Here’s a little bit of information for you, Florida now leads the nation as the state with the most registered boats. It has taken over long time leader Michigan. Florida’s growing population is the main reason for the takeover. Our waters continue to get more crowed and I see more and more people with a disregard for the rules, mainly due to a lack of knowledge. There are safe boating courses that are given by the Coast Guard Auxiliary that can prove beneficial to those that take the course. One advantage is a deduction in insurance costs. Maybe it’s time that everyone be required to attend such classes.
Last weekend I attended a preopening of the new Gander Mountain store at 3750 Flagg Lane in Lake Mary. It is an 80,000 sq. ft. building that holds a variety of outdoor merchandise. It has everything from fishing, boating, hunting, camping, clothing and even scuba diving. They even have boat and atv sales with an on premise service department. It is definitely worth the ride.
The surf and pier are still producing trout and redfish along with some whiting. Look for pompano to start to turn on soon once the water temperature drops a few degrees.
The ICW is yielding some trout, reds, flounder, snook and blackdrum. Capt. Chris Herrera was out the other day and landed reds on live mullet, cut mullet and Berkley gulps. Phil Summersill from Lake Mary fished with me last Sunday and had a decent day. Phil is a Florida native and has fished most of his life but never caught a snook, he had three that day. They ranged from 16” to 24” and were caught on live shrimp and Mirr”O”lures. He also had flounder, blackdrum and mangrove snapper.
The Flagler County Sportfishing Club held it’s annual inshore tournament this past week which benefited the Palm Coast Little League. One hundred thirty six anglers participated and divided up $3,200 in prize money. The top 5 fish in each category won money. Here are the results:
Redfish – 1st - George Gardner 6.55 lbs, 2nd - Warren Green 6.30 lbs, 3rd - Joe Hill 6.20 lbs, 4th - David Cribb 6 lbs, 5th - josh Forbes 5.25 lbs.
Trout – 1st - Chuck Kaszupski 3.95 lbs, 2nd - Chuck Kaszupski 2.06 lbs, 3rd - Tom Hodgin 1.65 lbs, 4th - Toby Collins 1.40 lbs, 5th - Duke Daniels 1.40 lbs
Flounder – 1st - Shawn Nickols 3.50 lbs, 2nd - Brian Pohl 2.30 lbs, 3rd - Warren Green 2.25 lbs, 4th - John Jordan 2.10 lbs, 5th - John Baggott 2.05 lbs
Blackdrum – 1st - Shawn Nickols 3.50 lbs, 2nd - Brian Pohl 2.30 lbs, 3rd – Warren Green 2.25 lbs, 4th – John Jordan 2.10 lbs, 5th – John Baggott 2.05 lbs.
Boat Winners – 1st – Jeff Johnson - 40 Something, 2nd – Michael Struhar – Hooked, 3rd – Larry Stevens – Fine Time.
Photo: Phil Summersill, a life long Florida fisherman, shows off the first snook he’s ever caught. It was landed on a live shrimp.