New license requirement for shore-based anglers

Starting August 1, anglers who wade or fish from a fixed structure such as a dock, pier or seawall will need a fishing license. The shoreline angler license will cost $9.00. Anglers who have an existing saltwater fishing license need not buy one.

Florida has always required that out-of-state anglers have a fishing license, so the new law will not apply to them, either. The new shoreline saltwater fishing license will go on sale July 15.

The new license will have the same exemptions as the existing license - senior citizens, children, disabled people who meet certain qualifications, active-duty military personnel while home on leave and anglers who fish from a licensed pier.

The new license will have two new exemptions as well: anglers drawing food stamps, temporary cash assistance or Medicaid; and anglers fishing in their home counties who use cane poles or other gear that does not depend on mechanical retrieval.

Florida legislators adopted the new license requirement to take the place of a federal license that would have gone into effect Jan. 1, 2010. The new shoreline license exempts Florida anglers from the federal license requirement.

A whale shark of a tale

Forrest Gump would agree that boating and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is a lot like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

St. Petersburg’s Chris Gardinal was spearfishing about 25 miles offshore recently when he decided to call it a day.

 “The visibility was just great,” he said. “We had a good day.”

On the way in, Gardinal and three friends noticed a large dark shape, about 30 feet long, beneath the boat. “It looked like a submarine,” he said.

One by one, Gardinal and his friends jumped in and swam with the whale shark, a harmless plankton eater that is found in the gulf during the summer months.

“I have been diving more than 38 years and this is the first time that I have ever come across something like this,” he said.

The Gulf of Mexico is a vibrant, fertile ecosystem. You can find everything from orcas to great white sharks at some time of the year swimming in its waters.

The whale sharks typically hang around through June, so hop in your boat and head offshore. And if you need an excuse, June 6 through 14 is National Fishing & Boating Week.

Record tarpon caught and released in Boca Grande

There was a time that the only record tarpon were dead tarpon. But today, thanks to advancements in catch and release technology, tarpon, even the big ones, can be caught and released, to be hooked again another day.

Last weekend, during the third installment of Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, Team Miller's Ale House and Capt. Artie Price weighed in a record-breaking 217-pound fish, the largest tarpon ever caught and released live during a fishing tournament.

"We knew it was going to take 200 pounds to win," Price said. "We let a 140-pound fish go early, and that decision paid off.”

Team Ale House, which consists of Price, Greg Devault, Jon Turner and Frank Massaro, all of New Port Richey, won a Century 2102 inshore boat, Yamaha F150 four-stroke motor and a Continental aluminum trailer. 

Ten fish, totaling 1,647  pounds, were weighed and released during the tournament. Team Reel Time landed a 198-pound tarpon for second place. Team Sun Toyota/Tundra came in third with a 178-pounder. A total of 75 tarpon were caught and "leader" released by the 50-boat field during the three-hour tournament. Most of these fish never made it to the scale.

In just three tournaments so far this year, PTTS anglers have weighed and released 38 tarpon for a combined weight of 5,554 pounds. The average weight of the tarpon have been 146 pounds.

For more ifnormation, go to www.TarponAnglersClub.com.

Snook season is now closed

June is my favorite month to fish for snook, but unfortunately, this is also the first month of the closed season that runs through August.

But just because snook season is closed doesn't mean you have to stop fishing for this prized game fish. According to research from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, roughly 98 percent of all snook that are cuaght and released survive the ordeal.

So summer anglers should take a moment to brush up on the finer points of catch and release:

Whether you fish with artificials or live bait, start by pinching the barb down on your hooks. Barbs are designed to keep live bait on a hook and do little to help in the landing of a fish. Use non-stainless steel hooks. If the fish swallows the hook and you must cut the line, the fish's digestive juices will cause the hook to deteriorate quickly.

Tighten your drag and use a line of adequate strength to land the fish quickly. Don't fight a fish until it is exhausted. Leave the fish in the water if possible. The fish will be less traumatized if it stays in its natural environment. If possible, don't use a net; it damages the thin, slimy membrane that protects the fish from disease. If you must handle the fish, use a wet towel.

If you bring the fish inside your boat, don't let it thrash around the deck. The fish usually will calm down if you turn it on its back. Keep a pair of needle-nose pliers handy so you can unhook the fish quickly. If the fish is hooked deeply, cut the leader or the hook shank.

Don't throw or drop the fish back in the water. Gently place it in the water. If the fish responds slowly, hold its mouth open and move it back and forth in the water to move water through its gills. Watch the fish swim away. If it doesn't look healthy, pick it up and try again. Remember to keep a camera handy. Photos last a lot longer than fillets.

Ethical angling should be second nature. Still, it never hurts to pass the message along.