Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: August 28, 2014

BRADENTON – Weather Underground is predicting fair weather over the course of the weekend. FWC researchers are looking to anglers to provide them with tarpon DNA data. 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.

FWC tarpon researchers seek data from north Florida anglers

• The strength, stamina and fighting ability of a “silver king” make tarpon one of Florida’s most popular game fish. Experience the thrill! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants people to reel one in to the side of their boat and help us with the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study.
• Tarpon DNA helps scientists learn more about the fish’s rich life history, from its anatomy to its catch history. Each year, willing anglers supply the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute with DNA “fingerprint” data from tarpon and then release them to jump and challenge anglers another day. The FWRI especially needs DNA samples from fish larger than 30 inches hooked in northeast and northwest Florida.

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

A surface trough across southern Florida early this morning lifts north...reaching the Gulf Coast Friday as Atlantic high pressure ridges in across Florida. The trough dissipates over the weekend as the ridge moves to along latitude 30 north then resides there into early next week. The ridge will be broad with a relaxed gradient...keeping winds and seas benign and allowing sea breezes near the coast. However... locally higher winds and seas will be possible near strong storms.

Thursday

East winds around 10 knots then becoming south around 5 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring northwest winds around 5 knots then becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/28Thu02:33 AM2.11H

2014/08/28Thu09:15 AM0.69L

2014/08/28Thu02:57 PM2.18H

2014/08/28Thu09:34 PM0.81L

Friday

Southeast winds around 10 knots then becoming southwest around 5 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

Friday night will bring southeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/29Fri02:58 AM2.22H

2014/08/29Fri09:58 AM0.62L

2014/08/29Fri03:40 PM2.05H

2014/08/29Fri10:00 PM0.92L

Saturday

Southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms. Saturday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/30Sat03:29 AM2.31H

2014/08/30Sat10:48 AM0.59L

2014/08/30Sat04:30 PM1.89H

2014/08/30Sat10:30 PM1.05L

Sunday

East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Sunday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/08/31Sun04:06 AM2.37H

2014/08/31Sun11:48 AM0.57L

2014/08/31Sun05:34 PM1.73H

2014/08/31Sun11:03 PM1.18L

Solunar Forecast