As summer winds down, the fishing off shore is outstanding offshore: Tthe king mackerel are providing plenty of action as are the offshore tarpon. Bottom fishing continues to be good. There are even a few reports of an occasional sailfish being seen.
The sea surface temperature at Ponce Inlet has been in the mid-80s the past week. Anglers fishing the surf or from the piers have been catching flounder, redfish, sheepshead, ladyfish, pompano, bluefish and whiting.
In Ponce Inlet, reports catches of tarpon and sharks. In Indian River and Mosquito lagoons, there are a lot of pigfish being caught primarily for bait but some folks eat them.
In the Halifax River, there have been good catches of redfish, trout, sheepshead, and black drum. Also in the Halifax River, the shrimp run continues – so get your cast-net out and take home some fresh shrimp. The Tomoka River and basin are providing good action on redfish and trout.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Deer and turkey check stations
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces 11 auxiliary check stations for hunters to use to check the deer and turkey they harvest during the upcoming hunting seasons on Ocala Wildlife Management Area and Gores Landing Unit of the Ocklawaha River WMA.
Hunters are required to check all deer and turkey harvested from the Ocala WMA at one of the following check stations prior to field-dressing or transporting the carcass out of the hunt area:
Advantage Sports Center in Salt Springs; Country Store in Altoona; Lake Feed and Farm in Umatilla; Forest Hills Grocery in Forest Hills; J & S Cowart Bait, Tackle, Etc. in Eureka; Ocklawaha River Country Store in Hog Valley; Wiggler's Bait and Tackle in Lynne; South Moon Fish Camp in Astor; All American Deli and Country Store in Altoona; Astor Arms and Outdoor Supplies in Astor; and Scrambletown Country Store in Scrambletown.
Hunters using Gores Landing Unit are not required to check their deer, but the FWC asks that they do. They can check them in any of the 11 check stations listed, but most convenient to the Gores Landing Unit is J & S Cowart Bait, Tackle, Etc. in Eureka.
The data collected at the check stations is valuable to wildlife biologists to help them manage the deer populations in those areas. Of particular interest is the number of deer taken, general physical condition and weight.
Here are some local stations: All American Deli and Country Store 24710 SE Highway 42 (1.5 miles east of intersection of Forest Road 588 and SR 42) Altoona, FL 32702 Jim and Penny Scarmardo 352-669-5055;
Astor Arms and Outdoor Supplies 24401 State Road 40 Astor, FL 32102 Judith Raymond/Paula Jolley 352-759-2016;
Country Store 47433 Panther Road (Off County Road 445) Altoona, FL 32702 Mohammed Chowdhury, Owner 352-669-7549;
Lake Feed and Farm 610 N. Central Ave. (on SR 19) Umatilla, FL 32784 Wayne Wells, Owner 352-669-2013;
Forest Hills Grocery 31446 C.R. 42 Deland, FL 32720 Mohammed Chowdhury 352-669-7143;
South Moon Fish Camp 1977 S. Moon Road Astor, FL 32102 Kerry McPherson 386-749-2383.
Bushnell men caught with 260 illegal baby alligators
Courtesy photo for NSBNews.net / Here is one of the alligator hatchings seized from two Sumter County men who illegally harvested two sacks full of the baby gators.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer David Straub and FWC Reserve Officer John Parrish surprised two Sumter County men early Thursday morning as the men came ashore in their airboat on Lake Apopka with a couple of sacks full of recently hatched alligators.
Robert "Bo" Martin Duval, 32, and Christopher Cork Scroggins, 22, both of Bushnell, were booked into Lake County jail early Thursday on felony possession/capture of hatchling alligators and misdemeanor conspiracy charges.
Duval had additional felony charges of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The firearms were concealed under some vegetation in the boat. FWC officers were on surveillance at the Montverde boat ramp when the two men returned from their night of capturing the hatching alligators on Lake Apopka in Lake County.
"You have got me, and I have a lot of alligator hatchlings," Duval said as the officers approached him and Scroggins, accortding to the arrest report.
"Unfortunately, there is an illegal market for hatchling alligators, and people who participate in this type of poaching have no regard for our resources or the laws that protect them," Straub said.
Officers returned the hatchlings to the lake alive. Duval and Scroggins later bailed out on $13,000 and $3,000 bonds, respectively.
Charges are pending against a woman who assisted the two men at the boat ramp, and the incident is still under investigation. Possessing/capturing hatchling alligators is a third-degree felony, which, on conviction, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a second-degree felony, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. To report alligator and other fish, wildlife or boating violations, please call the 24-hour Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward if their information leads to an arrest.
Capt. Budd's PostScript
It has been written: “Nature is an unlimited broadcasting station through which God peaks to us every hour – if will only tune it.”
So whether you charter, ride a head boat, run your own vessel, stay in the river, surf fish, or fish from shore or a bridge, there are fish to be caught. Fishing is not a matter of life or death, it is so much more important than that.
Tight lines, Capt. Budd
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.
