Southwest Florida is Catch & Release Only

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Southwest Florida is Catch & Release Only

Did that title catch your eye? Well release it. Its not 100 percent true. Let me accurize things a bit. Right now, in nearshore waters from north of Port Richey all the way south to Naples the principal recreational fisheries are catch & release only. What are the principal fisheries? The big three. Spotted sea trout, snook and redfish. How large an area is that? Its roughly a 200 miles drive from Port Richey to Naples, but in terms of coastline, man-oh-man. I’ll venture its at least 500 miles! Let that sink into your head. That’s a huge closure to harvest.

Catch & Release Area

Obviously this regulation is a concerted effort to save these stocks. Red tide, blue-green algae, and fishing pressure has taken a wicked toll, as I pointed this out several posts back. But you have to think tackle shops, marinas, boat dealers, and anglers are crying the blues big time. You can bet a lot of boats are up for sale. Even back a couple years ago when I lived there, guys were talking about dumping their boats.

Snook has been closed to harvest for sometime and will not reopen until September 2021 at the earliest. Spotted sea trout, once the primary winter recreational species, remains shut down too, and will be that way at least until May 31st of this year. Hell even five years ago catching a legal size spotted sea trout in Charlotte Harbor was cause for celebration.  Redfish are also limited to catch & release until May 31st. And if fisheries managers are wise, all three should stay closed indefinitely. 

Southwest Florida also badly needs regulations that protect fragile marine zones. Right now motor boats rooster tail up and down the flats all day long, spooking fish and ripping up essential grass beds. Crazy shit. Skeg scars crisscross everywhere. Awful. Pole and electric troll areas must be established and enforced! But don’t hold your breath. Florida isn’t known as an environmentally proactive state. Regulation like this catch & release business only arrive after the shit has already hit the fan. And I’ll bet pressure from the public will reverse these regulation by this summer.

Posted in Environment, Fly Fishing in Salt Water | Leave a comment

Dave caught a Nice Tailing Red

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Well, the Fish Whisper continues to be superman. At sunrise Dave was out on the flat during a ebbing tide, searching for tails. And lo-and-behold he caught & released a beautiful “tailing” redfish.  Go going Dave! As always a tip of the hat to him. He is one of those amazing anglers that finds and catches fish even when the fishing is poor overall. Just how bad is the fishing in Southwest Florida? Perhaps I’ll cover that in the next post.

Dave’s “Tailing” Redfish

Dave told me the tide was very low and the reds were moving out from the shoreline toward the sandbar. On their way off the flat, reds often do some last minute feeding, “tailing” especially where there is remaining current. Gradually they move toward the sandbar where along the inside edge a trough exists, formed as waves cross over. The depth of this trough varies greatly, but where deep, it provides pockets for redfish to hangout at the bottom of the tide. It is also a good spot to check during the first of the flood.

Kwan

Dave was using his trusty Scott STS 8 weight. Its an oldies but a goodie. I have an STS 6wt that I like very much. Those STS rods are great for sight-fishing adventures. Just the right action. At the end of his line Dave had a lightly weighted Kwan. Bead-chain eyes? And his Kwan sports rubber legs. I’m a big fan of them.

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Outdoor Photography Gear

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Outdoor Photography Gear

Outdoor photography has long been a big part of life. Fishing photos, landscapes, seascapes, and beyond. Why do I love it? Well first off I love being outdoors. And cameras allow me to capture memories and bring them back home.

Tropical Twilight

Nowadays many fine outdoor photographs are taken with cellphones. They are incredibly good, especially the flagship models. Extremely convenient. And they shoot good video too. Amazing stuff,  and I imagine they’re perfect for 95 percent of you. But honestly they are not for me. Yes, I’m a dinosaur, sticking with my DSLR. Why? With a wide range of lenses and a large image sensor load with big juicy pixels, in my opinion DSLRs offer superior versatility, picture quality, and creative control.

Pelican Camera Case

For important location shots, such as travel destinations,  I lean on three lenses to do the work. They are a 14-24mm wide angle,  a 24-70mm mid distance lens, and a 70-300mm telephoto for long shots. They were selected to give me seamless coverage from 14-300 mm. I transport them, along with my trusty old, full-frame Nikon D700, in a Pelican 1500 case with adjustable dividers. This midsize case fits overhead on both domestic and international flights. (At least it did when I bought it.) It is water and air tight, and floats. Lockable, rust free, and indestructible. Besides the camera and three lenses, it transports a 60mm macro lens and a small backup camera such as a D3500. And if I leave the D3500 home I squeeze in a SB 800 flash. The underside of the lid has a pocket mesh that holds accessories such as flash cards, filters, folding gray card, straps, chargers, notepad, and such. Perfect. 

Connemara, Ireland

All of my equipment is long-in-the-tooth, but the Pelican case has kept it safe and in good working condition despite the many miles. Obviously I don’t truck that 1500 case up and down the beach or out in a kayak. For that work I use a  small Pelican case that holds a camera & lens and a few essentials.  And some times I ditch that case for a wonderful water-resistant lumber pack specifically designed for photographers. Thing is an absolute gem. Comfortably carries a decent amount of gear, while leaving both hands free. Slide it behind your back and it becomes a second carryon. Perhaps we can cover it next time.

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Rain in the Winter Woods

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Rain in the Winter Woods

Rain in the Winter Woods

After a rain, the winter woods are a visual feast, a great time to break out your camera. Under gray skies, subtle earth hues intertwine in a quilt of tweed. Overhead bare tree limbs collide in an intricate mesh. While below tree trunks turn shades, some mottled gray others approaching black.

Lichen glows in the Rain

The rain also causes moments of color to erupt. Drinking in the moisture, the lichen on rocks comes alive, glowing cyan as if freshly painted. Wet leaves cover the forest floor in a carpet of reddish brown. And here and there, beech leaves, still clinging to limbs even this late in the late, call out in orange.

Beech leaves in the Rain

And if luck is with you, you may come across a yellow birch. Look for them near a creek or swamp, they like water. This tree’s unfolding bark is always remarkable, hanging in long curls like torn paper. But in the rain, the bark takes on a whole new leather-like quality that is difficult to describe.

Yellow Birch in the Rain
Posted in Environment, Looking Downward, Looking Upward, Photography | Leave a comment

A Renaissance in Irish Whiskey

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

A Renaissance in Irish Whiskey:

Well in all the my blogging years, I’ve mentioned whiskey only once or twice. But here in the midst of winter and the midst of a pandemic, a sip of whiskey might be the right tonic for your soul. No, I’m afraid we will not be discussing bourbon, scotch or rye for that matter. Rather we’ll be heading to a magical island, at times, called Éire.

The Irish invented whiskey long before its appearance in Scotland. And for many years it was hailed as the finest in the world. Who can we thank for the birth of Irish whisky? Those clever monks who first arrived around 500 AD. They were learned people who taught not only God’s word but art, crafts, poetry, and writing. All from dark stone monasteries in places such as Skellig Michael perched atop a tiny rocky island soaring 700 feet above the sea.

In more modern times, a series of calamities struck, which we will not go into, and Irish whiskey’s prominence faded. Sad but true. In recent years, however, Irish whiskey has undergone a renaissance. A number of new distilleries now grace the emerald isle, all aiming to return Irish whiskey to its rightful place. Thank the lord, and pass me a dram.

A Renaissance in Irish Whiskey

When most folks think of Irish whiskey they think of Jameson. Understandable. Jameson is the most widely distributed Irish whiskey in the world and as well as one of the most well-known whiskeys on planet earth. While not bad – easy to find, economical, and perfect for folks unaccustomed to whiskey – Jameson doesn’t deliver the true character of Irish whiskey. For that, my friend, you must search elsewhere.

Care for a few recommendations? If so, allow me to offered three. None are cheap, after all they take a decade or more to make. All are single pot still whiskeys, triple distilled, from both malted and unmalted barley, and often finished in Oloroso sherry casks to deepen the flavor. With a velvety, buttery viscosity, they linger long on the palate delivering a rich spicy finish with hints of pepper, ginger and apricot. Ready? They are Redbreast 12; its full strength version Redbreast Cask Strength, and last but not least the fine John’s Lane from Powers. All are sipping whiskeys, mind you, meant to be slowly savored, in small amounts, on the tongue. Perfect by the winter fireplace or sitting at your fly tying vise. Yes, a drop of water in your glass is allowed, if you must, or a small ice cube. Never anything more than that. Sláinte mhaith!

Posted in Firewater, Ireland | Leave a comment