Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: August 21, 2014

BRADENTON – Weather Underground is predicting fair weather over the course of the weekend. Over 2,500 people have downloaded a new lionfish app to report successful catches and sightings to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comission. FWC officers arrested a Riveria Beach man after he allegedly stole nearly 300 sea turtle eggs from a St. Lucie County beach.

Lionfish-reporting app successful, plus 250 users sporting new lionfish shirts

• See or catch a lionfish? Report it. That’s what many lionfish hunters have been doing, thanks to the new Report Florida Lionfish app. Released to the public May 28, the app has been downloaded by more than 2,500 people. The first 250 to successfully report their lionfish catch or sighting received an interactive Lionfish Control Team T-shirt. The logo on these shirts is designed to come to life on your smartphone.
• In addition to the app, data can also be submitted online at MyFWC.com/Lionfish by clicking on “Report Lionfish.”
• Lionfish are an invasive species that negatively impact Florida’s reefs and wildlife.

FWC recovers 299 sea turtle eggs from poacher

• Nearly 300 sea turtle eggs were returned to the beach and reburied Friday after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) caught a man poaching them from a beach in St. Lucie County.
• James Odel McGriff, 55, of Riviera Beach, was arrested and booked into the St. Lucie County jail.

Fishing Forecast

High pressure centered over the eastern Gulf of Mexico will keep winds out of west to northwest direction below 10 knots and seas less than 2 feet through the week and into the weekend. Thunderstorm chances will also remain minimal for the next couple of days with little more than isolated showers and a few thunderstorms...but increasing moisture this weekend will bring rain chances back to around normal.

Thursday

North winds around 5 knots then becoming northwest around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thursday night

will bring northwest winds around 10 knots then becoming northeast around 5 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/21 Thu 12:22 AM 1.64 H

2014/08/21 Thu 04:20 AM 1.42 L

2014/08/21 Thu 10:22 AM 2.38 H

2014/08/21 Thu 06:25 PM 0.31 L

Friday

West winds around 5 knots increasing to around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms. Friday night will bring northwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/22 Fri 12:51 AM 1.68 H

2014/08/22 Fri 05:19 AM 1.34 L

2014/08/22 Fri 11:14 AM 2.42 H

2014/08/22 Fri 07:02 PM 0.31 L

Saturday

Northwest winds around 5 knots increasing to around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Saturday night will bring northwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms.

2014/08/23 Sat 01:14 AM 1.72 H

2014/08/23 Sat 06:06 AM 1.24 L

2014/08/23 Sat 11:57 AM 2.45 H

2014/08/23 Sat 07:34 PM 0.35 L

Sunday

Northwest winds around 5 knots increasing to around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2014/08/24 Sun 01:32 AM 1.76 H

2014/08/24 Sun 06:46 AM 1.12 L

2014/08/24 Sun 12:35 PM 2.44 H

2014/08/24 Sun 08:01 PM 0.42 L