Florida Exotics

Alberto had me running and gunning all night long with various beasties, something I never knew existed opening my eyes to some freshwater fish with some bad ass attitudes. As I sit writing this in idyllic poolside comfort at the B Ocean Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, www.bhotelsandresorts.com/b-ocean/ I’ve just finished slogging through muddy, burr-infested canal […]

Alberto had me running and gunning all night long with various beasties, something I never knew existed opening my eyes to some freshwater fish with some bad ass attitudes. As I sit writing this in idyllic poolside comfort at the B Ocean Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, www.bhotelsandresorts.com/b-ocean/ I’ve just finished slogging through muddy, burr-infested canal systems in south Florida for 28 hours straight with Crazy Alberto Knie. Under the guise of darkness, Crazy Alberto of Tactical Anglers showed me the canal creatures that come out to play during the dark hours. Most of the inhabitants are exotics, usually invasive species that were released from aquariums and proliferated in the canal ecosystems and include a lineup of beasties like peacock bass, clown knifefish, gar, oscars, channel catfish, and mayan cichlids.Alberto rigs up with medium class 7 to 7-½ St. Croix Mojo rods, with Abu Garcia Revo 5000 class spinning reels, spooled with 30-pound Spiderwire braided line then a 25-pound 28-inch section of Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader tied via Alberto Knot. To the tag end is a size 1/0 Owner or Gamakatsu Octopus hook. 20 inches above the hook is a slip float bobber and right below the bobber is a size B Split shot.On the hook is a simple live shiner hooked through the back or through the lips and cast out, waiting and baiting. The bail is left open for the bobber to drift slowly with the wind or canal flow, and when any creature takes the bait, let it run giving a two count before the hook is set.Our 28 hour shift saw some chunky peacock bass, gator sized garfish, fat boy channel cats, feisty mayan cichlids and the prized unicorn of them all, the clown knifefish. Fights with canal fish are heavy duty and furious, with fish throwing hooks and burning drags, so be sure to be prepared for a knock down drag out battle. Bring a landing net to insure you get a legitimate catch and always have a headlamp or small flashlight on hand or on head to illuminate the catch.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1508528100625-7ce7bf1f1c22e41c875ab3e7fbf82c55-7' include='4837,4839'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
St. Croix
MIS70MF Mojo Inshore Spinning Rod
The St Croix Mojo Inshore Spinning Rods deliver exceptional performance and durability at easily affordable prices. Built from St. Croix's premium-quality SCII graphite and wrapped with Batson Forecast hard aluminum-oxide guides with 316 stainless steel frames.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Spiderwire
Stealth Blue Camo
SpiderWire Stealth Blue Camo Braid designed with Dyneema, which is the world's strongest fiber out there. Each size is constructed to provide the ultimate strength with the thinnest diameter for smooth and quiet performance.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Seaguar
Fluorocarbon Leader Material 25yds
Incredible impact and abrasion resistance. Fast sinking. Superior tensile and knot strength. The original FC (Blue Lable) Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon leader material allows you to use a smaller test leader than comparable nylons or fluorocarbons.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Owner
SSW Hooks with Super Needle Point
Great value for the price. Compare prices with other quality hooks. Ideal for baiting up nightcrawlers and minnows for walleye and panfish, and for rigging crabs, shrimp and blood worms for surf and bay fishing.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

SHEEPSHEAD SECRETS

Get in on some sheepshead secrets, which you can use in the northeast during the fall or down south year round for some bruising fights and hard to beat table fare! One of my favorite boots-on-the-ground fishing trips was down at Sanibel Island Florida along the B-Span bridge. I set up at the base of […]

Get in on some sheepshead secrets, which you can use in the northeast during the fall or down south year round for some bruising fights and hard to beat table fare!One of my favorite boots-on-the-ground fishing trips was down at Sanibel Island Florida along the B-Span bridge. I set up at the base of the bridge by the concrete abutments and tossed out a hi-lo rig baited with shrimp against the submarine structure to pull away on dozens of sheepshead that pushed the 20-inch mark. While southern anglers enjoy the spoils of sheepshead, Jersey anglers actually see a few show up in late summer and early fall, and their habits are very similar to blackfish. The “Convict” fish will gravitate toward structure like rockpiles, bridge abutments, docks and piers, and make for some great table fare.A medium power spinning rod rated 10 to 20-pound for backbone to set a hook with a medium tip to feel the sensitive scratches and bites. Try the St. Croix TIS70MHF. Match with a 5000 class spinning reel like a Shimano Nasci, spooled with 30-pound Power Pro braid. Tie the braid to a 100-pound Spro Barrel swivel, then 30-inch piece of 30-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, then a double overhand loop knot on the tag end. Twelve inches up from the appropriate 1 to 5-ounce bank or coin sinker, tie a dropper loop and affix a snelled 1/0 Owner Gorilla Light hook, or size 2/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. Another rig to use when sheepshead are feeding rig on bottom with some current is a bottom slider, with a 1 to 3-ounce egg sinker and a small plastic bead above the barrel swivel, then 24-inch piece of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader and finally the 2/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook.Best baits are fiddler crabs, sand fleas, both live and dead shrimp, and clams. Many times, sheepshead will whack the bait hard, but other times, they scratch at the shell of the crab bait and lightly inhale it so be prepared for either type of strike, depending on the way they are feeding that day. Set the hook hard. Sheepshead will dog you down back into the structure, so when the hit comes be sure to set the hook and reel quickly to remove the fish from its structure lair.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1507835802339-3888d70661d7d8734cf69bafe1d58b5f-3' include='4813,4827'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
St. Croix
TIS70MHF Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rod
Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rods are handcrafted with St. Croix's exclusive SC graphite for strength and durability. St. Croix Tidemaster rods are fitted with premium saltwater-grade hardware.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Shimano
NASC5000XGFB NASCI Spinning Reel
The Shimano NASC5000XGFB NASCI Spinning Reel is the perfect spinning reel for medium saltwater applications as well as light freshwater fishing.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Power Pro
30lb 300yds Braided Spectra Moss Green
An incredibly round, smooth, and sensitive line, PowerPro doesn't bury in the spool, and casts long and smooth -- even after a hard strike. PowerPro outperforms monofilament lines in any situation.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Owner
Gorilla Light Hooks
Gorilla Light bait hooks are a lighter version of our Gorilla hooks for a more natural presentation. Use for rigging smaller live baits like anchovies, or natural baits for snappers and sheepshead.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

SHRIMPING WEAKFISH

Grass shrimping for weakfish is an old school but effective tactic, and done right, reigns supreme to catch autumn weakfish that are pushing into the backwaters of Jersey’s shallow bay systems.

Grass shrimping for weakfish is an old school but effective tactic, and done right, reigns supreme to catch autumn weakfish that are pushing into the backwaters of Jersey’s shallow bay systems.I fished with Captain Dave DeGennaro of the Hi-Flier this week, www.hiflier.com and learned the ins and outs of proper shrimping. Start by buying roughly 3 to 5 gallons of grass shrimp at the local tackle shop or from a bay shrimper. You want to find a solid ledge that dips into a channel to allow the shrimp slick to churn out, attracting fish to come up from the deeper water onto the ledge to feed. Set anchor and start dishing out handfuls of shrimp to get a slick going, and keep doing so every minute.You can fish 4 rods pretty effectively and without hassle. Go with very light set ups, such as a 5-1/2 to 6 foot rod such as a Tsunami TSCS561L matched with a Penn Battle 2000 or an Okuma Avenger ABF30. Spool up with 8-pound Trilene monofilament running line.Each rig will have a 50-pound Spro barrel swivel, to a 28-inch section of 12-pound Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader and a size #2 Gamakatsu or Mustad Baitholder hook on the end. Two lines will be weightless, one will have a size B split shot above the barrel swivel and the fourth will have a slip bobber float adjusted for about 10 feet above the shrimp bait.When baiting the hook, lance on the first grass shrimp through the carapace and thread it on, then pile on three to four other shrimp hooked through the meat section behind the rostrum to in effect make a shrimp ball. Always have a little bit of slack in each of the lines and keep the bails open. This allows the shrimp baits to flow freely and natural with the slick so it doesn’t trigger and suspect activity from a weakfish. You’ll see the hit when the line starts peeling off or the bobber goes under, immediately engage the bail and set the hook. Bay weakfishing via grass shrimping is a fast paced affair as you can really dial in dozens of fish when the slick gets rolling.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1508943684957-9add1405-1f09-3' include='4798,4797'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Penn
BTLII2000 Spinning Reel
Battle II spinning reels have Penn's HT-100 Versa-Drag washers keyed into the spool which allows both sides of each drag washer to be used. This gives the Battle II higher max drags, more range, and smoother start ups than the competition.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Okuma
AV-30b Avenger B Series Spinning Reel
With a multi-disc drag system, six bearing drive system and our patented EOS elliptical oscillation system, it's no surprise why Avengers are serious spinning reels everyone can afford to own and enjoy.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Gamakatsu
Bait Holder Hook - Size 2
The ever popular baitholder hook is used for a variety of fish and comes in a bronze or corrosion resistant black finish. It is also available in snelled packs as well.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Mustad
92642 Hollow Point Beak Hooks
Forged, Reversed, 2 Slices In Special Long Shank, Turned Down Small Ball Eye, 24 Karat Goldplated.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

Pounding Porgy

Porgy fishing is going off right now in the NJ/NY area with literally hundreds to thousands of fish being caught on party boat and charter trips alike. It’s non-stop, drop and reel activity, but you can up your odds to fill your limits with larger fish by paying attention to some little details. You’ll be […]

Porgy fishing is going off right now in the NJ/NY area with literally hundreds to thousands of fish being caught on party boat and charter trips alike. It’s non-stop, drop and reel activity, but you can up your odds to fill your limits with larger fish by paying attention to some little details.You’ll be fishing hard scrabble bottom like concrete rubble and submarine glacial rockpile areas or shipwrecks, so start off with some tackle able to withstand the rough stuff. A solid set up starts with a 6-1/2 to 7 foot moderate to fast action rod such as a Lamiglas TFX 7040CT matched with a small conventional reel like a Shimano Torium 16 spooled with 50-pound Power Pro Braided line.From the braid, connect via a uni-to-uni knot a 10-foot top shot shock leader of 40-pound Triplefish monofilament leader, then tie a double overhand knot on the end of that leader. Loop on an appropriate size bank sinker from 6 to 10 ounces. Now, tie three small dropper loops about 15 inches apart up from the sinker. Loop on snelled size #1 to #2 beak or baitholder hooks to each respective dropper loop, and you can use hooks that have orange or red beads above the shank as the added attraction garners more numerous strikes from porgies.Bait up with small 1-inch bits of clam tongue, and don’t overload the hook with bait as the small baits are easily inhaled by porgy mouths and gobs of bait will just get picked off the hook. You can also opt to lance on 1-inch pieces of Fishbites Bloodworms in red coloring for a bait that will stay on long after a clam gets sucked off. Porgies will feed directly on the bottom, but will feed above the seafloor, many times up 10 to 30 feet. If you aren’t getting many hits on the bottom, or if smaller fish seemed to have taken over, feel free to reel in a good 10 to 20 feet to see if they are staging up above the wreck or around the higher points of the structure. Porgy fishing is fast and furious, and you’ll be loading a cooler in no time with the delicious treats.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width='6' grid_id='vc_gid:1507126856912-3c49012af6978b4aaca0fe85d2881646-9' include='4783,4781'][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][block_title style='column_title' inner_style='inline_border' title='Suggested Gear'][/block_title][vc_row_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Lamiglas
TFX7040CT Tri-Flex
These Tri-Flex Graphite Inshore rods add power to move the most difficult Stripers, Blackfish, Amberjack and Grouper quickly away from line-parting wrecks. Tri-Flex stands for our proprietary blank designs in which three layers of material.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Shimano
Torium Star Drag Reels
The Shimano Torium Star Drag Reels are new to Shimano's Torium series reels. They are compact, rigid, and powerful saltwater conventional reels with excellent castability and durability expected by saltwater anglers.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Triple Fish
Monofilament Leader
The Triple Fish Monofilament Leader 50yds Clear 40lb Test is the perfect combination of great quality and great value. As an angler, you don't have to give up reliability or spend a boat load, as this mono leader is economy priced.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width='1/4'][vc_column_text]
Fishbites
Bloodworm Alternative
Fishbites Bag O' Worms™ is an effective alternative to bloodworms, offering consistency and convenience. Every Fishbites Bloodworm bait will be the same size, same color and same thickness and, more importantly, the same price year round.View[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [instagram-feed id='3945030428'][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width='stretch_row_content_no_spaces' type='full_width_content'][/vc_row][vc_column css='.vc_custom_1459892926495{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}'][/vc_column][vc_text_separator title='']" target="_blank">

Florida Exotics

St. Croix

MIS70MF Mojo Inshore Spinning Rod

Spiderwire

Stealth Blue Camo

Seaguar

Fluorocarbon Leader Material 25yds

Owner

SSW Hooks with Super Needle Point

SHEEPSHEAD SECRETS

St. Croix

TIS70MHF Tidemaster Inshore Spinning Rod

Shimano

NASC5000XGFB NASCI Spinning Reel

Power Pro

30lb 300yds Braided Spectra Moss Green

Owner

Gorilla Light Hooks

SHRIMPING WEAKFISH

Penn

BTLII2000 Spinning Reel

Okuma

AV-30b Avenger B Series Spinning Reel

Gamakatsu

Bait Holder Hook - Size 2

Mustad

92642 Hollow Point Beak Hooks

Pounding Porgy

Lamiglas

TFX7040CT Tri-Flex

Shimano

Torium Star Drag Reels

Triple Fish

Monofilament Leader

Fishbites

Bloodworm Alternative