Florida’s long-awaited, new Florida Bass Conservation Center is now a reality.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dedicated the center on Feb. 23. The center’s mission is “to conduct and utilize essential research to optimize production, stocking and recruitment of Florida largemouth bass to facilitate integrated conservation management of Florida's freshwater fisheries resources."

In 2002, officials recognized the FWC’s antiquated fish hatchery at Richloam in Sumter County had to be replaced if Florida hoped to retain its “Fishing Capital of the World” title, at least with regard to largemouth bass.

Richloam, one of the oldest fish hatcheries in the country (in business since April 1965), did much more with much less than many of the nation's 21st century facilities. However, it placed a major drain on the aquifer, used minimal recycling and was plagued by various fish predators that depleted production.

To solve this dilemma, FWC’s Ed Moyer proposed a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to propagation and conservation of Florida's famous largemouth bass – a distinct subspecies of the largemouth black bass.

Florida is home to the Suwannee and shoal basses, unique southern adaptations of the black bass that are very limited in range and need careful management to ensure their healthy futures.

Moyer, who, at the time, was director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries, envisioned a new climate-controlled rearing facility to give biologists an opportunity to spawn bass and other freshwater species at the most opportune time to provide effective stocking throughout the state of appropriately-sized fish.

New sheltered raceways contribute to rearing significantly more fish in a more cost-effective manner than the old hatchery's dirt pond method. This technique also helps conserve water, minimize predation from birds, assure good water quality and maximize feed conversion which saves money and protects the environment.

The FBCC also plans to conduct a genetics program to ensure future stocking programs optimally benefit native populations which is critical to maintain the integrity of native Florida bass, Suwannee bass and Shoal bass. A dedicated lab and biologist specializing in warmwater fish health will further ensure the FBCC meets its goal “to produce healthy, genetically fit Florida largemouth bass and other freshwater fishes at the appropriate time, in sizes and numbers to effectively and efficiently support freshwater fisheries conservation projects.”

Near-future plans call for a comprehensive library, publicly accessible Internet-based data center, and facilities to allow scientists from universities, various government agencies and the private sector to conduct state-of-the-art research. In addition to scientific information, the data base will include angler use and success and bass growth rate data for various lakes so resident anglers, tourists and tournament sponsors may more effectively plan fishing trips.

Ultimately, Darrell Scovell, director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, anticipates developing a public education complex and visitors center. In addition to educational displays, trails and observation facilities, fishing ponds and instructions are planned at the site which is on Division of Forestry property.

Forestry officials may share in outreach efforts (pertaining to silviculture and land management), as well as Florida State Parks since the facility is at the nexus of several state and federal recreational trails, including the FWC’s own Great Florida Birding Trail. The tourism and outreach potential greatly enhances FWC’s abilities to explain our conservation stewardship message and the role of recreational fishing and other outdoor activities to the public.

The Sunshine State is recognized as the "Fishing Capital of the World" based on a number of factors, including Information provided by the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation which shows Florida as the No. 1 recreational fishing state in terms of number of anglers, number of angling days, direct economic impact, jobs supported and many other important factors.

For instance, Florida attracts 3.1 million anglers, who fish 48.4 million days, spend $4.1 billion and support 80,000 jobs. The next highest state is California which has 2.4 million anglers, 27.7 million days, $2.4 billion and 43,000 jobs. Nationally, and in Florida's fresh waters, black bass are the most popular fish sought after by anglers. In Florida, bass anglers spent 12.2 million days pursuing their sport in 2001.

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If you, like me, have purchased a Lifetime Fishing License the following will not effect you.

The state Senate will consider legislation that would require anglers fishing from bridges to get a fishing license and also would increase the price of licenses.

The measure is designed to offset a predicted $12.8 million budget shortfall the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would face by the 2010-2011 fiscal year, FWC spokesman Henry Cabbage said Tuesday. The agency, which regulates hunting and fishing in the state, is facing a $4.4 million shortfall by the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The shortfall is predicted to grow to $5.8 million the following year and to $6.7 million by 2009-2010, FWC records state.

"Revenue streams for marine fisheries, freshwater fisheries and hunting, as well as imperiled species, such as panthers and manatees, are all in jeopardy," FWC states in the proposal for the legislation. "Since the 2000 merger of the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Marine Fisheries Commission and parts of Environmental Protection involved in marine issues, numerous positions, projects and even programs have been cut."

The governor-appointed board that oversees the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the increases at a September 2006 meeting, Cabbage said. The Senate bill is being proposed by the Senate Preservation and Conservation Committee. Under the proposal, a resident annual saltwater fishing license would increase from $12 to $15.50, freshwater license would increase from $12 to $15.50, annual nonresident freshwater and saltwater licenses would increase from $30 to $45 and short-term fishing licenses from $15 to $28, state records show.

In comparison, residents of Texas pay $33 for a saltwater license, residents of Alabama pay $16, residents of Louisiana pay $14.50. Residents of South Carolina pay $10, according to backup documents for Senate Bill 1982. Eight states offer exemptions to licensing fees, but Florida offers more exemptions and free licenses than any other state.

A 2005 study conducted by an independent consulting firm for the FWC found that "most Floridians support increases in user fees to cover costs of managing fish and wildlife, if it means more opportunities for these activities." Seventy-six percent of those surveyed supported the removal of the shoreline exemption for fishing licenses, which does not exist anywhere else in the country.

"Florida Sportsman, Florida Fishing Weekly and the Florida Wildlife Foundation have all urged for the removal of the exemption," the proposal before the Senate states. Now only nonresidents have to buy a license to fish from bridges and piers.

"Consequently, raising fees too much can easily backfire by reducing participation and negatively affecting businesses, tourism, public perception, good will and the social benefits of outdoor recreation, as well as reducing federal matching funds," the documentation states. "The current proposal carefully takes all of these factors into account and is thus very conservative.

"Even with the changes, Florida will still offer the best outdoor recreational fishing values in the nation for both residents and nonresidents," it says.

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If you asked 25 knowledgeable bass anglers to name the one lake or river in our bass-rich state that offers a fisherman the best shot at a trophy 10-pounder, you would probably get 25 different answers.

That is because there are so many bass waters where big bass swim. The names you hear most often are Okeechobee, Kissimmee, Tohopekaliga, Rodman Reservoir and the St. Johns River.

Here, in my opinion, are the places where a Florida angler or visiting fisherman stands the best chance of catching a double-digit bass.

RODMAN RESERVOIR

This politically embattled lake that resulted from the ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal remains a big-bass haven. That is because of the sheer volume of good habitat in the 9,000-acre reservoir, relatively stable water level and occasional drawdowns to control its hydrilla.

Much of that habitat is thick and remote enough to protect resident bass from fishing pressure and allow undisturbed spawning activity. There are bass in Rodman that have never seen a lure.

Like all of these big-fish waters, this is the best season for hooking into the bass of a lifetime. In Rodman, your best bet is to float a live shiner up against a hyacinth mat or pitch a big plastic worm or creature bait into holes in the hydrilla.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

I know, I know — the Big O is suffering through another low-water period. But Lake Okeechobee has long been one of the most productive lakes in America when it comes to pure tonnage of bass per acre and it is no different in 2007.

Renowned big-bass expert Doug Hannon of Odessa has long insisted that Okeechobee surrenders more big bass than any water in the country. With its countless acres of shallow, weedy habitat, abundance of forage and sub-tropical location, the Big O has all of the ingredients necessary for growing big, fat female bass.

A good news/bad news situation: With the low water, the lake's big spawners are more susceptible and accessible while on the beds than at any other time of the year. That means you have a considerably better chance of tangling with a 10-pounder than most years, but we have to be diligent about releasing them back onto their beds.

LAKE KISSIMMEE

Over the last couple of winters, no lake has yielded more 10-pounders than Lake Kissimmee, which had taken a backseat to Toho after Dean Rojas' record-breaking 45-pound-plus stringer in 2001 and the massive restoration project there.

Last year, two bass topping the 14-pound mark were caught and released in mid-February and a South Dakota visitor landed a fish weighing 16.20 pounds. And there were untold 10-pounders that were fooled by live shiners and artificial lures.

Many of the trophy-class bass that were caught during last February's Bassmaster Classic — including Preston Clark's 11-pound, 10-ounce record fish — came out of Lake Kissimmee.

Look for much of the best bed-fishing to take place in areas called the A-Frame, School Bus and North Cove, as well as along the northeast shore.

LAKE TOHOPEKALIGA

There are no more hallowed waters in the bass fishing word than Lake Tohopekaliga in general and Shingle Creek in particular. It was on those fishing grounds that Rojas enjoyed his phenomenal January big-bass bonanza.

Today, anglers enjoy the benefits of a restoration effort bigger than anything ever attempted in Florida — a yearlong, $9 million project that improved much of the lake's nursery and spawning areas. It began with a drawdown that drained the lake of about half of its water for much of 2004. During that time, bulldozers and dump trucks went about removing muck in shallow areas and exposing the hard sand bottom that once existed. In all, 3,3338 acres of shoreline was restored by removing 1 feet of muck and planning desirable vegetation.

Top spawning sites include the areas that underwent muck removal last year, as well as tracts known as Overstreet's and Goblet Cove.

APALACHICOLA RIVER

This one might surprise many anglers. But the backwater areas of the Apalachicola River in the Panhandle are home to some of the most unmolested largemouth in Florida. Its remote location and reputation for saltwater fishing keeps fishing pressure at a minimum upriver.

Look for bass to be spawning in off-river spots (creeks and marshy flats) around grass and wood on shallow, hard-bottom banks.

Typically, the bass in this river are most likely to bite during an incoming to full high tide in places that are out of the current. A well-placed creature bait or Senko-type soft-plastic stickbait will likely come back with a 5- and 7-pound bass, as well as an occasional 10-pounder.

CRESCENT LAKE

The dark-horse fishery on the St. John River is Crescent Lake.

"Crescent Lake's a really awesome lake," Palatka pro Terry Scroggins said. "It has some really big fish in it, but most fishermen ignore it because it has a limited amount of grass and the water is dirtier than the rest of the river."

For a big bite, target main-lake points with a medium-diving crankbait or Carolina-rigged soft-plastics.

Tim Tucker's e-mail address is tim @ timtuckeroutdoors.com.

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Labels: bass

* There are four different species of snook that inhabit Florida waters: common snook, fat snook, swordspine snook, and tarpon snook.

* The common snook is the most abundant of the four species and is designated as a species of special concern in Florida. It will be the focus for the rest of this list.

* Snook are also known as robalo, linesiders, and sergeant fish. In the past they were known as "soapfish" when some sections of the "soapy" tasting skin were left on the fillets due to poor cleaning practices.

* Snook can tolerate a wide range of salinity and may be found in fresh water. However, they are extremely sensitive to temperature and a strong, fast moving cold front through an area containing snook may claim many lives due to the rapid drop in water temperature.

* Long term tagging research has been carried out over the past several years and has proven to be a valuable tool in helping to understand the life history of snook.

* Snook are protandric hermaphrodites and change sex from male to female. The actual cause of the change is not known, but current research may provide an answer.

* Snook are known as "ambush feeders" meaning that they'll surprise attack their prey as it swims or moves into range. This occurs especially at the mouths of inlets where currents play a role while the snook waits in hiding behind bridge pilings, rocks, or other submerged structures.

* Besides preying on small fish, snook also feed on shrimp, crabs, and mollusks.

* Snook are very popular with recreational anglers due to their strong fighting spirit and mild, delicate flavor.

STATE RECORDS FOR COMMON SNOOK
Conventional Tackle 44 lb, 3 oz, Ft. Myers: Robert De Cosmo, 4/25/1984
Fly Fishing Tackle 30 lb, 4 oz, Chokoloskee: Rex Garrett, 4/23/1993

CURRENT REGULATIONS FOR COMMON SNOOK
Chapter 68B-21
Size limits: not less than 27 inches or more than 34 inches total length
Bag limits: Atlantic 2 snook per person per day; Gulf, Montoe County, Everglades National Park, 1 snook per person per day
Closed Seasons: Statewide December 15 to January 31; Atlantic June, July, and August; Gulf, Monroe County, Everglades National Park May, June, July, and August

REMARKS
# snook permit required when saltwater license is required
# illegal to possess snook exceeding 34 inches total length
# illegal to buy or sell snook

For more information on Snook visit these sites:
FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute - Snook
Florida Sportsman's Snook Page
The Snook Foundation
SnookAngler.com
Video of a Possible World Record Florida Snook
Show everyone how much you love SnookWith this Snook Mailbox


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Here are a couple of excellent books that will both improve your snook catching and give you something to do when not on the water.

Snook Kingdom by
This primer on King Snook and his watery realm will teach you: the kinds of habitat snook prefer, tried and true tackle, lures, bait and techniques, best times of day and tides for Snooking, and the best places in Florida to find hungry snook. Although habitat loss and overfishing have put pressure on the Snook fishery, it's recovering nicely. The Linesiders are out there, prowling the estuaries on both coasts of Florida, just waiting for persistent, thrill-seeking anglers - like you. Snook are the funnest fish that swim! Fun to watch under the pier lights, as they smash minnows unlucky enough to pass by! Fun to hook and lose as they leap from the water shaking their heads as if they had watched Bigmouth Bass training videos. Fun to land, to put in the net, and then gently to release to be caught another day. And...fun to eat - fresh, fried Snook with hot buttered grits and coleslaw is gourmet Cracker fare!

Snook Book: A Complete Anglers Guide by Frank Sargeant
The author is one of America's best nknow outdoor writers and is a snook specialist. He has fished with most of the leading snook anglers in Florida as well as many parts of Central America and has included the expertice collected from these anglers over two decades.

This book includes:

Where to find more snook

Snook Tackle that won't let you down

Live Bait Expertise

Giant Snook - Best times techniques & tackle

Snook Biology & Habits

Plug, Spin & Fly casting

The 10-Minute Snook Book by John McLean
A quick guide to finding and catching Florida's most prized gamefish. The 10-Minute Snook Book offers advice on basic tackle, knots, tides, conditions, time of year, and more. A list of proven lures is included, along with detailed instructions for using them effectively. Bait fishing tactics are not addressed. Simply put, The 10-Minute Snook Book is a "bare-bones" guide to the sport. It includes no anecdotal information, and no obscure facts - just straightforward advice in a compact, easy-to-read format. The book also offers access to "The Snook Nook", a related website featuring regularly-updated snook fishing information.


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Snook are one of the finest eating fish you will ever catch.

Preparing Your Catch
Once you have ole' linesides at home, here are two tried and true recipes for your dining pleasure.

Skin the fillets, bellies included. If you want to get your money's worth, include the throats and cheeks as well. All of this flesh tastes excellent if the fish is fresh and has been kept iced. Heat corn oil or peanut oil in a deep fryer to 375° F. Cut the fillets into ¾" X 2" pieces and dip them in a beaten egg. Roll these pieces into Italian bread crumbs and drop into the hot oil. Cook until the pieces float. Remove from the oil onto a paper towel and lightly salt. A few drops of fresh lime juice and you are ready to enjoy.

The other recipe involves grilling the fillets. Cut them into portion sizes and brush them with olive oil. Make a marinade of lime juice, finely chopped garlic, and olive oil. Place the snook on a medium hot grill in a fish screen. Paint several times with the marianade while turning and lightly browning on both sides. Served with fresh mangrove chutney and hushpuppies. Bon appetit!

More Seafood Recipes

Since we hope you are catching more snook they you can keep, or need, you should be knowledgable on Proper Release Procedures.

Release any undersized or out-of-season snook. Research shows that only two percent of released snook die as a result of being caught and released. Releasing your snook with a minimum of handling practically ensures that the fish will be taken again. Fish with crimped barbs for reduced injury. Set the hook immediately so that the hook doesn't pierce an internal organ. Leave the fish in the water while taking the hook out with pliers or a special tool. If you must handle the fish, wet your hands or wear wet cotton gloves. If the fish is exhausted and has lost equilibrium, properly orient the fish and hold it lightly into the current, preferably in the shade. After the fish has gained equilibrium, release him immediately. Do not forcibly move the fish in a jerky back and forth motion. Gently support the fish into the current and release it as soon as possible. Nature can revive the fish much faster than any angler can!


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If you check the results, for the poll on the right, you will see your overwhelming choice was information about specific fish. Since Snook season opened this week it is fitting to start a new series about "Old Linesides."

There are several snook species in Florida but the only one that matters is the Common Snook, Average Size: 3 to 15 pounds, with 16- to 30-pounders common. Usual maximum is 30 to 40 pounds. State Record: 44 pounds, 3 ounces. World Record: 53 pounds, 10 ounces. Range: A tropical species found on the larger islands of the Caribbean, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. In Florida, their largest numbers are found in the southern half of the state, but individuals may range as far as Jacksonville on the Atlantic side, and the Panhandle on the Gulf side. Angling Methods: Casting with artificial lures or flies, trolling artificials or live bait and drifting or still fishing with live or dead natural baits.

Anglers are limited to two snook per person per day, with a 27-inch (this is up from the previous 26 inch minimum) to 34-inch slot limit. All fish above or below the slot limit must be released unharmed. Snook season is closed Dec. 15 to Jan. 31, and June, July and August. A $2 snook permit is required when a saltwater fishing license is required.


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I am sure you have heard about the World Record Great Hammerhead caught in May 2006. The 14.5 ft. female shark weighed 1,280 pounds and has been certified by the International Game Fish Association as the “All-Tackle World Record” for great hammerheads caught on rod-and-reel. It was donated to Mote Marine Lab for study. Here is a video from them that you are sure to enjoy.



You can read about the replica on display at Mote Marine here.

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Have the recent high winds and cold weather kept you and your bass boats home? Maybe it is time to take a short trip to some of the HOT canals in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

Capt. Alan Zaremba reported that fishing in South Florida canals has been "very, very good," with anglers catching a variety of nice fish. Zaremba, of Hollywood, guided Joe Schillace of Weston to 10 peacock bass, 32 largemouth bass and a snakehead in the C-14 Canal system (Cypress Creek Canal in North Broward) using Rapalas and Senkos.

After a tough day on the flats at Everglades Holiday Park with Dave Piasecki of Cooper City, Zaremba and Ted Sanders of Cooper City fished the C-8 (Biscayne Canal in Northeast Miami-Dade) with Rapalas and caught 44 peacocks up to 3 pounds, 21 largemouths, a 5-pound snook and a 5-pound jack.

Arnold Markowitz and Zaremba fished the C-9 (Snake Creek Canal in North Miami-Dade)for a half-day and caught 19 peacocks up to 31/2 pounds and eight largemouths using Rapalas.

Zaremba finished the week guiding Seth Waller of Lake Worth and his father, Jay, of Coral Springs, to 28 peacocks up to 3 pounds, a snook and a jack using Rapalas in a half-day trip in the C-4 (Tamiami Canal in Central Miami-Dade).

Captain Alan Zaremba: Alan's Nickname is Mr. Peacock. He specializes in Peacock Bass fishing on the Miami canals as seen in the All About Fishing show "Urban Peacock".
Phone 954-961-0877 - Cell 954-609-3671
Email: SFLPeacock@aol.com

Note: Each Wednesday Florida Fishing Blog will highlight a Fishing Report from a different area in Florida. You can see all similar posts by clicking on the Reports Category in the right column.

Add your Southeast reports to the comments.

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