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Gary Poyssick

Honored to be a small component in the battle to keep the Environmental Defense Fund, NOAA and the left from controlling our fisheries. Americans have the right to fish. Make America Aware of the travesty of progressive regulation of our fishery. Defend our right to fish. Defend our Carbon Footprints!!!!!!

Gary Anderson
 

NOAA, the EDF, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council and the Keep America Fishing advocates are pushing for more recreational permit programs, thus allowing those that can afford to fish to do so and those that can't, well they can just cut bait. The Keep America Fishing logo is just that, a branding or a tool for all the government ABC's to control your fishing rights and all those that joined up under the Keep America Fishing website thought it was aimed to preserve their right; where as they were really just sold a bill of goods. The Duping of America! “Fishermen who signed up for Keep America Fishing email campaigns as are now united under one voice with a group which openly supported the restrictive language written into Magnuson in 2006 and is now advocating for

building broader private angler support for catch shares in 2010,” Jim Donofrio, RFA (Recreational Fishing Alliance) Executive Director.

THE BACKBONE TO DEFENDING OUR RIGHTS TO FISH: THE ONLINE FISHERMAN DOT COM!

Recreational & Commercial Anglers Declare War!

Why not join us over at The Online Fisherman dot com, as we are going to war against NOAA, the EDF, Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council and any other ABC unit of our Federal Government that wishes to stick its nose where is does not belong; on the end of my fish hook while I'm out either angling for a living or taking my son fishing! What they are doing is not only illegal but based on false to old to make it up as you go along data. We are banning together all over the country. Call your friends and fellow Captains because no matter our differences on the water or as neighbors, color, creed or religion, we must have solidarity against this bunch of Bushwhackers! Together, in numbers, as Americans, indivisible as one, united in cause and we will win! Fish for one, Fish for ALL! JOIN US!

President Obama is LOST, help him find his way...

Be Saved by the Online Fisherman or be LOST under the UN!

If you are looking to help save angling as we know it now and would like to get involved in helping spread the word of Anti-Catch Shares & Sector Separation, it would be appreciated, as after the Oceans are contained by the UN under LOST and President Obama's signage of said Bill (to which we and a hand full of Senators are trying to stop), the inshore of the inshore is next in their sights, along with all out flowing rivers into the oceans and public lands adjacent to them in the form of angling restrictions to which have never before been seen in this country before. An example would be angling for your favorite fish anywhere, USA.

The Political Sandbox: Sarah Palin; No match to Gary Anderson, a Tea Party Letter

The Political Sandbox: Sarah Palin; No match to Gary Anderson, a Tea Party Letter

GMFMC , An Alphabet of B.S. “NO FISHING ALLOWED!”

Have you seen the latest B.S. On SPECIAL FISH?

It's Your Money, why are you letting them play with it?

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to Convene its Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene its Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific and Statistical Committee December 13-15, 2010, in Tampa, Florida. Every attempt will be made to broadcast the meeting over the Internet.
The Committee will meet to review several issues related to development of the generic annual catch limit/accountability measures amendment. These issues include a review of the latest version of the draft acceptable biological catch control rule, as well as a discussion on the use of judgment calls and mean catch to define the overfishing limit when setting acceptable biological catch for *data poor* species.

The Committee will also review the use of in-season accountability measures and proposed revisions to species groupings to be used in setting annual catch limits. Finally, the Committee will develop recommendations for acceptable biological catch and potential overfishing limits **for all stocks **in the generic annual catch limit/accountability measures amendment.
The meeting will be held at the Gulf Council office, 2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, in Tampa, Florida. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am Monday, concluding no later than 3:00 pm Wednesday. Copies of the agenda and other related materials may be obtained by calling 813-348-1630 or by visiting the Council’s ftp site at ftp.gulfcouncil.org.
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Trish Kennedy at the Council office at least five working days prior to the meeting.
Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before the committee, in accordance with the M-SFCMA, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Panel action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans designed to manage fishery resources in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

*data poor* means best guess?

**for all stocks ** means anything with fins by or near a reef and all pelics.

Generic; another make it up as we go along and spend my tax dollars!

Pier Fishing At Venice Florida, Catching Shark

 

Out on the Boards with Sharky's Sharks

As water temperatures have been on the drop, with the passage of each new weekly cold front, so to has been the bite of a variety of fish. Those magic temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees bring in the Kings as the run their migratory dash up or down our beaches, depending on the time of year it is and to this migratory run are to those who would dine upon them; sharks, big sharks! Fall has transitioned into winter and to has the water temperature, moving earlier in the week to the upper sixties. This is usually the end or near the end of catching big Kings from out on the boards of the Venice City Pier, at Sharky's. At 68 degrees, the water has a bit of a chill to it, but to some species it is a holiday tune where our local visiting Bulls move onto the beaches and as the bait starts to become more scarce to none at all, birthing on the beaches of Venice will begin.

The really big female Bull Sharks generally do not show up to deliver pups until around Christmas in Venice, Florida but this year seems to be off to a really odd start. Last years extremely cold killing waters or the vast reaches of the oil as it was everywhere and then, poof; it was no where? What ever the reasons, a big female bull shark was caught on the 13^th of this month, the day the water hit 68 degrees but too, were flounder, Spanish and yes, their big brothers the Kingfish or King Mackerel. 

As the temperatures rose today, so did the water temperature and thus at 70 degrees, who knows what tomorrow will bring as again an approaching cold front will skirt through the area and like a roller coaster the bite will turn it on to turn it off as the baits move in and off the beaches. Hopefully it will be a mild winter and the shark fishing will only improve as the months go by with January/February being the best in bite at night when angling for jaws of the deep. “From dusk till dawn, the feed is on” if your into shark fishing. Apparently, this shark on Saturday did not know of this old saying, as she took a bite while the beaches were full of swimming baits and people too. Enjoy this video from Florida Fishing Deep Sea .com as Mel Larsen and Rob were having fishing fun...

Fishing with Gary Anderson before the Storm

Spanish mackerel, little tunny and a few kingfish, mixed in with trout,sail cats, Rat reds, Snook Pompano, Black Tips and sandbar shark rounded out the day prior to the front approaching, depending on where you were fishing from. We elected to run, north of Cattlemen' s and then a side trip up Venice way with the Snapper into the Alley up through Bird Island and back to Rattlesnake Island, with a retirement out on the boards of that infamous pier called Sharky's on the Pier. Trout fishing was “insane,” as the season came to a close and where the season closed the bite did not. Redfish to flounder are everywhere from just inside the inlet to along the beaches to throughout the bays on rat movement. Snook too seem to be everywhere as this front approaches, maybe they know something we no not; like come the weekend with Burr cold temperatures, they may be hiding down deep in the channels to holes throughout the ICW and open waterways! Edwin even managed a small Gag in the channel, which means they too are on the move to their favorite haunts through the bays to passes. According to reports from the Legacy in Venice the grouper bite just offshore is hotter than ever and has he got some Jim dandy spots for eager clients wanting to dip in a line in also hooking it up with a few Pelagic action too.

STRAWS + Hook = Spanish Mackerel

They like Shakes too!

What’s in Your Tackle Box?

McDonald's is the place to be but it’s not for the burgers! I’ve got a Mac attack on my mind and I need some straws.  Their shakes may be the best in town but it’s the straws that are totally awesome.  The next time you’re in there, order a couple of extra shakes and keep the straws; you’re going to need them to satisfy your Big Mac attack.

The Macs were talking about are Spanish mackerel and with them comes their cousins the King Mackerel, following right on their heels.  Spanish mackerel or just Spanish are commonly caught here in Florida and here in Venice.  For a real tongue twister; they can be found offshore, inshore and near shore.  Spanish love clear water and their eyesight are very good. I rarely catch any with metal leaders although I do use them when tackling the sharp teeth of a Cuda. 

Here Kitty-Kitty; In Search of Florida Cats

Off the boards and on to the freshwater where there is no oil except on the salad at home that we plan to have with our Florida Channel Freshwater Catfish dinner. Here kitty-kitty, we are in search of Florida Cats!

Channel Cat fishing, no matter where you fish, has always been a past time to cool away under an oak tree, spinning tackle to a bamboo pole, a can of worms, your favorite stink bait or just a pint of chicken livers from your local grocery....

The Venice Area Pier Report

Jimmy at Papa’s Bait Shoppe at Sharky’s on the Pier said it was pretty slow this week as far as fish goes. A hit and miss situation. The pier when I got there was a balmy hot with Titans building to the south and the Gods were throwing bolts there and far, “I wonder if it’ll hit here”, Jimmy exclaimed, “Nah”, I said, the Gods of Sharky’s will part the clouds like Moses on the Red Sea and Lightning will come to dinner everywhere else but not here, just a blow.” Sure enough, the clouds parted, it blackened towards Tampa and down south my way in North Port. Out here, on the pier, it was just a stiff cool breeze, as I observed one person using a Gotcha combo sabiki rig, catching really nice twenty inch plus Spanish. He was catching them one after another!


Gee Whiz Jimmy, I stated, I thought you said nothing going on. He shrugged his shoulders. Must be a secret this week. He did tell me though that earlier a nice flounder was caught in the morning and earlier in the week guy caught seven undersized Snook at beaches edge, from atop the pier, from underneath. That is a tongue twister, using greenies freelinned on a 2/0 circle Owner hook. All were brought up with a bridge net, as required by law, and released by lowering them back into the water where the swam off. OK! Out on the end, I conversed with long time friend and expert on anything thing with fins and swims ‘Dennis’ as he was “Trollying” fishing.


I asked if he was after smokers (lone King Mackerels that patrol the beaches in the summer time in the 49 pound plus range), or that big ole’ Cuda right there, as I pointed out under the pillions at the break under the “T”. “Nope”, he said, Tarpon are my game and have been all week. Apparently, he has jumped a couple this week, making his total now of I believe he said seven from the piers end. Today’s were little ones at around forty to fifty pounds but were fun to catch. “I’ve had more fun today watching the tourist dangling shrimps to hardware down to that Cuda for hours and he ain’t gonna bite nut’n.” If your ever out on the Venice Pier and need advice, the guys in the shop are there to help you out and if need be, they will point out guys like Dennis, good ole Florida Boys that cut their front teeth on fishing line and the business, they to, if you lend an ear will give you a hand in how to catch big fish. The problem today is, everybody is an expert and nobody listens. I was about to leave when one of the locals ask if I had been up in the Harbor, back in the skinny water lately, to which I replied yes I had and will again on Friday. He was planning to shark fish but was targeting Black Tips particularly. I told him his chances of catching a Black Tip in this hot water of this pier this evening might happen but I wouldn’t put money on it. On the other hand, with enough chum and staying overnight it might be possible to get something big to bite off the pier, if you have the right equipment. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your time. He asks me what I meant and what type of gear so I told him about another friend of mine Mel Larsen. He said, that crazy old coot, what has he ever caught.


I told him the story about his homemade 32/0 fishing reel and showed him this picture, then he caught my meaning. Smart guy! He said where would you try and I said, Don’t laugh, but with all the spawns going on in the skinnies, I’d pick a four-tide day and fish and out flowing tide. Which one he asked again. Who cares, the sharks don’t, why should you, and that is another area for another report.

Eleven Foot Tiger on Nokomis Beach Florida

An Eleven Foot Tiger Shark decided to go sun bathing on the Nokomis beach as of yesterday 05/28, 2010. Mote Marine officials concluded its appearance on the beach might be due to the offshore Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which now closes about twenty-five percent of all commercial Gulf of Mexico fishing or 60,683 square miles of the Gulf. The

Gulf of Mexico fishing closures now extend all the way to the west Florida shelf, The Blue water at the 200-meter line. This closed area is one of the most abundant commercial fishing areas found off the western coastline of Florida. The shelf is about 140 miles off Venice, Florida and extends northwestwards. The new “best guess” is between 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day are sluing into our Gulf marine environment establishing this oil spill as the largest in American history. That is nearly triple the amount spilled of the Exxon Valdez incident of 1989. Though to different monsters, it is still oil but of a higher grade. Considering our Tarpon travel some 125 miles offshore in their “Daisy Chaining” mating ritual, I wonder to what effect it will have on their migratory run and the offspring they deliver. I have talked to a number of area anglers, boat ramp owners and tackle shops and all have agreed we need to form an alliance to be prepared for the oncoming onslaught. As The Online Fisherman suggested, we need an oil spill prevention plan. Just in case.

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16” Venice Flounder to a 48” King and the Follies

Chelsea and her Dad Keith of Massachusetts were on there last day of their vacation and thought they would give it a go on the pier. Armed with nothing but Bass to perch baits, Chelsea had a quarter ounce bass headed jig with a white and red tailed plastic grub. Flipping it out like any young semi-pro youngster would do, she bounced that jig in a slow to quiver retrieve. First cast to the deck, Chelsea landed a sixteen-inch Venice Flounder. Apparently, the kids know how to fish. To that, I changed over to a half ounce “Dude”, a white bristled jig with wraps in red, and started bouncing the bottom. Learn from what you see or as in the military; be aware of your surroundings.


Under a brisk north by northwesterly wind at fifteen to twenty, a few brave souls were out on the boards at Sharky’s on the pier chunking hardware to drowning dead baits. Added to those brave anglers trying their luck for Flounder, Bluefish, Mackerel, Pompano’s or anything that would constitute a “Fish On!”, were “the crew” of Trollyers, at the end of the pier in hot pursuit of big Kings on this cold day in April. Yes, you heard right, cold day in April when it normally would be in the high eighties to low nineties and the water at 77 would be teaming with Hammers to massive migrating schools if Kings to Tarpon. Instead, the water temperature today was a hot 71.8 degrees at the pier. Maybe next week?

The usual local crowd out on the pier were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the water, Gotcha’s, Clarks, Silly Willies, and the list goes on with nothing but a sore arm in the taking. Some had squid, cut baits and on the main menu, dead shrimps. Nothing, nada, no way Jose was the fish in a cooperative mood. Water clarity was partly to blame as it was as clear as glass; the bottom at fourteen feet down one could see the ripples in the sand.



Alias! I hooked it up with two Blues, a Spanish and one Pompano; a bucket of fish. The only other fish and stuff to lie on the boards this day were two King fish in the forty inch plus range. The follies of it all was watching two gaffs in hooking up that one forty-eight inch fish.



A Bucket of Fish spells Dinner.

The Kings are a coming for yesterday a fifty pounder was caught along with five of his gang in the thirty to forty pound class by the “crew” or “T” gang who posses the end of the pier as their own. Tomorrow or Thursday should be even better with Friday being hot as the weather is suppose to warm up and a mild front arrives on Saturday. I suspect Friday will be hot if the water will go off color and by Sunday, it could be a scorcher in Kings on the deck.



“FISH ON!”

On the Boards in Venice Florida: Alex Caught a Blue

On the Boards in Venice Florida: Alex Caught a Blue

Alex Caught a Blue

Alex Switzer fished amongst an onslaught of anglers all trying their luck in catching the big one while out on the boards of the Venice City pier, located at the west end of Sharky’s on the Pier. As the water temperatures were non-cooperating and the off color water, due to the cloudy to patchy sun trying to peek through, one could see the bottom at fourteen feet down. This makes for a beautiful picture but hard to bite on the fish as they see hook and all. While most of the anglers were catching a case of the blues, Al actually caught his first Blue Fish and proud he was.



Between intermittent drops of passing drizzle, the Bottlenose Dolphin rounded up a ball or two of dancing ladies (Ladyfish or poor men’s Tarpon), to which also fell prey to Silly Willies and Gotcha’s alike. Cigar minnows patrolled the pillions and the occasional Pompano to Spanish fell to the bump stop retrieve of my pink and white Silly Willy.



Al Switzer, Alex’s dad snapped the photo’s of his sons prized catch, as well the sea of rays, to which were grazing the bars along the piers edges. When Cow nose Rays appear around the pier or any location you are fishing means there are probably some sort of invertebrate swimming about as these gentle gliding creatures of the sea feed on them as well clams to oysters. Rolling Dolphins to gliding rays usually means the bite is right and a turn on is near. Casting directly behind the rays can produce a number of species of fish from Cobia to Blues. While a cast just to the side or in front of the rolling Bottlenose is a best bet in finding erratic Mullet to Spanish mackerel, which are on the dolphins menu. Do not worry about catching the dolphin for it is far smarter than most give it credit. It will not take your lure but in hooking it up, it will take your catch so hast is necessary in landing your catch, unless you are happy with only half a fish to none!





Always remember to pay close attention to following the rules which apply to your particular area, watch your bag limits if taking home your catch and most of all practice CPR (Catch, Photograph and Release) when at all possible. Sustaining our marine fisheries of the future is in your hands. Just because the bag limit says say fifteen, take only what is needed to feed your bunch and release the rest. This way there will be more tomorrow and so forth.

“FISH ON!”
™

Venice Pier Fishing Tournament, Venice Florida

As a picture is a thousand words, enjoy the smiles through my lens:
























AND MORE!






























"FISH ON!" Venice Pier Anglers.











SHARKY’S ON THE PIER PRESENTED:



The Biannual Family Fishing Tournament Sponsored by Sharky's on the Pier Casual Dining & Papa's Bait Shop on the Pier in sunny Venice Florida. Home to the Sharks Tooth Coast as it is "The Sharks Tooth Capital of the World!"




By Gary A. Anderson

Papa’s Bait Shop on the Venice Fishing Pier hosted the “Family Fishing Tournament” on Saturday, April 10 2010 from 8 AM to 11 AM. Entry fees to fish were a donation of a non-perishable food item for the Trinity Presbyterian Food Bank. Donations or not, all children who had a wish to fish and have fun out on the boards of the pier at Sharky’s, also attended the event. Prizes awarded to all youth between the ages of five through seventeen. The prizes of first, second and third place awarded to each of the 3 age groups, 5 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 through 17 and each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Continental breakfast supplied by Sharky’s on the Pier and registration at seven through the volunteers from the Trinity Presbyterian Food Bank, Carol Ann Mancuso, Barbara Jahnke and Damaris Weidner began the festivities. Prior to the rising of the sun, under a sliver of a moon, volunteers began the preparations in co-hosting this ongoing bi-annual event.

A participant named Joe caught the first two Hardheads (catfish) of the morning with both being a first. A young man of five, James Morrissey with a grand Whiting followed this (Southern-Kingfish) along with a most unusual catch of the day. James said, “I want to catch a Bonnethead. I want one to be caught on my hook.” With this said a bait shrimp placed on his hook and cast from the pier, developed into a whopper of a tale. A few minutes passed and James exclaimed, “I got a bite! Maybe it is my Bonnethead” and with this he reeled in a monster, never seen before and caught on a hook at the on the boards of the pier. There before all was a Bonnethead shark without a body. He caught a head of a small shark, which had circum to a grizzly ending to which someone, or something had decapitated this young shark. A shark without a body but never the less, he caught a Bonnet Head.

The morning continued in warming as the bite picked up with more catfish, pinfish, stingrays and whiting. An onslaught of twenty participants each grinning with enthusiasm as each bite to catch occurred. The stiff east wind and brownish to green sand filtered waters stopped none of these kids in having a great time angling with their selected partner or parent. Volunteers were moving across the boards like ants at a picnic while recording all the fish caught and snapping photographs. All were encouraged to practice CPR, (Catch, Photograph and Release), to learn to respect the marine environments to which was fished.




The following identifications of the species caught today at Papa’s Bait Shop are located in the FWC commission’s publication FISHING LINES.

HARDHEAD CATFISH - Arius felis
Family Ariidae, SEA CATFISHES
Description: brownish to gray-green; white to
yellowish below; fin spines with no fleshy
filaments; barbel at corner of mouth not very
flattened and shorter than head; four barbels
on chin.
Size: to 60 cm (2 ft.) and 5.5 kg (12 lbs.) but usually
much smaller.
Where found: same as for gafftopsail catfish usually much more common.
Remarks: commonly caught from catwalks, bridges, and piers, particularly in passes and inland waterways; edible, but
generally not eaten.
Found on page 32 of http://myfwc.com/docs/Fishing/fish_id2.pdf


PINFISH - Lagodon rhomboides
Family Sparidae, PORGIES
Description: small mouth with incisor-like
teeth; distinctive black spot behind the gill
cover; body bluish-silver with blue and orangeyellow
horizontal stripes, yellow fins.
Where found: seagrass beds, bridges, piers,
marker pilings, and around natural and artificial
reefs; spawn offshore.
Size: usually less than 8 in.
Remarks: popular live bait, notorious bait stealers found on page 26 http://myfwc.com/docs/Fishing/fish_id2.pdf




SOUTHERN STINGRAY - Dasyatis americana
Family Dasyatidae, STINGRAYS
Identification: disk almost a perfect rhombus, with
pointed corners; ventral finfold on tail long and relatively
high, dorsal finfold rows near shoulder; disk usually
uniform dark brown above, grayer in young.
Size: to 1.8 m (6 ft.) across disk.
Where found: common in bays and estuaries.
Remarks: the largest stingray along our southeastern
and Gulf shores. Found on page 4 of http://myfwc.com/docs/Fishing/fish_id2.pdf




SOUTHERN KINGFISH - Menticirrhus americanus
Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Description: grayish brown above, with
silvery sides: 7 to 8 diagonal dusky bars or
blotches on each side, but these marks are
obscure and never form V-shaped marks on
side; scales on chest about same size as those
on body.
Size: to 38 cm (15 in.) and 1 kg (2 lbs.).
Where found: shallow coastal waters; common
along beaches.


Found on page 31



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