Florida Fishing News

OKEECHOBEE, FL - The Indian River State College (IRSC) team of Mike Cornell and Kyle Monti, both of Okeechobee, Florida, won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Southeast Division event on Lake Okeechobee Saturday with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 7 ounces. The victory earned the team $5,000. The win also helped them advance to the Southeast Division Regional Championship.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL-- On Tuesday, January 24, the City of St. Petersburg is hosting a meeting to discuss proposed anchoring restrictions for city waters. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is urging boaters, cruisers and those who benefit from the economic impact of boater spending to attend this meeting to have their concerns heard.

The recreational harvest season for snook reopens on Feb. 1 in Florida's Atlantic coastal and inland waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River.

Anglers may keep one snook between 28 and 32 inches total length per day in the allowable harvest areas only. Fishermen targeting snook must have a snook permit as well as a saltwater license unless they are exempt from having a license. Using snatch hooks and spears is prohibited.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The area on Lake Toho exceeded the expectations of Evinrude pro Glenn Browne of Florida and Jasper Engines pro Chad Morgenthaler of Illinois.

Whether it will hold up for two more days is the big unknown.

Redfish and bonefish await anglers for famed Florida Keys catch & release event

ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida Keys – It’s not just who can catch-and-release the most redfish and bonefish, aka Redbones, it’s the major strides to catch a cure for CF that’s made the trilogy series one of the most rewarding and fun fishing competitions throughout the Florida Keys.

Quartet of flats fishing experts also answer questions on fishing techniquesQuartet of flats fishing experts also answer questions on fishing techniques

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., --- Targeted specifically for flats anglers and guides to pursue tarpon and permit, Hell’s Bay Boatworks is unveiling a new redesigned and versatile 16’, 4” flats skiff at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, Oct. 27 – 31, at its exhibit in the convention center.

Due to high water levels in the St. Johns River associated with recent rains, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking boaters to stay off populated areas of the river until the waters recede. Primarily affected are populated portions in Volusia, Seminole and Orange counties. Most areas in Brevard County are rural and wooded and will not be negatively affected. However, problems could arise in the canal systems of lakes Poinsett and Washington.

Milton resident Eric Auston Jr. now holds the distinction of having landed the largest flathead catfish ever caught with a rod and reel in Florida waters.

Auston, who is 33, was fishing with his good friend Brandy Wallace Oct. 9 at 2:30 a.m. in the Yellow River when he caught a flathead catfish weighing 55.05 pounds. He used a rod and reel with 25-pound-test line and a small bluegill as bait.

Get your claw-crackers ready, because Florida's recreational and commercial stone crab claw harvest seasons open Saturday Oct. 15.

Stone crab claws must be at least 2¾ inches in length to be harvested legally, but claws may not be taken from egg-bearing female stone crabs. Recreational harvesters are allowed to use up to five stone crab traps, and there is a daily bag limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less. Recreational and commercial traps may be baited and placed in the water beginning Oct. 5, but none may be pulled until Oct. 15. The season lasts until May 16, 2012.

LIZELLA, Ga. - Anglers from across Florida and surrounding regions will converge on Fernandina Beach, Fla., October 8-9 for the final regular-season events for the IFA Florida East Division. The IFA Redfish Tour Presented by Cabela's and the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, will operate out of the Fernandina Harbor Marina.