Clueless to crisis in our environment

Author Carl Hiaasen rips Florida Governor Rick Scott Clueless over the billions of gallons of cruddy water being dumped from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River, a criminal act of pollution that’s poisoning the St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/24/3581860/clueless-to-crisis-in-our-environment.html#storylink=cpy

LINK (via: Save The Tarpon)

Dec. SOTM Entry: Florida Bull

New, tougher Florida fishing rules could be on the way

Plenty of discussion remains before the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission makes a decision, but some of the state’s favorite fish species might soon get greater protection.

Florida has no official designation for game fish and sport fish, so at the FWC meeting Dec. 5 in Apalachicola, staff will recommend to commissioners:

• A game fish designation for redfish, snook and spotted sea trout.

This designation could include no commercial harvest, recreational harvest by hook and line only, and zero bag limit for captain and crew of for-hire vessels. Under current regulations, commercial harvest is allowed for spotted seatrout but not redfish or snook.

• A sport fish designation for tarpon, bonefish, permit and billfish.

This designation could include catch-and-release only, no recreational or commercial harvest, fishing with hook and line only. Under current regulations, commercial harvest is allowed for permit but not tarpon, bonefish or billfish.

LINK (via: Florida Today)

Aug SOTM Entry: FL Grass Carp

From the inbox:

Hey Chum,

Attached is a shot of a grass carp I caught on vacation in Florida last week. I saw him tailing by the shore and casted out a chunky orange cone head with rubber hackle in his direction. A few light strips later and he sucked the fly up. A 25 minute battled ensued and once I finally had him landed I was in complete disbelief, as was my boyfriend. We weren't able to weigh him but I would say he had to be close to 30lbs, I could barely lift the brute.

Hope this is slab worthy!

-Amber

Aug SOTM Entry: FL Permit

Another month, another respectable SOTM trash can lid.  This one taken by Chris Lewis

July SOTM Entry: FL Permit

Captain Will Benson got his client Frank Smith on this fish a few days ago.