Merab-Michal Favorite
BRADENTON – The sixth annual Fire Charity Fishing Tournament is coming up June 7-9 at the Bradenton Yacht Club. Gulf recreational red snapper season begins June 1, however that date also marks the close of the Gulf amberjack season and Atlantic snook season. Our contributing captain Rick Grassett says tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should improve next week as we head toward the quarter phase of the moon. The best action in Sarasota Bay has been with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more on deep grass flats. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW from Sarasota to Venice should also be a good option.
Fishing Updates
6th Annual Fire Charity Fishing Tournament
- June 7-9, 2013 - Palmetto, Florida
- We're a tournament with a heart for kids. Raising money for the Children's Burn Camp. Anglers win Cash Prizes and Trophies. Pre-Register NOW online and save 10%. Sunday is weigh-in, and the free public event will have an art auction, raffles, pool, food, face painting and more. View http://www.FireCharityFishing.com for more information.
- Contact: Captain Erik Nicholson, sheryl@sheryl.com, 9419625873.
Gulf recreational red snapper season begins June 1
- The 2013 Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season begins June 1 in state and federal waters.
- This year’s state season is 44 days long and will be open through July 14 with the first day of the closure being July 15. The federal season off Florida will be 26 days long.
- The state season was approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its April 17 meeting in Tallahassee. State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in Gulf waters; federal waters extend beyond that line to 200 nautical miles.
- State and federal regulations require all commercial fishers and recreational anglers fishing for any reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico to use circle hooks, venting tools and dehooking devices. In Gulf state and federal waters, the minimum size limit is 16 inches total length and the bag limit is two fish per person, per day, within a 10-fish snapper aggregate limit.
- While the yearly quota for how many pounds of red snapper can be harvested has increased in recent years, the federal season length has gotten shorter over the past few years because of more fishing effort and larger fish, according to federal fishery managers.
- The FWC Commission chose to go inconsistent with the 2013 federal season based on reports that the upcoming federal stock assessment would likely show red snapper populations are doing better than previously thought and reports from anglers that the fishery is improving.
- More information about red snapper fishing is available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater,” “Recreational Regulations” and then “Gulf Red Snapper.”
Gulf amberjack closes in state and federal waters
- The recreational harvest of greater amberjack in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters closes June 1. Greater amberjack will reopen for harvest in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters Aug. 1.
- State waters in the Atlantic extend from shore to 3 nautical miles and in the Gulf from shore to 9 nautical miles.
- Seasonal harvest closures protect Florida’s valuable greater amberjack populations and help sustain and improve the fishery for the future.
- Learn more about recreational fishing at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater” and “Recreational Regulations.”
Atlantic snook to close in state and federal waters
- The recreational harvest of snook in Atlantic state and federal waters closes June 1.
- Snook will reopen for harvest in Atlantic federal, state and inland waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, on Sept. 1. Snook remains closed for harvest in Gulf of Mexico state waters, including Everglades National Park and Monroe County. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will decide at its June meeting in Lakeland whether to allow the Gulf snook harvest to reopen Sept. 1.
- State waters in the Atlantic extend from shore to 3 nautical miles and in the Gulf from shore to 9 nautical miles.
- Seasonal harvest closures protect Florida’s valuable snook populations and help sustain and improve the fishery for the future.
- Learn more about recreational fishing at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater” and “Recreational Regulations.”
Fishing Forecast
High pressure will remain north of the waters through the week as low pressure persists from western Cuba across South Florida. A tight pressure gradient between the high to the north and low pressure to the south will maintain breezy easterly flow over the waters with periods of exercise caution or advisory level winds expected ... particularly during the evening and overnight hours.
Thursday
East winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Isolated showers in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop.
2012/05/31Thu03:36 a.m.0.74L
2012/05/31Thu09:31 a.m.2.2H
2012/05/31Thu05:19 p.m.0.16L
2012/05/31Thu11:18 p.m.1.45H
Friday
East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Friday night east winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a slight chance of showers after midnight.
2012/06/01Fri04:18 a.m.0.93L
2012/06/01Fri10:09 a.m.2.4H
2012/06/01Fri06:16 p.m.-0.14L
Saturday
East winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers in the morning then a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Saturday night will bring east winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening then a slight chance of showers after midnight.
2012/06/02Sat12:38 a.m.1.44H
2012/06/02Sat04:55 a.m.1.09L
2012/06/02Sat10:49 a.m.2.59H
2012/06/02Sat07:10 p.m.-0.38L
Sunday
Southeast winds around 15 knots then becoming south 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers in the morning then a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Sunday night will bring southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening ... then a slight chance of showers after midnight.
Monday
South winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of showers in the morning then a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.
2012/06/03Sun01:49 a.m.1.42H
2012/06/03Sun05:30 a.m.1.19L
2012/06/03Sun11:31 a.m.2.73H
2012/06/03Sun08:02 p.m.-0.51L
Solunar Forecast