Boating Safety over the long Weekend

With the long weekend coming up and the storm now past us, Most Florida boaters have already made plans for a weekend on the water. This is the weekend that you have been waiting for a three day boating weekend . There are things you have to remember when while boating in Florida waters especially up and down the inter coastal waterways here in west central.

• The marine units of the sheriffs dept and local police dept’s are out in force.
• If you are the boat operator keep drinking to a minimum, getting a DUI on the water is just as bad as getting one on land.
• Make sure you have all your safety equipment on board.
• All agencies will be spot checking and boarding vessels for boating safety checks.
• Violations will mean tickets this weekend all agencies mean to prove a point and make an example.

Boating safety also includes personal sun protection as well, use sun screen with a SPS rating of 15 or higher. Even though the weather might be overcast, this doesn’t mean you won’t be burned by the ultra violet rays.

Always bring plenty of liquids for dehydration there is nothing worse then having nothing to drink on a hot day on the water. Make sure you have your jump box and some tools in you tool kit. The old saying of the older the boat the more tools you need to carry is a true statement.

Plus a few pics friends have sent me just to remind those who choose not to go fishing this weekend.

We went out in search of Salmon last night and didn’t have to search far. Navigating our way through tons of boaters looking to get in on the record Salmon Fishing, we finally made it to our lucky spot. Total travel time was about 30 minutes including navigating the channel.

When you drop your downriggers, set the bait and start trolling, there is a special sound the lines make as they cut through the water, we call it the Salmon Song. It’s a soothing song that calms the soul and relaxes the mind; this trip, the Salmon Song didn’t last long before being abruptly interrupted by the sound of the reel being taken out by a king.

After the first one hit, then another, and another. We pulled in four nice sized Salmon but lost the last one. It was massive and could have been one of the biggest we caught, but the fight was so intense that in the end, the king of the great lakes won out.

Salmon Run

Right now, the Salmon are reported to be heading into the rivers, and although you can fish the stream, it’s nothing compared to sitting under the starry night sky and listening to the Song of Salmon.

How long will this last? Who knows? The time is now, the fishing is good, the weather is perfect and nothing lasts forever. The fishing is the best we have seen, so take a moment out of your life, come to Michigan and hear the song before the winds of winter snuff it out.

Florida boating

Unlike other marine area’s, Florida boating can have its advantages and disadvantages.

Florida boating can be a lot of fun and can also be dangerous. Boating accidents have risen 10 fold with in the last five years. Mainly do to inexperienced Florida boating. New Florida boaters not knowing the area , not knowing oyster beds, not following navigation rules, drinking to much. Ect. Ect.Ect…

We all have heard stories of the guy up the street that just purchased his new toy and takes it out to see just what it can do. Runs the boat into a sand bar and some one gets hurts with the prop while pushing him off. These are the guys who we hope learn their lessons early so they don’t destroy our Florida boating adventures or worse hurt people. Boating accidents these days are more expensive and more dangerous then ever before. Boat insurance and fuel prices have hampered our efforts for boating and have parked some boats in the back yard for a period of time. So the little time the normal Florida boater has on the water is precious to them.

Things to know and remember while boating .

1. Know the area.

2. obey the speed limits

3. obey marine traffic laws

4. Actually know the marine regulations we are talking about.

5. Be courteous to your Florida boaters in your area.

Have Fun and keep Fishing

Fillet knife blades average between 4 and 9 inches in length, with the standard sizes being 4, 6, 7.5 and 9 inches. There is a lot variety, The main reason for these variances is in correlation to the size of fish they are used for. Larger fish require a longer blade, due to the wider girth and extra surface of the fish. Smaller fish, require a shorter blade for easier handling.

An “all-around knife” would consist of a 7.5-inch blade - this model will allow you to fillet small and large fish quite satisfactory, and with the least amount of struggle and effort.

Blade Material

Stainless steel is the standard of the fillet knife world. Unfortunately not all stainless steels are created equally. Most fillet knives do not say what type of stainless steel they are so your best bet is to go with one from a reputable company that will provide a metal blade that is extremely strong, durable, and corrosive resistant.

Flex Test

The amount of flex a blade has is an important consideration when choosing a knife. Flex can be critical to optimum cutting and slicing, and will make your task of filleting more easy.

Handles

Although the blade is the business end of a fillet knife, the handle certainly plays an important role. Comfort, grip, and execution can all be derived from a well-constructed handle, allowing an angler to fillet safely and effortlessly.

Rubber and plastic molded are both excellent choices. Rubber will provide a slightly greater grip, due to the fact it can be squeezed slightly. Both provide good traction. Both rubber and plastic can be cleaned easily. Of course, both materials are corrosive resistant, so your investment is bound to last a long time.

Make sure that the knife you purchase has a beveled area for your index finger. This is found at the spot where the blade meets the handle, and will provide extra insurance against slipping, while providing extra leverage.

Sharpening Stone

It goes without saying that your knife will lose its sharpness over time, rendering the cutting surface dull and ineffective. Some knives will come with a small hand-held sharpener, making the task of keeping a sharp edge quick and easy

Buying a knife that comes with a sharpener is advantageous, as it is manufactured for that specific blade, meaning that it will excel at the job it is designed for. It also means that you will never have an excuse for keeping a dull blade.

Sharpening stones come in a wide variety as well with course medium and smooth stone to hone your blade

Electric Knives

For those that like to clean a mess of fish regularly, an electric fillet knife might be the perfect option for you. These machines can effortlessly work through fish like a hot knife thru butter, saving time, effort and patience. They have a bit of a learning curve, and will take some time to get used to, the benefits are certainly viable. Electric filleting knives are excellent for larger fish such as Grouper and Amberjack or even Salmon. We use our electric filleting knives for this reason, it will cut down on the time you are battling a large fish to get the optimum fillet.

What ever your decision is make sure you take care of your investment. Keep it clean and sharp and always sheathed when not in use. There has been plenty of close calls on a pitching deck with a loose knife flopping around.

Identify Salmon

It’s pretty hard to identify the type of Salmon you catch, so here is a graphical reference that will help you positivly ID that big Catch!

The two salmon species you’ll encounter are chinook and coho. Chonook can be King or Black Mouth.

Chinook Salmon (blackmouth salmon or king salmon):

Below, this salmon’s teeth emerging from a black gumline on lower jaw; circular black spots on the tail tell you it is a Chinook Salmon.

Coho Salmon (silver salmon):

Below, teeth emerging from a white gumline on lower jaw tell you it’s a Coho; spots are usually missing on the tail, but may be lightly spotted on the upper portion of tail.

More Salmon Identification

Still not sure? No problem, check out this picture of salmon identification techniques. To help you see exactly what we are talking about, the picture is in large format (it will load fast, it’s just bigger than usual so it gets a page of it’s own.View Salmon Identification Page

Another day of King Salmon! Lake Michigan was like a sheet of ice and rain clouds which never produced anything significant, provided an awesome fishing environment.

Up at 4:30, on the water at 5:15 and in place around 5:40am. We had caught enough by 7:00am and made tracks back home.

Although we were at 110 feet deep with the weight 70 feet down, we noticed a ton of boaters at around 50 feet of water but didn’t see one of them reeling in fish. I’m guessing they are weekend fisherman who heard or read about the record year for Salmon here in the Great Lakes! They get out of the channel, drop their lines and everyone else seems to follow suit (at least the out of towners) - the (reel) action is around 100 to 130.

Our catch consisted of three Salmon. My freezer if full of Salmon steaks, so two did the fishing and caught King Salmon measuring 34 and 31 inches - the biggest I’ve seen yet. The Salmon here seem to be getting bigger and bigger each time!

Charter Fishing or Not?

All the papers are covering Salmon Fishing this year due to the massive amount being taken by everyone. The Traverse City newspaper did an article on buying a Salmon boat or going Charter; they stated that you must have at least a 24 foot boat and due to the size, renting a slip, etc…. that it’s a must to do a charter.
The paper is way off - We are using a 15 foot boat with a 25 horse and are doing just as well as the Charters. No boat slip required, just a place to launch

Large schools of Tarpon have been hunted in the upper part of Tampabay area.

Earlie morning has been the best action for these schoolies, The most successful method for fishing for them has been throwing larger sized plugs. You have to be careful not to spook them throw a good 10 feet in front of the school and let the fish come to the lurer. Live baiter have had some action with shad but not as good as plastics. Sharks are still abundent and can reek havoc with tarpon fishing. Best bets are around Safety Harbor and the bridges.

The King Salmon are starting to come in closer to shore (100 feet of water in Lake Michigan) and those guys from Michigan are going to hit the water and clean up!

Everyone seems to have a favorite spoon or fly, but some of the more productive patterns have been the Watermelon and Blue Dolphin Lure; the top 10 lures and pictures are listed below.

1) Watermelon

2) Blue Dolphin

3) Green Phantom

4) Bloody Nose

5) Blueberry Spoon

6) Black Rasberry

7) Orange Dolphin

Glow Watermelon

9) Orange Monkey Puke

10) Green Dolphin Spoon

You can buy these at your local store in West Michigan, but you’re going to pay a premium. Your best best is to buy from Fish All Lures where they are made local, right there in Michigan, in the garage of a fish fanatic! We prefer to buy local and assume that unless it’s made local, it’s just a guess as to what works; with All in Lures, he’s making them, then testing them in the great lakes so you know your spoon is going to work!

King Salmon Great Lakes

The pike fishing has also picked up on White Lake and Muskegon Lake, but don’t overlook some of the inland waters as well.
Good catches of walleye continue to be taken from White Lake, Muskegon Lake and from the lower stretches of the Grand River. There also have been reports of fish in the 17-inch class being taken from Mona Lake.

Need to know information of what to expect when purchasing fuel at a marina.