Captain Favorite

Tom Darin with his wahoo

Catch of the Week
Tom Darin caught his monster Wahoo aboard FishWhere. On October 10, he was trolling 44 miles west of New Pass using a Pakula skirted lure. The fish was over 72 inches long, and he estimated its weight at about 80 pounds. He released his fish in good shape.

Have you ever wanted to show off a great catch? Each week The Bradenton Times will be selecting what we deem as the best catch of the week. Contributors will be featured in Monday’s article, pictured with their fish and placed in the catch of the week online photo album. Anyone can participate as long as you include a picture and a short summary of what you were using for bait, where and when the fish was caught and the angler’s contact info. Please send submissions to merab.favorite@thebradentontimes.

Fishing Q&A: Reel BS of Palmetto writes, ”At what point on the Manatee River does your freshwater fishing license stop being legitimate and the law require a salt water fishing license or vice versa?“

This is a great question because like a lot of rivers that flow into the Gulf, the Manatee River consists of brackish water. The location of the mixture of freshwater/saltwater species can vary throughout the year. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), there is no actual position where one stops and the other starts. They base the license requirement on the targeted species. In other words, if you have a saltwater license and you catch a large-mouth bass, which is considered a freshwater species, then you should throw it back or risk legal consequences.

During the winter months, snook will often go way up river into fresh water when the temperature drops. The good news is that people who already have a salt water license can follow them upstream and not have to worry about purchasing another permit. Marine Patrol may give you a hard time after Fort Hamer, so you may want to consider buying a fresh water license anywhere East of that point.

Fishing Report

This week was the start of stone crab season (October 15 through May 15). Stone crabs are my one of my favorite types of seafood because they are not only low-fat and delicious, they are a renewable fishery. NOAA estimates population levels to be high for this species because of the unique manner in which they are harvested where one can take the claw without harming the crab. All stone crabs come from wild fisheries -- there is no aquaculture for them.

Legally, anyone who holds a saltwater license can set five traps and take both crab claws if they are 2.75 inches or over from the knuckle, however, the crab will have a smaller chance for survival so it is recommended that anglers only take one claw. It takes them almost a year and a half to grow the claw back to its original size. The regeneration requires a greater intake of food, without at least one claw, the organism struggles for survival.

Even with only five traps, setting them is a commitment. You’ll need to plan to pull and re-bait your traps on a regular schedule – rain or shine. If you aren’t serious about maintaining them, then just buy the claws at a local seafood market. Traps that are left for long periods of time will become killing traps, because occupants will eat the bait, but then starve to death when left neglected.

Anglers use all types of bait, but one of the most highly recommended is pig’s feet because they last from pull to pull. A more popular bait is the heads of large fish. Some people use cans of cheap cat food as bait. They punch a couple of holes in the can to allow the odor to attract the crab. There are also those who use the same principle and put fish scraps in bait cups made out of old fruit juice jugs cutting the bottom off. They put holes in it, fill it with scraps, and then snap the bottom back on. Chicken livers and necks can also be used.

When laying the trap, make sure you’re not in the channel, which is illegal. Stone Crabs like to hang out in sea grass, near oyster beds or in rocky places with high salinity, so place the traps accordingly. Every trap is required to have a marker. The buoy must have a legible "R" at least two inches high, and the harvesters name and address in legible letters permanently affixed to it. The only time buoys are not required if trap is fished from a dock.

We are still looking for charter captains to contribute a weekly fishing report. If you are interested, contact merab.favorite@thebradentontimes.com
 

5 Day Fishing Forecast –There should be some fantastic fishing this week as the phase of the moon turns full on Friday. Get out your poles because the fish will be biting as the weekend nears.

High pressure will weaken as it remains in control until midweek when a cool front moves into the area. This front will be followed by high pressure from the northwest for the end of the week.

To create your own forecast specific to your zip code visit www.wunderground.com.

Monday
Northeast winds around 5 knots becoming northwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Monday Night there will be east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Try fishing from 10:06 a.m. - 12:06 p.m. and 10:26 p.m. - 12:26 a.m. and you will have average luck.

Tuesday
East winds around 5 knots becoming northwest in the late morning and afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Tuesday night will produce north winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Fishing from 10:46 a.m. - 12:46 p.m. will produce average results.

Wednesday And Wednesday Night will have north winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Fishing from 11:27 a.m. - 1:27 p.m. will give you better results than the previous two days.

Thursday
North winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Fishing from 12:09 p.m. - 2:09 p.m. will bring in better results as the full moon nears. You should also try fishing from 6:15 a.m. - 7:15 a.m. and 5:56 p.m. - 6:56 p.m.

Tides

To create your own tide chart, follow the link to NOAA's website.

Solunar Chart

To create a solunar chart specific to your zip code visit www.solunar.com

12:09 pm - 2:09 pm

6:15 am - 7:15 am 5:56 pm - 6:56 pm