Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: Dec. 31, 2015

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2015 12:00 am

Merab Favorite

BRADENTON – A new permit allows mackerel tournaments to donate their catch to charity. Gag grouper recreational harvest closed earlier this month. NOAA is predicting windy conditions over the weekend.

New permit allows mackerel tournaments to donate catch to benefit charity

With just a no-cost permit, mackerel tournament directors can donate tournament-caught king and Spanish mackerel to a licensed wholesale dealer in exchange for a donation to the charity of the tournament's choice.

While this activity has traditionally occurred at mackerel tournaments in Florida, recent federal regulation changes prohibited the activity unless a state permit was issued.

In addition to helping tournaments raise funds for charity, this permit will help minimize waste of tournament-caught king and Spanish mackerel that otherwise may not have been eaten.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved the creation of this permit at its June 2015 meeting in Sarasota.

Gag grouper recreational harvest closes in most Gulf waters in early December

Gag grouper will close for recreational harvest in most Gulf of Mexico state waters Dec. 4, with the last day of harvest being Dec. 3. All Gulf federal waters will close Dec. 3, with the last day of harvest being Dec. 2.

State waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties were open from April 1 through June 30 and were not open during the July 1 through Dec. 3 season. Monroe County is also excluded from the July 1 through Dec. 3 season because it follows Atlantic rules for gag grouper.

Fishing Forecast

A stalled front to the west and northwest and high pressure reaching across the waters from the Atlantic will continue into Friday. Then the front moves south over the waters and becomes stationary for the weekend. When a weak disturbance forms on then moves along the front. High pressure builds in over the easter U.S. with some robust northerly winds for the weekend.

Thursday

Southeast winds around 10 knots then becoming south around 5 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Thursday night will bring west winds around 5 knots then becoming northeast after midnight. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2015/12/31 Thu 03:29 AM 1.44 H

2015/12/31 Thu 11:01 AM 0.05 L

2015/12/31 Thu 05:17 PM 1.45 H

2015/12/31 Thu 11:04 PM 0.66 L

Friday

Northeast winds around 5 knots then becoming northwest around 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Friday night will bring north winds around 10 knots. Seas 3 to 5 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop.

2016/01/01 Fri 04:39 AM 1.23 H

2016/01/01 Fri 11:49 AM 0.2 L

2016/01/01 Fri 06:07 PM 1.51 H

Saturday

Northeast winds around 15 knots diminishing to 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A slight chance of showers. Saturday night will bring northeast winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of showers.

2016/01/02 Sat 01:14 AM 0.51 L

2016/01/02 Sat 06:14 AM 1.05 H

2016/01/02 Sat 12:33 PM 0.39 L

2016/01/02 Sat 06:47 PM 1.6 H

Sunday

Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots then becoming north around 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Showers likely. Sunday night will bring north winds around 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Showers likely.

2016/01/03 Sun 02:30 AM 0.29 L

2016/01/03 Sun 08:04 AM 0.96 H

2016/01/03 Sun 01:20 PM 0.56 L

2016/01/03 Sun 07:28 PM 1.68 H

Solunar Forecast