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31 July 2010
Posted in
Regs and Enforcement
BREVARD COUNTY
Officers Philip Glover and Curtis Suggs conducted surveillance on fishermen at Sebastian Inlet. Around 3 a.m., they watched as one of the fishermen caught a 37-inch snook and hid it in his vehicle. The officers found the snook still alive and were able to release it. The man was charged with possession of snook out of season and oversize snook.
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21 July 2010
Posted in
Research N Action
(Click Image To Enlarge) Cobia caught on one of St.Lucie County's artificial reefs
Can Artificial Reefs contribute to Fishery Management?
James Oppenborn is St. Lucie County's Coastal Resources Supervisor and the recipient of Snook Foundation's 2009 Excellence in Habitat Restoration Award, in recognition of his work deploying and monitoring artificial and oyster shell reefs in Indian River Lagoon. Here are some of his results and thoughts going forward.
In 5 years managing the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program I have been careful to collect data for use in science which shows the importance of artificial reefs to both fish stocks and the people who harvest them.
Note from the Snook Foundation: If you have been a reader of this website for long, you probably know where we stand on Inshore Fishery Management: More important than slot and bag limits, much more important than hatchery production, Juvenile and Adult Fish Habitats are essential for a robust inshore fishery. So what role can artificial reefs play in essential habitat creation or restoration?
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07 July 2010
Posted in
Partner News
(Click Image To Enlarge)
New details can be seen with Navionics Fish N Chip
Fish N' Chip Changing the game for Inshore and Wade Fishing
When Navionics debuted its brand new Fish N Chip this spring, all anyone wanted to talk about was how you could see one-foot contours on the bottom of some of the fishiest estuaries in the state.
But it was talk that centered more on the novelty of the details the chip provided than anything else. That novelty quickly faded as anglers realized just how important seeing those contours really was.
For anglers, those contours are the most intriguing part of the chip. Suddenly, fishermen who have been plumbing the depths of a certain area for many years can see holes they never knew existed.
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07 July 2010
Posted in
Fishing
Tracking Snook Recovery in Mosquito Creek Lagoon
Ravages
A surviving snook showing some skin changes after the freeze. Photo: Guide Dee Kaminski fishes Indian and Banana Rivers, Mosquito Lagoon and Sebastian Inlet. ReelKayakFishing.com
It has been over 6 months since Floridians endured the relentless cold weather of this past winter. The merciless arctic assault resulted in many nights of hard freeze and was responsible for the decimation of many forms of climate-sensitive aquatic life. One of the most popular game fish in Florida waters, the ( common ) Snook suffered extensive losses in the frigid waters. The FWC, by reported estimates, recorded thousands of casualties on the Atlantic side alone.
Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program will host SnookWatch August 12th - read more click hereBeing a kayak fishing guide around the Sebastian Inlet area, I had to brave last January's cold weather regardless of the freeze, to scout fish for my next client as well as to quell my personal passion....
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22 June 2010
Posted in
Fishing
from Sportsman's Best: Snook
Today, Florida has about 500,000 acres of mangrove forest.
It all looks 'snooky' but it's not. Picking the best spots to spend your fishing time isn't all luck.Nearly every coastal Florida backcountry has miles of red mangrove shoreline at the water's edge; it all looks "snooky" but it's not. So how do you determine where to fish? First, are there baitfish along the shoreline? Are there birds? Birds of prey don't waste much time in a wasteland. In the absence of birds, ar the mangrove leaves splotched with white? That would be bird guano. So at least birds do frequent the spot from time to time.
Is there tidal current? Finally, is there enough depth for snook at aleast during high tide? Is there a sharp undercut mud bank? If all of these conditions are present, you may have found a snook spot. And three out of four isn't bad!
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22 June 2010
Posted in
Research N Action
Guest Editorial by Dr. Grant Gilmore
We had been setting traps in thirty inch diameter culverts connecting the Indian River Lagoon to the impounded Jack Island State Park mangrove forest. Each fall the culverts are opened to allow tides and fish to migrate from the forest to the Lagoon and back. We set the traps for three hours on ebb, flood tides both during the day and at night. On 27 Novermber 1085, 3,104 juvenile snook between 0.5 and 2 inches in length were captured moving against and with the tide in culvert traps around this imoundment. Over two thousand came from one trap.
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22 June 2010
Posted in
Research N Action
Jesus Lluis of Miami was one of the first anglers to get on board with Snook Watch
...are you onboard?
How to use tools - see video below
If you were wondering if you were an important piece of the snook fishery, think no more. Your participation is needed now more than ever. FWRI snook biologist Ron Taylor explains why:
"It's your fishery, so get involved, or put up with scientists taking up the slack using the limited information available...
"Right now we just don't know how many snook were killed this winter. Estimates run from 200,000 to 300,000, but that could mean as few as 75,000 or as many as 500,000, or more.
"Part of the problem, he explains, is much of the information they have received is anecdotal, meaning "word of mouth." That means the information is subject to the usual phenomenon of more, bigger fish each time the story is told. Further, much of the information has been second or third hand. (There's a reason the "telephone game" is a game...)
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19 June 2010
Posted in
Regs and Enforcement
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Officer Jason Cooke was patrolling Little Gasparilla Pass when he conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel. The individual on board advised he had one fish, but did not know what kind of fish it was. Officer Cooke located a 23-inch snook in the live well. The individual told Officer Cooke he was going to take it to shore so his wife could take a picture of it and then he was going to release it. The individual was issued a notice to appear for possession of undersize snook and possession of snook out of season.
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14 June 2010
Posted in
Partner News
Volunteers Celebrating World Ocean Day by cleaning up a section of coastline in Indian River Lagoon.
Thanks to West Marine for Caring about our Coastal Resources
World Ocean's Day Celebrated
About two dozen boaters took advantage of a free t-shirt and garbage bag to take part in the West Marine/Snook Foundation Waterway Clean-up in Melbourne while many more shopped the Melbourne West Marine stores to support the Snook Foundation in a West Marine 'Community Day' aimed at sponsoring worthy projects such as the Angler Action Plan: Snook Watch.
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08 June 2010
Posted in
Fishing
The year 2010 has so far proved to be the toughest year for
fishing for me as a guide here is South Florida. We started the year off with a terrible cold
snap that left thousands of Snook, Tarpon, Bonefish, Grouper and numerous other
species floating dead throughout the state.
The hardest hit seemed to be the Snook population and the proof was in
the pictures coming in from around the state from other fellow fisherman.
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07 June 2010
Posted in
Fishing
SF readers write about how we and our fisheries are coping in the first half of 2010. Anglers share a common bond - the awesome experience of connecting with torpedoing snook stands alongside many mountain top moments that are part of this wonderful world. Here are some of your stories.
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02 June 2010
Posted in
Fishing
photo: Mad_snooker Dave PomerleauIt's that time of year when love is in the air, for snook lovers that is. The full moon in June brings back memories and stirs up hopes of great night time fishing trips. With the hardships of a mighty cold winter, heavy storm water releases, and threatened oil contamination, what are the chances of rekindling a snook romance this summer? While many choose to let breeding stocks take a rest during the summer spawn, some will be practicing catch and release and checking in on the big gals. Here's a report from West Florida's Mad Snooker.
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01 June 2010
Posted in
Regs and Enforcement
COLLIER COUNTY
After conducting early morning surveillance, Officer Thomas Van Trees pursued a subject who was running to his car while in possession of two snook. The subject was cited for possession of closed-season and over the limit snook violations. He was additionally warned for possession of undersized snook and fishing without a license.
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14 May 2010
Posted in
Research N Action
The Army Corps and South Florida Water Management District got an earful at public meetings this week.
On Tuesday, May 11, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Jacksonville District Commander, Colonel Al Pantano, addressed Lee County residents and the Lee County Commission regarding the unseasonably high flow releases being discharged from Lake Okeechobee.
On May 12 and 13, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board and Colonel Pantano heard public comment on the affects of those releases on the estuaries at the Governing Board meeting in Stuart. The message they heard from both Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie advocates was loud and clear: find alternatives to blowing out our natural resources.
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11 May 2010
Posted in
Fishing
Special Report
Oil clumps on the ocean's surface off Chandeleur Islands, photo credit: Brandon Shuler, on the water with Jon Brett in LouisianaHow
does one capture the drama of a slow-moving train wreck? We all want to look away from the mercurial
unraveling of the Deep Water Horizon story, but as fingers of rainbow sheen and
large tar balls begin washing up on the wetlands and in the passes of Louisiana
from the Chandeluer Islands to Cocodrie Peninsula, we can’t. We’re riveted. We want answers. We want solutions.
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05 May 2010
Posted in
General
Chico Fernandez is a renowned fly fishing instructor, and author who developed or helped develop many of the modern saltwater flyfishing techniques and fly patterns in use today.
Practice makes perfect,
and fishing with a master fly angler such as Chico Fernández could affect your game for years to come.
When saltwater fly-fishing notable Chico Fernández is in the boat you will find yourself in the hands of a master, learning and enjoying, making it fun and while it's never easy you will learn solutions and techniques from perhaps the best teacher in the world .
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05 May 2010
Posted in
General
Background
On Tuesday, April 20, an offshore oil-drilling platform, Deepwater Horizon, exploded in the Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana. The rig, owned by Transocean Ltd, was under contract to British Petroleum (BP).
Submerged at the bottom of the Gulf, the rig continues to discharge up to 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) per day. BP, the United States Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service are the lead response agencies on the oil spill.
Volunteer Involvement
Preventative beach cleanup can harm nesting shorebirds. Preventative Beach Cleanups have already been initiated in some parts of Florida, and with World Oceans Day approaching, many regularly scheduled cleanups may need to gear up to cope with the potential challenges of incoming crude oil. Care should be taken to protect both humans and wildlife from toxic oil. Steps to prevent harming nesting shorebirds and disturbing other spawning and nesting creatures unnecessarily can be planned in advance. (Many shorebirds nest April-August, and Snook spawn May-October).
Volunteers are encouraged to get involved through an agency such as one of those listed below in order to achieve the best result of your efforts on behalf of the environment. One well-intentioned volunteer agency recently suggested moving beach litter above the high water line to make cleaning up oil that may come ashore easier, but this is contra-indicated and if a 'wrack line' of natural debris is moved, it should be timed to occur only just before oil reaches the shoreline. See FWC Best Practices
Natural beach debris should be left on the beach in areas of active nesting as long as possible but removed immediately prior to beaches becoming oiled. Once oil is present, volunteers SHOULD NOT attempt to clean impacted beaches or to rescue oiled wildlife on their own. If you smell oil, go inside. The EPA Hotline number to report an oil smell is 1 800 424 8802. Remember, Oil is Toxic.
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03 May 2010
Posted in
General
Boatowners in oil-affected areas can consider these opportunities and precautions.
Vessels of Opportunity
“Vessels of Opportunity”
is a program where eligible vessels are recruited and compensated for
assistance in the clean-up efforts. For
more information about the program call 281-366-5511.
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01 May 2010
Posted in
Regs and Enforcement
MARTIN COUNTY
Officer Davis Moss was on water patrol when he stopped a boat for a fisheries inspection. The subject said he had caught some pompano and opened the cooler for inspection. Officer Moss saw a bag at the bottom of the cooler and a fish tail protruding from it. The officer asked to see that fish, which was identified as an undersize, out-of-season snook. The subject said he kept it because he thought he wouldn’t get checked. A citation was issued for the violations.
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29 April 2010
Posted in
General
Anglers gather in the River Palm Chikki getting ready to make history.In April, 2010, the Snook
Foundation had a sort of “ribbon cutting” ceremony for what promises to be one
of the single most important occasions for inshore anglers. In the presence of
an enthusiastic group of anglers eager to become directly involved in all
facets of fisheries management, the Angler Action Program (AAP) was launched
during the first ever Snook Foundation Funament at the River Palm Fish Resort
in Jensen Beach, FL.
“What happened here this weekend can’t be overstated,” said Mike Readling, Vice Chair of the Snook Foundation. “This weekend was all about anglers who want to do a service. There wasn’t a cash prize, there wasn’t a competitive format requiring the transportation of fish. There was just a lot of fishing, learning, and good times.”
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19 April 2010
Posted in
Partner News
...in Iraq?
The Gheenoe Raffle concluded this weekend at the River Palms event.
Matthew Carcmichael with one of the crews whose tactical vehicles he services in Iraq
A Snook Foundation Angler Alert reader in Iraq holds the winning ticket for the custom Gheenoe super fishing package! During the hours he's not working as a mechanic in Iraq, Matthew Carmichael passes time thinking about fishing and keeping in touch with family back home in Oviedo, FL. He read about the Gheenoe Giveaway in the AnglerAlert E-News, and went online right away to get 6 tickets.
Saturday night his ticket was picked from the raffle barrel by Sara Fitzgerald at the Fishing Funament at RiverPalm Cottages and Fish Camp in Jensen Beach. We spoke by phone with Matt on Sunday, April 18, and he'll be home at the end of May to take a maiden voyage in his new boat!
Congratulations Matthew!
TIP : Join our newsletter today and make sure you're informed about our next raffle...
Missed out on this? View the [ Gheenoe Raffle Package ] that was given away at the [ 2010 Fishing Funament at River Palms ]
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19 April 2010
Posted in
Fishing
Increasing Recreational Anglers say into data that determines slots and bag limits will be one of the benefits of your participation in the Snook Watch-Angler Action Program. Contribute to an accurate picture of snook populations around the southeastern United States by reporting the lengths and numbers of fish you catch, and whether they are released or taken. Snook abundance is tied to the health of inshore habitat, and the more we know about all sizes of snook the more accurately we can deduce not only the state of the fishery but of the habitat that sustains 280 species of inshore game fish and other organisms that constitute one of our national treasures - inshore fishing.
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19 April 2010
Posted in
Partner News
Benefit Fishing Event
"Fun Family Fishing Event" and Intro to the Angler Action Plan
A great place to visit and fish! We'll be coming back!
What : First Fishing "Funament"
Where : River Palm Cottages & Fish Camp
2325 NE Indian River Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957
When : April 16 and 17th, 2010
Here's a recap of the first Angler Action Program - Snook Watch event of 2010. Thanks to all who attended - and remember to keep watch!
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09 April 2010
Posted in
Research N Action
Snook in Port of Tampa. photo credit: Bebo SmithThe Snook Foundation has taken
the first steps in setting up baseline fishery data survey
driven by anglers with the Angler Action Program (AAP), which has been agreed
upon and designed with the help of State scientists in Florida
and Texas. We
will roll out the program at an event at The Funament Event at River Palm Cottages and Fish
Camp (Jensen Beach, FL) the weekend of Apr 17th. Scientists from
both FWC and Texas
will be on hand to assist SF personnel and anglers with the roll out.
In Florida, the motivation for AAP revolved around the many questions/complaints about accuracy in stock assessment and the recent winter fish kill closure of snook. Texas anglers are trying to improve their growing snook fishery, and collecting accurate data is a critical step.
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03 April 2010
Posted in
Fishing
Brian knew Captiva Island had the
right charm for a day with JJ Grey.
When Brian and Deb Conley decided to donate to the Snook Foundation for a chance to win a fishing trip with Snook Foundation Board member JJ Grey (of JJ Grey & MOFRO), Brian thought he was bidding for a great day of fishing.
Little did he know, the fishing was merely an appetizer to what surely will be remembered as the highlight of an incredible weekend – a private concert by JJ Grey.
More Articles...
- Patagonia Fishing Shirts
- Hooking-up, Making Connections in South Texas
- FWC Citations March 2010
- Matlacha Aquatic Preserve Imperiled
- Measuring Snook with Care
- Help Wanted - Angler Action Program
- 2010 Florida Fish Kill
- Why Snook are 'Right' on a Fly
- FWC Citations February 2010
- Latest lure tech: odors and pheromones
- Clean boats without environmental impacts? YES!
- Historic Freeze could have a Silver Lining
- TPWD Drops Proposed Snook Changes
- FWC Citations January 2010
- FWRI Tackles Snook Migrations
- Teen Anglers Recognized
- Fertilizer Ordinances will Protect Juvenile Fish Habitat
- Oyster Reef Restoration in Indian River Estuary
- Sportsman's Best - SNOOK - Released
- Winter Snook Slams Defined
- FWC Citations December 2009
- FWC Citations November 2009
- Bass and Snook Share Real Estate
- The Formula for Success D.O.A.
- Fish Abundance in Charlotte Harbor Estuary
- Citizen-Anglers Honored at Oktoberfest Weekend
- A Deeper Look into Snook
- Lochloosa is on My Mind
- How to Target an Inshore Slam
- Catching the Winning Slam With Minutes to Spare!
- Line & Lure
- Ok then I'll try out that Kayak Fishing!
- Spoil Island Camping & Fishing
- Deadly on Anything
- Snook Research at Mote Marine Laboratory
- The Facts on Handling & Releasing Tarpon
- Navionics - An easy way to help preserve Florida's fragile seagrass beds
- Angler Handling Techniques Will Increase Survival for All Released Game Fish
- Guest Commentary: Everglades Debate Needs Your Voice
- How to Weigh-In in the Water
- Stand Up and see what you're missing
- Ted Williams and the Origins of Sport Fishing
- Fishing for Lines
- River Coalition draws new Support from Martin County Commissioners
- What's Cooking?
- Rare Turtle Hospitalized at Mote
- The Grassflat Food Chain
- Peacock Plunger
- Today's Big Catch Depends on Baby Having A Happy Home
- Snook Foundation Welcomes Richard Powers - Florida Outdoor Artist
- Beach Snooking
- Why Study Juvenile Snook?
- Snook as an Indicator Species
- Teen Anglers Set New Oyster Bagging Record
- New from Seaguar - Premier Leader
- Record Snook
- Bridge and Pier Tackle
- Urban Night Fishing
- A Great Wave Rising
- A Coastal Engineer Answers
- Tips from a Top Angler
- Consultants Threaten Beaches
- An Argument for Preservation!
- Tournaments - Help or Hindrance?
- Snook Foundation Recognized for Contribution to Fish Habitat
- Tracking Tracey, Atlantic Snook Study Underway
- Fishing the Twitch Bait
- On The Line With Aaron Adams Ph.D.
- Get Outta the Way Big Guy
- Shallowfish opens New Gallery
- The MirrOlure Knot
- Hunting Texas Style with Capt Mark Gore!
- Imagine a Reserve in the Everglades
- FWC Director's Ken Haddad's Message
- The Developmental Stages (Ontogeny) and Associated Habitats of Common Snook
- OK, What's the Slot Limit on This Puppy?
- Swift Mud Warns 16 Counties Are Drying Up
- Gas Pains
- Pine Island Man Faces Penalties for Mangrove Destruction
- Panga offers new Super Skiff
- Fines Do Little to Stop Cutting of Mangroves
- One Piece at a Time
- Agency Reconsiders Approval to Dig up Wetlands
- Freshwater Turtles under new rules October 23
- Snook Anglers Play a Role in Snook Tagging Studies
- Snook Foundation Announces formation of Smart Development Workgroup
- IRL Oyster Reef Restoration
- What Gamefish are Actually Eating
- Savory Swimming Crabs
- Marine Hatchery Expansion in Florida
- Caring About Creatures
- Lake Worth Commissioners vote unanimously to support Reach 8 Protection
- History of the American Lawn
- FWC Citations June 2008
- Keeping Snook Swimming
- Fishing Weedon Island Preserve - Tampa Bay
- Trolling from Kayaks
- FWC Citations May 2008
- Developing Shoreline with Purpose
- Snook Habitat Study
- Fort Pierce Anglers to help in Reef Snook Study
- Snook Fishing - How each trip gives back to your community.
- Catching the Lowly Mullet
- Skip Casting to Snook
- Species of Snook
- Saltwater Fishing Spells Big Money in Florida
