My kids all grew up fishing. I learned from my Dad how to start them out and what to do to get them hooked, so to speak. You see, he had done the same thing for me, and his uncle before him for even him. The kids all love to fish today, although, not unlike most of us, work and family situations prevent fishing as such as they would like... Read more...

Sometimes we get caught up in our own backyard so much that we miss the rest of the world. I harp on the fishing closures - but it seems I only harp on those affecting me personally. Grouper, red snapper and vermilion snapper are closed in the Gulf and in the Southeast Atlantic, and that affects me personally. What I failed to see is that black sea bass, a bottom fishing staple among mid and north Atlantic states, was closed this past October for 180 days because of "overfishing".

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and a number of other organizations like United Boatmen have planned a march on Washington DC, to protest the fishing closures that have been based on science that is what we all believe questionable at best.

If you are in the area make plans to be there. If you can afford to come - plan a trip and be there on February 24 as recreational and commercial fishermen join hands in an effort to make Washington aware of the situation.

All of this is blamed on the Magnuson-Stevens Act that requires that actions be taken to stop overfishing for any species of fish within one year. What they powers that be fail to read is the rest of the story - the act also requires that they take into account the effects of any of their actions on people and industries that depend on fishing. So far, they have failed miserably at addressing that side of the equation.

We speared two more snapper, and as we swam up and toward the boat, the cudas began streaking through the area faster than any fish I ever saw. I use the term silver streak, because that is exactly what they looked like! Fearing the worst with this behavior, we quickly got out of the water and into the boat. Read more...

Everyone has seen them. Those hand wrapped beauties in the rod holders just begging to be handled. A snakeskin butt wrap glistens in the sun. Custom made rods: who wouldn't give just about anything to have one. Maybe the cold weather will allow us to stay home and build one!Read more...