Our weather is the typical fall fishing weather that is excellent between cold fronts after a couple of days of blowing.
This month and last is also the time for gray bats to migrate to northern Alabama for the winter hibernation. Bald eagles have already begun their courtship. The hawk migration should have started by now and hawks have started their annual migration. The rut has begun for the Key deer and sea turtles emerged from their nests and headed for the ocean. This month is characterized by the mating season for white tail deer. The migration of warblers will peak in October, as will the Monarch Butterfly along the gulf coast. Gray foxes have begun to mate.
Flying squirrels are raising their second litters and moving to the pecan groves as the nuts ripen. Flatwoods salamanders have bred with the first heavy rain of October.
For those interested in bird watching, Be on the look-out for migrating Peregrine falcons in Northeast Florida, especially along the coast. One should be observing the peak of monarch butterfly migration along the Gulf Coast. One should also witness the peak of chimney swift migrations in South Florida. Finally if you live in an area where there are bears, be aware that black bears are on the move gathering food. Therefore, if you live in bear country, drive slowly and be sure that you’re your garbage cans are bear protected. .
Offshore, there seems to be less kingfish present. The barracuda and little tunny bite have also slowed. However, the cooler weather has brought the sailfish in droves off of Ponce Inlet. This was attested to the multiple hook-ups experienced over the weekend and the past week, Dolphin are also going south but are out in Dolphins are moving south but are out past the 28 curve up to 250 feet.
According to Capt. John Krall, the bottom continues to be quite hot especially with grouper, red, lane and vermilion snappers, triggerfish and black sea bass. The recent northeasterly winds that typically follow the passage of cold fronts piled up sargassum weed along the beaches and in the surf. Interfering with the surf fishing as well as those using the piers. However, at the times the anglers were not battling globs of weed, huge redfish, black drum, ladyfish, bluefish and whiting gave them action. I would expect the same throughout the month with the sailfish bite being the best fishing through mid-November.
In the inlet, Capt. Fred Robert said he has been catching large Jack Crevalle, snook and large redfish. There are many reports of mid-sized tarpon from the high bridge to Haulover canal. Further up the river in the Tomoka area, Capt. Kent Gibbens said there seems to be a scarcity of redfish but has been doing well on trout and snook. In the lagoon, Capt. John Tarr reported that the water levels are quite high and visibility was not good. He said the water clarity is not too bad on the sea grass beds but the fish have been running the shore line.
In the inlet, Capt. Fred Robert he has been catching large Jack Crevalle, Snook and large redfish. There are many reports of mid-size tarpon from the high bridge to Haulover canal. Further up the river in the Tomoka area Capt. Kent Gibbens said there seems to be a scarcity of redfish but has been doing well on trout and snook. In the lagoon, Capt. John Tarr reported that the water levels are quite high and visibility was not good. He said the water clarity is not too bad on the sea grass beds but the fish have been running the shore line.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee (FWC) has proposed a new ruling on Gulf Gag and red grouper aimed to be consistent with the anticipated regulation in federal gulf waters and to allow a greater take of red grouper in Gulf state waters. A recent stock assessment indicated that the gag grouper in the gulf is undergoing overfishing (excessive harvesting pressure) and harvest levels must be reduced. Interim federal regulations to address this situation are expected to address this situation are expected to be implemented in January 2009 in Gulf waters beyond nine miles offshore and the FWC is proposing a gag grouper rule amendment for state waters that is consistent with the federal rules.
These rules would establish a two fish per person recreational bag limit for gag grouper within the five-grouper aggregate limit in Gulf state waters and prohibit the recreational harvest of gag grouper from Feb. 1 through March 31. Currently, the rule for recreational anglers in the Gulf allows them to keep up to five gag grouper daily and there is no closed season. The FWC is also proposing a rule that would increase the re relational daily bag limit for red grouper in Gulf state waters from one fish per person to two fish per person beginning Jan. 1. Stock assessments indicate a recovery of the red grouper. It is anticipated the federal waters will open sometime in 2009 to conform with the state recommendation. A final hearing will be held in key West in December.
Jim Fowler, former host of Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom” TV series, spoke to the FWC at its meeting in Jacksonville in support of constitutional amendment 4. Mr. Fowler represents a group of approximately seventy conservation and outdoor recreational groups that are pushing for passage of an amendment that would provide incentives for landowners who conserve their property for wildlife habitat. He has spoken at several places throughout the state to draw attention to and passage of the amendment by the voters. The FWC had already passed a motion to do such at its June meeting. If 60 percent of voters affirm this ruling, then it becomes part of the Florida State Constitution.
The state’s population is estimated to double to 36 million people in the next half-century and development will claim millions of acres of wilderness and erode the state’s rich legacy of outdoor recreation if officials fail to address growth projections with wise and creative solutions.
If you feed wild animals, you are asking for trouble. That is the message of the FWC. “You are creating a hazard for yourself, your neighbors and the animals. While it may be thrilling to you to feed a wild animal by hand, you need to limit that practice to captive animals. Feeding wildlife can cause animals to become a nuisance and can be harmful to their health according to wildlife biologists. Further it can interfere with their natural survival instincts. Feeding wildlife does not help them but may actually harm them.
In Florida it is illegal to feed certain animals including sand hill cranes, bears, raccoons, foxes, alligators and others. Wild animals that get food from human hands will start losing their fear of people and their natural ability to hunt or forage food on their own. They may become aggressive when they are hungry and do not get fed.
In addition, the balance between food sources and wildlife populations is delicate. In the wild, animals produce as much young as the food source can sustain. If other unnatural food sources become available, such as human handouts, animals may produce more offspring, and that overloads the availability of natural food sources, according to FWC experts. If natural food sources become scarce or are no longer available, animals must starve. Further, fed animals can be lured into crossing roads and risking vehicular encounters. If you feed your pet outside, take care to pick up the spillage and bowls, as soon as the pet finishes.
A FWC biologist has found a use for the muck that workers scraped from the bottom of Like Okeechobee’s lake bed during the recent drought. FWC biologist, Don Fox, has discovered that the muck can make for new islands in the lake. He found that plants grow well on the man-made lakes and wildlife such as turkeys; turtles; and even a covey of quail have taken up residence on them. Some other have taken some of the muck and placed it on some of his land. He found that it makes an excellent peat for South Florida’s sandy soil and in fact, is growing a healthy crop of black eyed peas.
It has been written; “Love of nature is a common language that can transcend political and social boundaries.” 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.
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Photo by Capt. Budd Neviaser. Cutline: Though it is tempting to want to feed wild animals like this doe and fawn, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee says it is not good for the animals to become dependent on humans.