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Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: March 6, 2013

Posted

BRADENTON – Snook season in the Gulf will reopen on March 1, and the FWC seeking publc input on reef fish data collection in their upcoming meetings. A cold front will slowly move through the waters producing rain showers, isolated thunderstorms and rough conditions.Winds and seas may also increase into Small Craft Advisory conditions behind the cold front Thursday night into Friday. High pressure will then prevail through Monday.

 
Fishing Updates
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 Snook to reopen in Gulf state waters

  • The recreational harvest season for one of Florida’s premier game fish, snook, reopens on March 1 in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico state and adjacent federal waters, including Everglades National Park and Monroe County. The season will remain open through April 30.
  • In the Gulf, anglers may keep one snook per day that is not less than 28 or more than 33 inches total length, which is measured from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed while the fish is lying on its side. A snook permit is required to keep snook, along with a saltwater fishing license unless exempt from the license requirements. Only hook-and-line gear is allowed when targeting or harvesting snook.
  • It is illegal to buy or sell snook.

 

Gulf reef fish workshops scheduled for March

  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting several public workshops in early March to gather public input on a proposal that would improve recreational reef fish data collection.
  • The proposal would create a mandatory permit or registry system for Gulf of Mexico recreational anglers who target reef fish like red snapper, grouper, amberjack and gray triggerfish. This system will help researchers better define the number of offshore anglers and help them contact these anglers to gather additional data. Get your voice heard on this important topic by attending an in-person workshop or a phone conference.

    Swordfish management pays off in expanded fishing opportunities effective Feb. 13

    • Swordfish management is a success story. Overfished in the 1980s and ’90s, the swordfish stock has since been fully rebuilt, thanks to domestic and international conservation measures.
    • Recently, NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division created a new open-access commercial swordfish fishery in federal waters to provide additional commercial swordfish harvest opportunities using gears that minimize bycatch.
    • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several changes to state rules recently, many of which will allow fishermen who participate in this new commercial fishery to land and sell their catch in Florida. Recently adopted changes will go into effect Feb. 13.
    • Several changes to state rules are also consistent with existing federal rules, including a change to the cleithrum-to-keel (see image below) minimum size limit for recreational and commercial swordfish harvest.
    • For more information visit the website at http://myfwc.com/news/news-releases/2014/february/06/swordfish/

    Weekend Fishing Forcast

    Low pressure will continue to develop over the central Gulf waters and move slowly east through Wednesday night. The low will gradually track across the Florida Peninsula and lift northeast into the Atlantic...with a trailing cold front sweeping across the waters Thursday through Friday. This will bring a series of showers and thunderstorms across the coastal waters through the period causing locally rough conditions. Winds and seas may also increase into Small Craft Advisory conditions behind the cold front Thursday night into Friday. High pressure will then prevail through Monday.

    Thursday

    Southeast winds around 10 knots then becoming southwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Showers likely in the morning. A chance of thunderstorms. Showers in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring southwest winds around 10 knots then becoming west after midnight. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms.

    2014/03/06Thu04:33 AM1.07H

    2014/03/06Thu09:28 AM0.68L

    2014/03/06Thu03:22 PM1.93H

    2014/03/06Thu11:44 PM-0.05L

    Friday

    Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A slight chance of showers in the morning. Friday night will bring northwest winds 10 to 15 knots then becoming north 5 to 10 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

    2014/03/07Fri06:09 AM0.95H

    2014/03/07Fri09:51 AM0.82L

    2014/03/07Fri04:06 PM1.87H

    Saturday

    Northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Saturday night will bring north winds around 5 knots then becoming northeast after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.

    2014/03/08Sat12:59 AM-0.03L

    2014/03/08Sat05:04 PM1.78H

    Sunday

    North winds around 5 knots then becoming northwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Sunday night will bring north winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop.

    2014/03/09Sun03:17 AM-0.04L

    2014/03/09Sun07:23 PM1.71H

    Solunar Forecast

     

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