Schools of mullet and shrimp plentiful in Tomoka basin

The sea surface water temperature of the surf above Ponce Inlet has been dropping from the low  80s to the mid-70s. This could possibly indicate that the annual summer cold water upwelling is about to or has started to occur.

However, at midday Saturday, July 9, the sea surface temperature was 82 °F or 27.5 °C . I would tend to believe that such is not the case. Apparently, the sea water temperatures are just perfect for the jellyfish and guitarfish which have appeared in large numbers in the surf and pier.

Whiting, small flounder, black drum, very small pompano, and some small bonnethead and black tip sharks. In the inlet bluefish, Jack Crevalle, ladyfish and sharks have been providing the most action.

In the Halifax River, the anglers fishing the bait pods were catching redfish, trout, snook, mangrove snappers and other species. In the Tomoka Area, Capt. Kent Gibbens reported schools of mullet and shrimp were all over the place and anglers were catching trout, redfish, snook and other species. However, he said this Saturday morning’s action was exceedingly slow.

In Mosquito and Indian River Lagoons, anglers have been landing large trout and redfish. The best times to fish are early morning and late afternoon and fishing the northern (tidal) ends of the lagoons.

Just offshore (1-4 miles from the inlet) anglers have been landing Jack Crevalle, kingfish, tarpon, and even some red snapper. Further offshore, bottom fishing remains excellent for kingfish and shark.

Gopher tortoise workshop July 18 in Wakulla County

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has rescheduled a workshop in Wakulla County to present information on the management plan and permitting guidelines for gopher tortoises. Originally set for July 8, the workshop now will take place on Monday, July 18.

The goal of this workshop is to identify ways local governments can participate in protecting one of Florida's threatened species. In addition, presenters will introduce other FWC programs of interest to local governments.

Representatives from neighboring counties are encouraged to attend. The workshop is free, but registration is required. To register, please send your name and the name of your organization to Alexandra.Perryman@MyFWC.com.

When and where: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Monday, July 18, IFAS Extension Office, 84 Cedar Ave. Crawfordville. Directions: Take U.S. 319 into Crawfordville. Turn right onto Cedar Avenue. Follow Cedar to the Extension Office, which is on the right.

Workshops will be held in Marion, Osceola, Palm Beach, Lee, Sarasota, Escambia and Suwannee counties in the coming weeks.

For more information visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise.

FWC names Dr. Wilbur G. Hugli of Fort Walton Beach boating educator of the year

 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has selected Dr. Wilbur G. Hugli of Fort Walton Beach as Florida's 2010 Boating Educator of the Year.

As the state winner, Hugli will also be a candidate for the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators' national award. The award recognizes those in the boating education field who go above and beyond to engage new and current boaters, raise awareness and make boating education initiatives relevant, thorough and exciting. FWC Capt. Richard Moore, who is Florida's boating law administrator and NASBLA representative, was responsible for working with a selection committee to choose a recipient for the award.

"While all of the nominees demonstrated outstanding credentials, our committee unanimously selected Dr. Hugli." Moore said.

Hugli has been part of the Fort Walton Sail and Power Squadron, a unit of the U.S. Power Squadrons, for 21 years. The U.S. Power Squadrons organization is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable by teaching classes in seamanship, navigation and related subjects. Through his efforts with the Power Squadrons, Hugli has volunteered his time to author four widely acclaimed boating safety seminars as well as a benchmark student manual for educating new boaters.

Capt. Budd's PostScript

It has been written: “Nothing grows faster than a fish from the time it bites until the time it gets away.”

So whether you charter, ride a head boat, run your own vessel, stay in the river, surf fish or fish from a shore or a bridge, there are fish to be caught. Fishing is not a matter of life and death, it is so much more important than that.

Tight lines, Capt. Budd, July 9, 2011

NSBNews.net, also known as VolusiaNews.net, provides Volusia County 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage, 100% free with breaking news, news of record and investigative reports from New Smyrna Beach, FL, for a 21st-century digital world.