sometimes the fish don’t bite what you use as bait.”
If you’re a live bait angler, you don’t even have to stop fishing. Cast your line, place your rod in a holder, and relax with your camera as you scour the current and shoreline in search of the potential shot that could serve as your Christmas card. If you’re a cast-and-recover or plug-in type, and you’re in a slump, maybe a short break will change your luck.
And if you get one of these great shots, send it to me so others can see it here – God knows we see a lot of triumphant anglers carrying scared, defeated fish, and we enjoy it, but a little aesthetic beauty might be a nice break.
Local angle of fish bitesThe idea for Fishbites began with young Billy Carr in New Smyrna Beach
“You may have to put some effort into your work,” says David. “I shot about 50 or 60 frames of fish feeding to get a shot of snook in the air – I got many pictures but that was the shot that made my quick morning trip.
“I only planned to be out for an hour, and I only had one lure, and after 20 minutes I realized it wasn’t the lure they wanted. But another 20 or 30 minutes with the camera made it worth the trip.”
It’s also not a bad way to spend a day on the water if you’re one of those who reluctantly tag along to keep your boat buddy company while they pretend to be enjoying themselves. You know who you are.
Halifax/Indian River
Apparently the Snook didn’t realize they were off the catch and release list. These bags are still plentiful, but still carry a daily bag limit of one bag per angler and a mail slot of 28 to 32 inches.
“They catch a lot of them using hogfish, pinfish and shrimp,” says Craig Patterson (Donald’s Bait Shop in Port Orange).
“Mangrove fish are still everywhere, catching shrimp, both dead and alive,” Craig adds. “Larger mangroves are caught by mudfish.”
There are some reports of sheepshead, preferably on fiddler crabs.
Capt. Bart Rutan (Red Talon Charters) has been seeing reds “crawling around the edges of the mangroves,” while also finding snook and mangrove perch in most of the creeks.
He also says, “Find the birds diving and catch enough beetles in the flats.”
Ike Leary says his folks on the fishing pier in Granada see, and sometimes catch, some good-sized swallows.
Ike now serves the occasional fish soup from the slow cooker on his back counter. Two dollars a cup. The price of his wonderful cup of kale has gone from $1 to $50 — yes, even kale is subject to recent price hikes.
browse
There are pompano out there but the whiting seem to be the most edible food that comes through the surf.
Our regular chronicler of all things surf fishing, Marco Pompano, is finally back after a rather whirlwind world tour, and as he asserts, “there’s no place like home.”
“I went out today and got five pompano in the morning, and I’m sitting here with a smile on my face,” he said midweek. “Little mullet running… tons of them in the surf.”
A handful of black drum are also brought ashore.
Flagler
Things are improving all around in the Palm Coast areas of the coastal areas.
“The creeks and flats have seen a good increase in trout and redfish,” says Capt. Mike Vickers (Hammock Bait).
The Matanzas Inlet area is providing strong reports of redfish and flounder, “with drum and some sheepshead around the bridge,” says Capt. Mike.
Navy
Overall, we shouldn’t complain. Hurricane Lee, making its way in the distant Atlantic Ocean, has enough reach to stir up our waters and make inland passages dangerous, if not impossible, for a few days.
It could have been worse, we know.
St. John’s
Crappie season (spots, for most of us) is getting into shape as the water cools, and “better news on the bass front,” according to Capt. Brynn Adams at Highland Park in DeLand.
Threadfin shad are starting to spawn in the lakes, an annual event that triggers bass runs.
Further north, in Astor, Kerry McPherson says the fishing is great now but anglers are hard to find most days.
“It’s that time of year,” Kerry says from his perch at South Moon Fish Camp. “School starts up again, hunting season starts… everyone shifts gears. The hunting is generally as good now as it has been all year but no one is hunting.
“That’s not a bad thing. Give the fish a break and let them do their thing.”
Within a few weeks or so, Kerry will start receiving a stream of smallmouth fishing visitors from both the near and far north.
St. Johns white shrimp populations are increasing in the northern reaches of the St. Johns River, from Palatka northward.
Grand Slam tournament
Never underestimate the fun you will have during a tournament weigh-in.
Want to test that theory? Fysh Bar & Grill, Halifax’s upscale (and big) new restaurant in Port Orange, is sponsoring the Grand Slam on Saturday, with a weigh-in nearby on the docks at the Carefree Boat Club from 2 to 4 p.m.
Target fish are redfish, flounder, trout and…jacks? Yes, cranes.
The prize money is $6,500, so it should be a lively weigh-in platform.
HSFC: This month learn how to catch sharks
Do you want to catch a shark?
You can learn a lot next Thursday (September 21) when Dustin Smith visits the Halifax Sports Fishing Club for its monthly meeting and seminar. Dustin runs NSB Shark Hunters and will provide all the details on catching sharks from the area’s surf lines.
As always, there is a short club meeting starting at 7, followed by a chat with the shark at 7:30.
More information: HSFC.com.
Always shark weekIt’s a New Smyrna Beach fishing guide night event
Hook, Line and Flicker: Send us photos of your fish
We want to see your latest catch. Email your fish photos to ken.willis@news-jrnl.com.
Please include the first and last name of the angler(s), as well as the type of fish (we get confused sometimes). They are all included in our online fishing report, and sometimes some are released for the print edition.
Do I need a fishing license?
You can find all licensing information, including exemptions, on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website: MyFWC.com. But the basics are: no: If you are 65 or older, or 15 or younger, you do not need a license. no: If you fish with a licensed guide or charter boat, both purchase commercial licenses that cover their clients. Yes: Most everyone, including visitors from other countries. Yes: Even if you are a beach fisherman (beach, pier, pier, bridge, etc.). but: The beach-based license is free. . . but: You still need to register to get this free license.
Where can I get a license and what is the cost?
Many bait shops sell licenses, as do major retailers (Bass, Dick, Walmart, etc.). Florida’s FWC uses a third-party site to purchase or renew hunting licenses: GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. the cost: $17 for an annual license. Do not forget: Whether you fish in fresh or salt water, you need the specific license. Freshwater and saltwater licenses cost $17 per year.
I’m here on vacation, do I need a licence?
Yes, they are also available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or some bait shops and major retailers. it costs: $17 for three days, $30 for seven days, and $47 for a year.also: Non-residents need to purchase this license even if they are only fishing from shore or from shoreline structures. (Florida residents need this license too, but they’re free.)
