Its 2010!

Its 2010 and I can say that December 2009 will be memorable. This month I managed to not only see, but capture on photo, two of the most rare creatures in Florida: The Mana-Pea and the Reda-Pea!

The second incident involved a Royal Tern affectionately named "Jerry". Jerry decided it would be a good idea to pick up a bait while we were Red fishing. Much to our chagrin he became tangled in the line (fortunately not hooked). We carefully brought Jerry to the boat, gently untangled him, and uncovered him. Jerry apparently decided we treated him with such great care that he would hang around for a few minutes. He stood quietly in the boat, making a couple laps around the console, pecking at few stray Swedish fish that fell on the deck and generally just soaking in the great weather.

Well, a few minutes turned into about an hour. We thought our time with Jerry would end when we decided to make a run to Lemon Bay from Catfish Creek. To our surprise, Jerry hung around for the ride even at high speed. My group for the day decided this must be some trick I play on them to increase tips because he HAD to be trained. As we ran under the Causeway, Jerry continued to march around the boat, making himself at home. But, all good things must come to an end and Jerry decided it was time to get back to the family. We were sad to see him go, but he took off and faded away into the sunset.

December was very cold this year, with several sever cold fronts pushing temperatures into the 40s overnight, and several days with highs in the 50s. This really kicked off the winter with a bang. We took some time to do some catch and release Amberjack fishing on butterfly jigs when the weather cooperated. This light tackle, artificial lure, action packed day of fishing is honestly one of the most fun experiences I can think of. The AJs cooperated every time out, with the biggest fish being about 65lbs between a few trips, and an average of about 35-45 fish per trip around 25-30lb average. One trip out this month I was even taught a new fish fighting technique! If you havent ever experienced light tackle AJ fishing, then you dont understand how strong a fish can be. So strong in fact, that they found it easier to asign 2 people to each rod...one to pump, one to real! Despite my thought that it would be awkward and do more harm than good, it was in fact great. They really put the hurt on those big AJs!


Inshore we chased the Redfish around a lot, with a few stops for some great Snook action when the sun shined and waters warmed. The big trout are in full force, and when the weather dies down we will definitely take advantage of being able to once again keep trout after today's season opener. We have been able to skip and catch some very nice pompano to about 4lbs, with limits on several days as well.




The grouper bite has been between decent and great near shore, the snapper can be described about the same way. There are still some barracuda around that can make getting 5-10lb Mangrove Snapper difficult at time, but they also offer a chance to tangle with a true light tackle speed demon. Usually sore-lipping them (catch and release) is a good way to get them to slow down on the free snapper dinners.

A few pics from recent trips:

USO's in Lemon Bay and 'herd' of manatees

UNIDENTIFIED SWIMMING OBJECT:

The first fishing day of December (12/1) was about as nice as it can be. 68 degrees at sun up to catch bait, 72 degrees while picking up a group of three great folks on Manasota Key at their dock. The funny part is that they stepped on the boat and instead of the usual "are we gonna catch lots of fish today?" Tom Loffton asked "Do you think we will see a Manatee today?". I told him we had a pretty good chance as it is a common occurance, and if we didnt see one I would swing by my Marina on the way back and there would be at least one or two around there. Well we stopped at our first location about ten minutes from the dock and managed two nice slot reds, several over slot, a nice Snook and Tom did battle with a 40lb stingray just for the heck of it! They dont have any of those in Wyoming so it was a cool experience none-the-less.

We pulled out from that location and idled our way across some broken flats separated by deeper channels. As we came off one of the flats I could see a LOOOONNNNNG mud trail (think half a mile or more) in one of the deep sections and I immediately shut the motors and said "we are coming up on a few manatees". I pointed out the three on the bottom just to our right, and as they came up to take a breath I noticed a few more just a few yards ahead....and a few more after that.....and a few more after that. As we drifted we saw more, and more, and more! I counted 20 pretty easily but I am sure there are more. Because of the recent winds, the water was a little bit silty so the murmaids (dont ask how they used to make that mistake!) would belnd it pretty good making it hard to get a good count. As we drifted I stopped the boat a few times with the powerpole to see if a couple of these gals would pose for a photo op. I left the PowerPole in the water just a bit as we drifted, it tends to get an interesting little wiggle when you do that. Well apparently at least one of the Manatees thought this made a great toy and followed us for most of the drift bumping, following, and staring at it!

We did end up catching several more nice redfish in a few different locations and had a great day taking is some spectacular scenery and bird life. Fishing Wednesday was a little tough mainly because of the wind, but the bite was good. The reds were stacked thick in some of the deeper holes on the low end of the tide, and tailers were EVERYWHERE as soon as the tide started to bump up a bit. Several trout over 5lbs were caught and released this week in the same areas, along with some now out of season Snook (mostly slot size fish of course!) that were released with care. Thursday (today) saw improving weather compared to yesterday, and the Redfish bite will remain strong throughout the winter. I am willing to bet the Pompano bite will be strong in the coming weeks, and with a day off planned this weekend on Sunday you can bet you will see me out for some rare alone fishing time working on a nice cooler full of the "fish of kings" near the pass!

Be safe on the water, and remember to respect other anglers!
Capt. Tom
PS
Yes that strange black creature is my dog! Sweetpea

Winding down November

November is coming to a close, tomorrow marks the last trip of the month as a matter of fact. The fishing has been sporadically fantastic, with most just very good days in between. We did have some difficult weather patterns this month, but most of them turned out pretty good regardless. There honestly were too many good catches and types of fishing to highlight, but Redfish definitely were the highlight of the month. Although full limits of nice Grouper were caught 5-9 miles offshore and the shark fishing was fantastic most evenings the winds just kept those trips to a minimum and pushed us a bit inshore for most of the month. Hopefully the winds die down a bit in December and allow us a few more shots at filling the cooler with one of the Gulf's most prized catches, Red and Gag Grouper.

The fall migration of birds and Manatees is also in full swing. Large groups of Manatees have been working their way through some of the deeper troughs around flats that are teeming with Redfish, highlighting the need to really obey those Manatee speed zones this time of year (not that you should other times of the year). The White Pelicans (North America's second largest bird behind the Condor) have taken up their Roost around Devilfish Key, numbering in the Thousands and the Bald Eagles have moved in to their winter homes around Lemon Bay. I rounded a shallow bar that was dry due to a low tide early one morning while catching bait and saw a group of large birds sitting on the bar. I knew they were not buzzards and thought to myself "are those turkeys?" Then it hit me, not one, but SIX adult bald eagles standing on the bar. Several of them were picking over some Mullet they either caught or scavenged, the others were just staring at me as I roared through their peaceful morning pushed by 250 wild horses. They really did look like turkeys standing in a field, and it worked to remind me of just how big these birds really are. The resident eagles can also be seen on a good number of early mornings picking up a light snack, and even attacking some of the other local birds to steal their catch! Often Osprey are meet the business end of the much larger eagles in mid air. Its a sight (and sound) you wont soon forget.

I obviously love fishing, after all I chose it as my job. Actually the only thing I like more than fishing is taking other people fishing. I take my job pretty seriously and work hard to make sure that people can have have action packed, relaxing, and worry free day. Lately I have been thinking about all of things I forget or neglect to take in because I am usually trying to hustle pretty hard to meet those goals for my clients. This month I made a special effort to try and take in all that this area really has to offer and not forget that I spend almost everyday in one of the most scenic places on Earth. Sometimes we all get caught up in catching too many fish, and we should take the advice I give to older kids and teenagers that I have out. As they have a tendency to get pretty darn excited and rush their fish in I tell them what I was told by the people that taught me to fish: "enjoy your fish". Slow down, take it easy, and enjoy it. Even through catching fish is our goal, and we meet that goal on each and every trip, it doesn't mean we cant soak in a little bit of what is in front of us. You just never know what your going to see, maybe even the elusive North American Bald Turkey Eagle.
PS
A couple of pics from just a few of the trips this month.

Wind? What wind.

So the theme of the week was definitely wind. It 15-20knts was the norm this week, primarily from the ENE. This combined with an early morning low tide to create a strong low water condition most of the week. The Redfish and Snook were cooperative, particularly when the tide started flooding. There was one particular school of redfish, numbering in roughly 80-100 fish that showed up every day like clockwork for at least one good shot, and many days this week for several good shots. The trout bite was decent on topwater early in the morning, though the season is now closed. Spanish Mackerel are large and invading the inshore waters as well as the beaches. We saw several nice sharks cruising shallow water, and caught a few Bonnetheads in 10" of water that proved to be a great show on light tackle. Overall fishing this week was pretty good. Pompano are starting to show more frequently, so I will definitely be planning an hour or so to target them on some of my upcoming trips.
This week I fished a lot cut bait, live pinfish, and a little bit of whitebait. We also fished Mirrolure Mirromullet, top pup, top dog Jr. and He dog based on the size of the redfish, size of the mullet in the area, wind conditions and how much noise we needed to make. The topwater plugs work great on the feeding schools, but are also good searching lures during low light conditions. This will often give you a heads up as to where the fish are holding and where they may be preparing to move or feed as the tide comes up. Often if the fish will show themselves early in the morning and you can think like a fish for a little bit you can anticipate their movements and behavior throughout the day. As the mullet get more thick through the fall, the topwater bite will only get better. With every overcast or foggy morning (which are rare in Southwest Florida this time of year) my spirits are lifted because I know what lies in store for the early riser. Remember to work those topwaters slow, somtimes agonizingly slow, as the water cools. Sometimes it is more of an erratic darting motion rather than the rhythmic walk the dog action that gets them to strike. Mix it up and keep note of what works under the conditions.
Overall fishing in wind is all about positioning. I try to make sure that I am fishing an area that I can approach with the wind at my back. Often, the wind provides the perfect stealth approach. I will use my trolling motor for positioning if necessary, but most of the time I am able to just do a bit of steering using my outboard just slightly in the water as a rudder. I use the powerpole to stop, or help myself change course. This will often allow me to quietly work an area and extract more fish from the area, even under windy conditions. As a matter of fact the extra casting distance, stealth approach, and ambient noise in the water all may contribute to MORE fish in the boat on windy days.
Check this out, kind of disturbing if you ask me.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/3350922

The Worst Blogger ever.....EVER! and Z-wing 101

If you have spent much time with me you may find it hard to believe that someone with so much to say would find it so hard to write a blog every now and again. I am pretty sure that I might be the modern worlds most terrible blogger ever...and I mean EVER. Of course I can give you a ton of excuses like wanting to spend time with my family after fishing all day (its Nov. 1 and I have run well over 300 trips this year so far), sleeping, eating, preparing for the next days trips, watching TV...OK, watching TV isn't that good but its true. A guy has got to wind down a little bit, but in reality it really only takes a few minutes. At any rate, I am going to make a good solid run at worlds second worst blogger and try to break out of last place!

So rather than go into depth about the fishing report, which honestly isn't ever THAT helpful, I thought I would go over some more skills that will help you increase your level of success beyond a fishing report. A lot of these skills can also be adapted to fishing just about anywhere. The best thing to do is to learn what makes the fish you target tick. What do they eat, when, where, and why. Find out what makes them angry and what scares them. You would be surprised how many fishing situations involve agitating a fish to the point of triggering a reaction strike. It sounds counter intuitive, but its something offshore fisherman have been tinkering with for years.

Since it is Fall, I think the best thing to key in on is Grouper trolling. Trolling for Grouper, specifically Gag Grouper has become a very popular and trendy way to fill the box with what amounts to a prized catch in these days. Not only is trolling for Grouper very productive and known to also produce Kings, Cobia, and Sharks but it is also a terrific way to find new bottom fishing territory. There are tons of articles in magazines, on the Internet, and even TV segments on how to troll lipped plugs for Grouper. I don't want to just go over what has already been said, instead I have greatly improved on the standard and want to spend time going over what we will call Grouper Trolling part 2: Go Deep!

Trolling for Gag Grouper is usually accomplished with a large lipped plug such a Mann's Stretch 25, 30, 40, or Gigantus. My favorites are the Stretch 30 and Stretch Imitator. These plugs are designed to get to a depth of 30 feet using appropriate sized mono with 150 feet of line out. Switching to braided line can increase this depth a good amount, to the point that you can bump bottom in 50 feet using 30lb Jerry Brown braid. This is all well and good, as most grouper trolling is done in the fall, in shallow water of less than 40 feet. This means an extremely limited amount of time to target these fish for most anglers.

Though very effective, I think some locations are actually being run over so often with Mann's and Yozuris and the like that the fish are pretty heavily pressured. Though its possible to troll deeper, it has always been more of a pain than it was worth. In comes the Z-wing by Nekton. The Z-wing is a 1.75-3.2lb (depending on model) hydrofoil that works similar to a down rigger but uses down force of the water to generate its "pull". There is a high speed and low speed model. For Grouper trolling we will be talking about the high speed (4knts and up) model. The great part about the Z-wing is that you can calculate the depth the Z-wing will run down to a matter of inches. That depth will be consistent regardless of environmental conditions such as current, wind, boat speed, etc. as long as it is kept within range. For our purposes 3.5-7 knts, though it is very effective at much higher speeds. The Z-wing runs at a constant angle, and they produce a handy little chart that is used to calculate the depth based on the amount of line let out. What this means to the Grouper Troller is that you can precisely target the depth of your depth control device. It also opens up a wide variety of lures that would not otherwise work for this type of situation.

The great part about the Z-wing is you don't need a down rigger. As a matter of fact I don't think it works well on a down rigger. All you need is a 500lb snap swivel, 400 mono, some crimps, loop thimbles, and someway to mark the length of line. Lay out you line at whatever length you need, connect the swivel to one end and crimp it with 2-3 crimps and a loop thimble. Mark your line over 1, 3, 5, or 10 feet depending on your needs. I mark mine every 3 and use alternating colors and patterns to indicate the depth. 1 black per yd, 1 red mark = 5 yds. For instance 22 yards would be 4 red, 2 black. If you use Jerry Brown 500lb hollow core you can splice loops every 5 feet making the whole thing easier. More on that in another post.That's all the rigging required. No release clips necessary.

The other items you will need are double sided snap swivels (snap on both sides, swivel in the middle) available at most good tackle retailers. Pickup several different bags of rubber bands. I like to carry number 32 or 33 and 62. Any color will do. Pick your depth contour you plan to troll, and stake out a depth. I have done terrific around 65-80 feet. Calculate the depth needed for your Z-wing. This will depend on what you plan to troll. I avoid trolling lipped plugs for the most part on my wings, but if you do plan to troll them, choose a shallow diver not a deep diver. I like to troll soft plastic swim baits, jigs with curly tails, and "bonita" type hard plugs used for wahoo. Each of these has a different depth it will dive beyond your Z-wing. The Swim baits I use are just on a lead head. They will dive about 4 feet deeper than the wing. If I am trolling 65 feet, I set my wing at about 58. This will run consistently as long as you don't stop completely (believe it or not it will stay consistent at under 1 knot).

I know this is complicated, but lets recap. Right now you have a Z-wing running at 58 feet in 65 feet of water. Its attached via 400lb mono to the cleat on your boat (be very careful when deploying it, deploy at idle or full stop). Next, let your jig/lure out behind the boat however far you want it to run behind the wing. I run mine about 30 feet back. grab the line and take your rubber band and loop it around the line 5 times (I am using 40-60lb JB Line One hollow core spectra on my trolling rigs). Clip both open ends of the rubber band into one side of one of the snap swivels. Clip the other side to the 400lb mono. Now slowly let line out of the reel and you will see the swivel containing the rubber band creep down the line. If you let it out nice and slow you will feel it hit the wing. When a fish hits, the rubber band breaks and you come tight pretty quick. This allows you to continually reset your rigs without pulling up the wings. If your rubber band breaks try wrapping it more times around the line, or a larger band. Eventually you will find the right mix. With my swim baits I run a number 32 band 5-6 times around the line. You also can wrap and slipknot the band to make it a lighter set. You will find that running a 10" soft plastic swim bait 3 feet off the bottom consistently will produce ruthless strikes from even the most finicky grouper. This also will allow you to lower the speed to 4knts or so and pickup Red Grouper and some big snapper among other things!

The Z-wing has many uses, and I will definitely go into some of the other great uses I have found, but putting a Braid Marauder or big swim bait down on the bottom in limitless depths is top on my list. There are some amazing things you can do with this product, and its well worth the $52 or so that it runs. Good luck, and check back next Sunday for advanced Z-wing uses, live baiting with the z-wing and a fishing report.

July Fishing Outlook for Southwest Florida

June has come and gone, with well over 150 Tarpon landed in the 60 days ending on July 1. Not bad for a season that had some definite ups and downs. July brings a more quiet and slow approach to Tarpon fishing. Don't be fooled by the hype put out by out-of-town guides. The out-of-towners are gone in July, but the fish remain well into August. The fishing is definitely a bit slower, more relaxed, and a little more weather dependent but you can expect good numbers and some very large fish to still be caught. Tarpon fishing in July focuses primarily on the beach in the early morning and evening so it combines great with other types of fishing around the middle of the day. A combo trip with Shark, Goliath Grouper, or even a near shore trip can make for an action packed long summer day. Already this month (I am writing this a bit late due to a packed fishing schedule) we have had 6 hour morning trips with 4 or more fish to the boat with even single anglers on board. That is a few minutes of fishing and several hours of CATCHING! As the month winds down, so will your chances of a getting a big Tarpon in this region of Florida until next spring.

Snook and Redfish have been lighting up great on moving tides in the morning and evening. Even mid-day Reds under the mangroves can keep things pretty exciting. You wont find the huge schools of Reds typical of Spring, Fall, and Winter but you will find an ample supply of hefty fish to about 15lbs. July can be one of the most exciting Snook fishing times of the year. The Snook are stacking up in huge numbers in the passes, on the beach, and in strategic staging or feeding locations around gateways to the back country. If you time your approach and don't push the fish around too much with the boat before they turn on you are in for a big surprise when the tides hits the correct stage. I like to refer to these times as "fireworks" because the schools of big snook are popping so vigorously and loudly on the surface that it looks like someone throwing fireworks in the water. Its not unusual on an evening outgoing tide to have a school of fish feeding near the boat with 10-20 Snook attacking baits at the surface at the exact same time. Already this summer we have logged numerous Snook over 20lbs and as many as 60-70 fish over 25" in a single afternoon. If you have enough time and the weather permits, you can target fish at each of the passes and around the beaches following the tide stage from Venice Inlet to Redfish and Captiva Pass. This is where having a top quality boat and an ample supply of varied baits, as well as the local knowledge of a top quality, busy guide will pay out in spades.

BEST BETS FOR JUNE

BACKCOUNTRY FISHING & SIGHT FISHING >

GOLIATH GROUPER FISHING >

NEAR-SHORE FISHING >

TARPON FISHING>

SHARK FISHING >

Near-shore action in July should follow a similar pattern to that of June. Good numbers of BIG Mangrove Snapper have been a reliable treat for both light a light tackle show down as well as offering some of the finest table fare offered in Florida. These mild, flaky fish will give just about any species a fish a run for their money when it goes to food quality. Days with average sizes for full limits of Snapper over 5-8lbs (with the big fish up to 15lbs) were common during June and should stay that way throughout July. Don't be fooled by the size and weight of these fish, a 15lb Snapper will give you a serious run for your money on light tackle. These fish are some of the most cunning to be found anywhere, so be prepared for a sporty and frustrating times out on the reef. King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Grouper, Cobia, Amberjack, big Jack Crevalle, Barracuda, and Sharks are all also welcome guests on near shore trips. Often times we will fish several different lines covering the water column to allow for the opportunity to catch multiple species all at once. Having more fish on that we have anglers to hold the rods is a welcome and common problem during July on near shore waters of the Gulf.

The warm summer waters of Summer indicate a congregation period for Goliath Grouper in and around Southwest Florida. What this means is that many of the giants that would be found spread out around areas of heavy structure will begin to congregate in just a few areas. This translates to a wide open bite on BIG fish if you hit the right spots on the right tide. Every year the largest concentrations of giant Goliaths found anywhere stack up within easy reach on just about any weather. If you are looking to challenge yourself against one of the toughest adversaries to be found, then the Goliath Grouper trip is for you. Few dedicated Goliath trips will see less than several big fish landed, and some half day trips see numbers as high as 20 fish. Growing to over 600lbs, the Goliath is the supreme king of near-shore structure and will be sure to provide you with a brawl you wont soon forget. We have been working on perfecting some new tackle and rigging techniques that we have developed from our Big Game experience that are proving to be the key to high levels of success on these Giants while also allowing us to run less drag pressure, making these Giants accessible to larger audience. Don't be intimidated by what you see on Youtube and TV, you can handle these fish! Give it a shot and you are in for an action packed, knock-down, drag-out fight you wont forget. To quote many clients in the past: "Its the longest 5 minutes of your life!"

July continues to bring one last thing that I am always very excited for. More than I look forward to Tarpon, Kings, Cobia, or any of the other species in the summer I look forward to the drag screaming while a client is hooked up to a big.....scary......SHAAARRRKKKKKKKK! On a recent trip we landed a 300lb+ Bull Shark on 40lb spinning gear while jigging for Amberjack. The sharks are here, they are hungry, and they can't seem to leave us alone when we can get out on the Gulf side. Nothing can compare to the battle you will have with one of the most magnificent creatures to grace the worlds oceans. Look for lots of action on varied species and sizes from 75-150lb Black tip and Spinner sharks to giant Hammerhead, Bulls, and Tigers. From just off the beach to distant offshore grounds we offer the most experienced and thorough shark charters to be found in the anywhere. Few captains specialize in this field, but I can say I not only specialize in it but that it is absolutely my favorite trip to run with clients of all ages, ability levels, and walks of life. Please remember that all Shark Charters with Another Keeper are 100% catch and release only. No shark will be killed on these trips for any reason unless it is deemed to be a new IGFA world record (the sole discretion of the captain). If you think you have experienced shark fishing before, think again. LIght Tackle, great action, and techniques such as live-baiting, Key West style chumming, and even Kite Fishing can make these trips more fun than one can imagine!

There is certainly no better way to spend time with family, friends, or just to relax away from it all than fishing the pristine waters of Englewood, Venice, Captiva, Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor, and the Gulf of Mexico. If you are looking for fantastic inshore or offshore action, day or night, then you have come to the right place. Book your trip with Another Keeper Charters and you can rest assured that you will not only enjoy great fishing with Southwest Florida's premier fishing guide and charter service, but you will also enjoy the company of arguably the friendliest Captain in the business!

Ben's Fishing Story

Sometimes as parents we get caught up in all of our adult responsibilities and forget how easily our children's lives can be impacted. It's really important we all remember to look through their eyes as often as possible to keep us in touch with what is really important.

This email came in this morning and I thought it would be a good reminder for us all...

"Hi There!!!!

Dave from Chicago again....
I just wanted to share with you the story that Ben wrote for a school assignment about our recent offshore trip with you.

You have no idea of the positive impact that you made on Ben!!!!
There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't bring up our trip with you and how awesome a time it was for all of us.

Thanks again and keep doing what you are doing, hope to see you soon.

Best of Everything,

Dave"

Tarpon Jumping in Charlotte Harbor

Recent Catches

Hi all,
Things have been busy for the Captain so I decided to post a few photos for him. Here are some recent shots of Goliath Grouper and Tarpon from the past week or so. Enjoy!
-Jennifer

My pet dolphin...

A few photos of this week...