Oh my toothyness.

A week or so ago I saw a report that wildlife officers had found a 14-foot long African Rock python in the Everglades National Park. Now, I know more and more large, exotic pythons are being found in the Park as the result of brain-dead imbeciles people releasing them into the wild, but this version is apparently capable of growing to 20 feet, and it’s a notoriously vicious breed that eats everything from goats to crocodiles to wild hogs. Oh, and the occasional human. One scientist quipped “It’s mean right out of the egg…” I see. Intrigued, I did a quick image search and found the above image of a diamond-patterned demon rock python biting a wire fence, displaying a world-class set of chompers in the process. Four layers of them, to be precise – in case the first two rows of paring knives don’t close the deal, I presume.  Now, I realize the media loves to overhype this stuff and I doubt they’re the savage threat to humans that a host of hyperbolic articles imply, but when I venture into the Glades later this week to scare up some bass I’ll likely be a bit more timid when retrieving a snagged lure. In fact, I may be downright prissy.

The photo above, sent to me by an anonymous source, was recently taken at the boat ramp in Flamingo, Florida. In a single frame it confirms what many Florida-based anglers have feared: many snook did not survive the unseasonably bitter series of fronts. There are now scores of reports from around the state confirming what may be the worst fish kill of this generation and possibly the one that came before, with snook the hardest-hit species of them all. I’m planning a trip deep into the Glades next week, and my heart is heavy.

Reports from around Florida confirm that snook are dying by the thousands due to a series of record-breaking cold fronts. Snook are notoriously intolerant of chilly weather, and prolonged exposure to water temperatures below 60 degrees usually proves lethal. Though snook are the most vulnerable species, water has claimed many other types of fish, including mullet, catfish, tarpon, mojarra, snapper and gag grouper, as well as countless smaller species that are an important forage food for Florida’s game fish, including ladyfish and pinfish. To those of us who catch and release snook and carefully monitor their status, this is a big blow. Alas. There’s a wistful irony in Mother Nature ultimately being the biggest threat to snook populations since commercial fishing for them was banned in the late 1980s. For more info, visit this site.

To report a fish kill, visit FWC here or the Snook Foundation here. Please record pertinent fact such as date, time, GPS coordinates (if possible), number and size of dead or near-dead fish, and conditions observed. If you see someone illegally harvesting dead or dying snook, dial #DEP on a cell phone, or call (877) 2-SAVE-FL (1.877.272.8335).

“Well her hair was jet black and her name was Bodine,
thought she was the cream of the Basin Street queens.
She got tired of that smoky white dream,
began to feel lonesome, orn’ry and mean…”

Lures that tend to tumble or spin when cast or retrieved (jigs, softbaits, etc) can put a lot of unwanted twist in your line, which in turn leads to tangles, birds-nests, and lots of colorful language. Using a swivel (the smallest version possible for a stealthy profile) when attaching your leader line will minimize the problem. But if your line does end up all kinked and springy, here’s the cure: simply snip off the lure and feed line from your reel while your boat is underway. Feed out about 75 yards of line, let is unwind for a minute or so, then reel it back in. If you’re land-bound, try tying your line to a fixed object, feed line from the reel as you walk away, untie the line and “snap” the rod as you refill the spool to work out the kinks. Voila: straightened, smoother-casting line.

“For the supreme test of a fisherman is not how many fish he has caught, not even how he has caught them, but what he has caught when he has caught no fish.”

John H. Bradley

In winter months “down south”, cold weather, wind gusts and low tides can make shallow-water angling a real challenge. But, as with most things in life, you can find a silver lining if you look hard enough. In Florida specifically, redfish and especially snook will move inland as the thermometer drops, and they can often be found “sunning” in protected bays, especially those with dark mud bottoms that soak up and hold the sun’s heat. Move into such areas slowly, use a good set of glasses to look for moving or stationary fish and slow down the presentation of your lure or fly.

Little did these custom rods know what fate had in store for them.

My wife and I got hitched more than a year ago now, and to commemorate the death of my bachelorhood the blissful pairing, my good buddies Joe and Pete proffered up the best wedding gift I could imagine: two high end reels and two soon-to-be-delivered custom-made rods. Finding those shiny reels among the dinnerware and salad forks was one of the gleaming moments of my adult life, if only because they provided such a welcome respite from tuxedoes and flower arrangements. And knowing that Joe, a guy known locally for producing top-shelf custom rods, would soon deliver a pair of his coveted creations? I was a blissed-out groom. Read the rest of this entry »