Florida Fishing News

Fly Tackle Division

Angler Hometown Tournament Tournament Location

Cal Collier, Jr, Atlanta Ga. Redbone @ Large Deep Water Cay, Grand Bahama Island Fall Tournament
Dave Collier, New York, N.Y. Redbone @ Large Deep Water Cay, Grand Bahama Island Spring Tournament

LIZELLA, GEORGIA - Redfish anglers from Florida, the Gulf Coast region and surrounding areas will converge on Englewood, Florida, on June 27 for the second IFA Redfish Tour Florida West Coast Division event of 2009. The event, hosted by Stump Pass Marina, is the second of three regular-season tournaments for the division; one of six divisions in the IFA Redfish Tour which operates tournaments from the Carolinas to Texas.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hasproposed rule amendments that would give Florida shrimpers more ways to avoid the unintended catch of marine animals and protected sea turtles in their fishing nets.

After carefully considering testimony from several fishery organizations and conservation groups at its public meeting in Crystal River, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) decided to make its grouper rules in state waters compatible with federal regulations to help rebuild Gulf gag grouper stocks and ensure quality fishing for this important species in the future.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Thursday voted to adjust the recreational harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters to account for over-harvests in 2008. The Commission took this action after receiving support from several fishing groups and conservation organizations at its public hearing in Crystal River.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) heard a progress report Wednesday on the Manatee Management Plan. The update included reports on several management tasks under way since the approval of the plan in December 2007.

On Monday, searchers recovered the body of a Blountstown, Florida man who disappeared in the Apalachicola River Saturday after a boating accident near Chattahoochee.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Lt. Gary Applewhite said the body of Jefferie S. Rector, 28, Blountstown, was found near where the accident occurred. The accident occurred approximately 1 mile south of the Chattahoochee boat landing.

The recreational red snapper harvest season in all Gulf of Mexico waters off Florida reopens today (June 1, 2009).

Anglers may take two red snapper daily from Gulf waters during the open season; however, the captain and crew of for-hire vessels in the Gulf may not keep the recreational bag limit. The minimum size limit for recreational red snapper in the Gulf is 16 inches total length.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received 86 art entries in the manatee decal contest for 2009-2010. The FWC announced on Monday that Deanna Parsons, an 11th grader at Rockledge High School in Brevard County, won the top honor of having her painting used in the design of the FWC's manatee decal this year.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and other law enforcement agencies will escort the decommissioned military ship "Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg" on its final voyage, Tuesday, May 26, weather permitting. The following day, the ship will slip beneath the surface and settle on the ocean floor in 140 feet of water 6 miles south of Key West in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and will serve as an artificial reef.