Sailfish, here I come

Finally, my sailfishing experience will be expanded to more than just the vicarious pages of Ernest Hemingway's classic novel: "The Old Man and the Sea."

On Saturday, Capt. Jim Nelson, a local kayak fishing captain, and I, will head out to north Miami to prepare for a sailfishing trip on Sunday with George Poveromo.

Poveromo has been a staff editor for Salt Water Sportsman magazine since 1983, and the producer and host of the ESPN2 television series, George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing, for nine years. In addition, he's been the host of the Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series since its inception 22 years ago.

The National Seminar Series is the nation's longest-running educational course on recreational marine fishing tactics. The series tours eight major U.S. cities annually, and
the west coast Florida presentation will come to Bradenton on Saturday, Jan. 17, and be held inside the Manatee Community College's Performing Arts Theater. You can learn more about the tour by visiting www.nationalseminarseries.com.

In any event, watch for an update to come on this blog by Monday.

Hopefully, I can report back with tales of sailfish galore.

Talking bonefish!

There are at least a couple bonefish around, and anglers won't have to head all the way to the Keys to find them.

Sarasota resident Fred Turner caught one in Sarasota Bay on Nov. 18 and it will be featured in Friday's catch of the week in the sports section of the Bradenton Herald.

This is the first report I've heard of a bonefish in our area in my two years here.

A stunning Myakka view

In an age of over-development, where it's nearly impossible to escape the sounds of cars screeching by, wood being sawed, or parties thundering in the background, it can be tough to find perspective that there is, in fact, Old, wild Florida around.

Sometime, if you ever feel this way, visit Myakka River State Park and take the canopy walkway to the 74-foot-high tower that overlooks the park. In every direction, you'll see jungle, birds swirling and tracing the tree tops, and the rivers and lakes of Myakka.

Stare for a while. Absorb a hefty breath of earthy oxygen. And take a second to realize why it's important to protect such natural areas.

There always seems to be some people who do not respect the rules, such as those who engrave their names, initials, or other messages into the tower's railings despite a sign asking politely not to. These probably are the same people who dump trash on the sides of the trail, so it's a wonder they even bother to come out in the first place.

But, hey, everybody needs a slice of peace. And as the above photo is proof of, Myakka River State Park is the complete pie.

Kite-surfing around Fay

Bobby Koser, 21, from Tampa, wind-surfs Anna Maria Sound on Tuesday afternoon

As the outskirts of Tropical Storm Fay whisked by Bradenton on Tuesday afternoon, at least one local duo took advantage of the storm's gusts.

Bradenton resident Dr. Bob Koser, 54, and son Bobby, 21, from Tampa, spent a couple hours wind surfing on Anna Maria Sound.

"I'm playing hooky from work to do this," Bob said.

They glided across the water, sometimes up to 15 mph in the southwest corner of the Sound, just before storm clouds became to threatening to stay on the water at 2 p.m.

The wind was dangerous enough.

"When you go out there 100 yards or so," Bob said, "it's crazy and it gets hard to get back in."

It also can be hard just to stay on the board.

"There were a lot of crosswinds today," Bobby said. "You'll get going really nice and all of a sudden the wind will go south to north and the wind blows you right off the board."

Wednesday no doubt was an ideal day for all varieties of surfers who rely on strong winds, from kite surfers to wind surfers.

Bob said he saw a clip on a local news station of a kite surfer in St. Petersburg who got caught up in a gust and was slammed to the beach. "Then he held onto the line," Bob said, "he got back in the air, and it looked like he slammed into a house."

As Fay approached the Florida Keys late Monday, there wasn't much of a feeling of nervousness for Bobby.

"I was just thinking about making waves on the board," he said.

Offshore white out

Capt. Ryan Rolland, left, and Capt. Mike Myers take in an offshore thunderstorm

It was 10 minutes of rain shredding the Gulf, making the offshore water boil white, eliciting the sound of a lingering explosion.

Being in Capt. Ryan Rolland's boat at the time felt like going through a car wash on a ridiculously high-pressure mode. The boat rocked and flowed over the choppy waves. We could only watch.

We knew it was only a matter of time until the boat cleared the storm, and so, we maintained our course to "The Spot," as Rolland dubbed it on his G.P.S., a 60-by-60-foot area of raised bottom in 155 feet of water, about 55 miles offshore of Sarasota.

As we blasted through the storm, all was quiet inside the boat. We took in the sight. Some stared ahead though it was no big deal. Rolland certainly had seen this before. Not I. "This is the outdoors," I thought.

Indeed, we were in the middle of the Gulf, under grayish-white skies, surrounded by a mass of gyrating water.

If recorded, the sound would be enough to doze off to.

Fish this freshwater frenzy

Now's the time to go after bass and bluegill in any appropriate freshwater lake, pond, or stream.

For bluegill, there are tons of grass shrimp around, an anglers can pick them up scraping nets against shoreline vegetation. Put the grass shrimp under a 10 to 12 foot extension pole with a No. 12 gold hook, add a split shot one foot above the hook, and flip the bait into shoreline pockets.

Recently hatched bluegill is coming off beds, and bass wait off the beds for the hatchery bait. Simply drop a fly or jig with a small hook (No. 10 to No. 14) with bluegill colors (purple and blue, or similar patterns), or something in yellow and white, which represents large mosquitos.

Because of drought conditions in areas such as Myakka River State Park and Lake Evers, decreased water levels has congregated bait for freshwater fish to gorge themselves on. That's one of the reasons behind the reports of such fat bluegill in these areas, including Cooper Creek. Bluegill typically spawn through August.

By the way, a great lure for bass, as you may or may not know, is a Rattle Trap in gold color, since gold seems to draw more strikes in tannin-stained waters. Get one with purple and blue on it, or even color purple and blue streaks onto the lure with permanent magic markers.

Jack in the box

Capt. Rick Gross of the charter boat "Fishy Business holds a 5-pound jack crevalle


Catching a jack crevalle is like trying to land two snook on the same line. Funny they're regarded as trash fish.

True enough, they probably taste like trash, although I would not know. Nor do I know what trash tastes like. (Knock on wood.) But jack crevalle are about the meanest-fighting fish you'll find around. Even a 5-pound jack is capable of making a drag sing a clicking song, a song many anglers want on repeat.

The above jack was landed with Capt. Rick Gross on a flat some ways off Egmont Key. There was a school of jacks abut the size of a backyard swimming pool. I simply cast a shiner into the middle and hooked up seconds later. But there aforementioned song did not happen. The reel I was using did not click when line was taken. In fact, the drag system was poor so I palmed the spool each time the jack ran. It made for a more challenging fight on an already stubborn fish that may be one of the most underrated species targets around.

Crevalle have many names - common jack, jack crevalle, cavally, cavalla, horse crevalle, and toro. How about riflefish? In the late 1800s, according to McClaine's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia, jack crevalle were hunted with rifles in the shallow waters of eastern Florida.

Sounds fun, but with jacks, hook and line can be extreme enough.

Fishy Impressions

Renee Fulghum smiles beside one of her acrylic snook paintings.

Renee Fulghum set up a small booth at last weekend's 25th annual Sam Crosthwait Memorial Tournament at the Bradenton Yacht Club, showcasing her fish acrylics on rice paper.

The paintings are original gyotaku, meaning she paints the fish, then makes an impression on rice paper.

If an angler wants an impression of their fish, they simply can put the fish on ice and call Fulghum at 941-721-4714 or e-mail fulghums4@verizon.net.

Fulghum may be able to pick the fish up if it's within a reasonable distance.

Cost is typically $50 to $200, depending on the size of the fish.

Fulghum returns to Crosthwait

Sam Crosthwait Memorial Tournament chairman Rodney O'Quinn, left,

poses with tournament originator David Fulghum

Twenty-five years ago, David Fulghum had the idea to start a local tournament geared toward families.

It had been a long time since Fulghum had attended a Crosthwait tournament, but committee members finally talked Fulghum into coming out.

His presence was appreciated. From his wheelchair, Fulghum had the opportunity to scan the audience, the entire operation, and witness what the tournament has grown to.

Fulghum fell in love with fishing when he and Bradenton Yacht Club members traveled to the Keys to fish. To this day, Fulghum's favorite fish to catch is dolphin (Mahi-Mahi).

Crosthwait gallery takes in grouper

Team SeaVee Che landed this 151-pound Warsaw grouper

The first time Sam Crosthwait Memorial Tournament committee members attempted to stick this hefty Warsaw grouper on the hook to determine its weight, the giant steel hook bent, and the grouper flopped to the stage floor.

The gallery of spectators shown above exploded into applause. Maybe part of that appreciation was tied to the fact that this 10-inch hook bent, yet Brian Beukema of Team SeaVee Che managed to crank the grouper 300 feet up, in 3- to 4-foot seas, with heavy fishing tackle and a dead pinfish.

In any event, Crosthwait members rigged-up a rope through the grouper's gill and out its mouth and hoisted it in the air.

The reaction was that as above: Cameras snapping pictures, hands clapping high in the air, mouths agape, eyes fixed on a monster.

That's one of the things the Crosthwait is about. Every year, it seems, at least one offshore boat manages to bring back a person-sized fish.

Manatee plumes

Manatees caused these circles on the surface of the upper Manatee River

Mark Stukey from Rays Canoe Hideaway often gets kayakers/canoers who will come back from a day of paddling and swear they saw gators roaming underwater.

"Are there circles on the top of the water?" he asks.

They usually say, 'Yes."

"Those are manatees," Stukey tells them.

With their propeller-like tails, Manatees push water up and down as they move, creating plumes on the surface.

The above pair of manatees were roaming together through the upper Manatee River. They ended up stopping to bask in warm, shallow water. This is why there is a MANATEE ZONE sign in the same area.

The endangered manatees hung out all afternoon.

Female team wins best dressed

Team Fishin' Dirty

At the first day of the Bradenton Yacht Club-sponsored Sam Crosthwait Memorial Tournament, "Team Fishin' Dirty" won the Best Dressed Crew award.

The tournament's only all-female team of Capt. Lauren Blenker, Becky Tyson, Allison Cabanillas, Mallery Langford, Kerin Mooney and Emilee Keener won with the most crowd applause. They wore Columnia teal fishing shirts and the feature on their heads that helped them win the tournament. "Who else wears pink-and-white, zebra-striped bandannas?" Mooney said.

The team fished inshore last year and will again today when a Bimini start sends off the inshore division.

Offshore boats left about 8 p.m. Friday after the captain's meeting.

The weigh-in is scheduled to begin Sunday at 7 a.m. The awards presentation at the BYC is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Now's the time for cobia

Capt. Mike Myers battles a cobia to the boat

Capt. Tom Chaya of Dolphin Dreams Charters reported on Tuesday that cobia were around in 60-plus feet of water. Nearshore reefs are likely candidates for cobia, a strong gamefish that makes powerful runs and frequent jumps.

Cobia can be caught on spinning tackle with 15-to-30 pound test line. Cobia feed on shrimp, crabs, and assorted bait fish. Other standard baits are large plugs and 1- to 3-ounce jigs with white or yellow skirts. To prevent cut-offs, a 3-foot wire leader (No. 7 - No. 9) or a 60-to-80 pound leader is necessary.

Adult cobia are typically found in shallow waters of the gulf around buoys, anchored vessels, and floating debris.

Chaya caught his cobia to 30 pounds as he was chumming for kingfish. He free-lined a pinfish out of the boat. Cobia typically are spotted milling around a boat and resemble a shark. A cobia can be distinguished from a shark because of its dark color.

Of course, cobia deep fried in fingers or chunks, or smoked, can be excellent.

Supreme taxidermy

A blank of "The Mad Snooker" Capt. Dave Pomerleau's unofficial state record snook


If you have trophy game you'd like to have mounted, Fins to Feathers Wildlife Art has some of the finest around.

Check out http://www.finstofeathers.com/.

Irv Karlhofer has made taxidermy a long-time hobby. If you've ever seen "Hooked on Fishing" with Bill Miller on CATCH-47, you'll see Miller speaking in front of one of Karlhofer's tables. It has two redfish mounted in a marine scene that includes blue crabs and whitebait.
Cost is $12 per inch for fish. Marine habitat is extra.

"The Mad Snooker" Capt. Dave Pomerleau had the above cast made of his unofficial state-record 44-pound, 11-ounce snook landed in Fort Myers in 1995. The picture is of the blank. Karlhofer adds the art. To see the snook, head to Discount Tackle on First Street where the snook is mounted.

"He does all my customer's taxidermy," said Pomerleau, whose Web site is www.madsnooker.com. "A lot of people catch big trophy snook with me and Irv mounts them up for them."

Rough day on the water

Capt. John Guy, owner of Fisherman's Headquarters on First Street, said it best: "We just come out here to fish. We're not on the water everyday. Sometimes, we don't catch anything."

Not that's fishing. You can't always be on a charter with a captain who is almost certain about the recent hot spot beucase he or she has just fishing the hole a day prior. We would have to work for every fish.

Last Sunday, April 20, Capt. John took myself and two other men about 10 miles offshore to target kingfish. The kings had apparently moved away during a recent cold front, but after three straight days of warm temperatures, we figured they might be back around.

In about 50 feet of water, the kings did not show. We threw Rapala lures and scored with a couple bonito, which we could see slicing through the water from a distance, possibly smelling our chum combination of jack mackerel, and chunks of Berkley Gulp baits.

Earlier, we had a tough time getting baits on the flats and in the passes. Finally, though, we went about 5 miles offshore near a marker and used a Capt. Jon Guy blue runner rig, each hooked tipped with a piece of shrimp, to boat about 12 blue runners.
The blue runners, of course, did not produce any kingfish. Instead, we anchored over a bait show and a hard bottom in 45 feet of water. We landed about five undersized red grouper and about eight grunts. The grunts were caught on a jig/shrimp combination.

Just before dark, we motored to the Skyway to take our shots at some mangrove snapper over the rubble under the Skyway. With the light of a full moon lighting up the bay, our pole bents almost nonstop - because of snags.

The mangrove snapper, to our surprise, were not biting.

So we called it a night, content with just being out on the water.

It certainly was a tough day of fishing.

Skyway snack bar opens

A snack bar with a screened-in patio with 10 big picnic tables that seats 50-60 people opened two weeks ago at the north Sunshine Skyway fishing pier.

General managers Race Tyson and Jamie Foster are still playing with the open hours, but temporarily the bar will be open Friday from noon-11 p.m., Saturday from 10 am. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The bar serves hot dogs, chili dogs and nachos. The general managers are working on obtaining a beer license.

"We will have one soon," Foster said.

They also hope to add small pizzas.

The general managers also are planning on constructing a similar snack bar on the south pier.

The piers already have 24-hour bait and snack shops with about every amenity an angler could need.

A lone tree in the middle of Lake Manatee State Park managed to avoided perishing in this recent prescribed burn

If you've ever jogged, biked, or ridden a horse across one of the sugar-sand paths on the east side of Lake Manatee State Park, you may have been in awe of the wildly-voluptuous trees and vegetation.

After a while, it feels like your backyard.

Quite the shock when you come back one day, as I did, and realize that a huge section, maybe 50 acres, tops, had been burned.

At first, I thought it was disaster. I was wrong. It was just another "prescribed burn," which basically is an intentional fire started by forest rangers. It's used to get rid of the forest's natural "fuels," so that a lightning strike, for example, would not cause a wild fire that could consume the entire forest.

About seven years ago, Smoky the Bear used to say, "Only you can prevent forest fires."
But after rangers realized that "forest" fires were necessary - a forest fire meaning one that is controlled or prescribed - the wording changed. Now, Smokey's mantra is "One you can prevent Wild Fires."

The good news regarding prescribed or controlled burns is that within a couple weeks, or up to a couple months, the area already can become lush green once again.

"It depends on how dry the ground is," said Florida senior forest ranger Andy Lee.

So if you're ever in a park, or anywhere in the "wild" and you come across a burned area, remember that it's not necessarily the result of a wild fire. And, after all, fires are a natural - and surprisingly helpful - part of the ecosystem.

An afternoon in Palma Sola

Mike Lake, from Ill., and Danny Rankin, from Mich., faced a new obstacle as they put their kayaks in at the sandy "put in" on the east side of the Manatee Avenue bridge.

There's now a 25- by 20-yard fence that closes off the area in which water-goers can usually drag their kayaks into Anna Maria Sound. This area apparently is a parking lot for the upcoming Anna Maria Bridge project.

"I thought it was parking so cars wouldn't be vandalized," Lake said, "but I guess not."

They still managed to drag their kayak down a small-but-steep hill on the west side of the lot, and with D.O.A. shrimp, landed two flounder and some trout.

In heavy winds, they managed to avoid a decent chance of rain - depending on the television station.

"I watched three TV stations and you had you're pick - 30, 50 or 60 percent," Rankin said.

Just down the road, Eba Taylor sat on an Indian blanket on the Palma Sola Causeway beach, facing the steady, powerful wind. As she soaked up the sun and breeze, she read "No Second Chance" by Harlan Coben.

This is a common thing for Taylor, who brings her husband from Englewood to work everyday.
"It's beautiful, serene," she said. "That's about it."

Then a plane flew by.

"I listen listen to the waves, the wind," she said, "and watch the plane I wish I was on."

Some hefty sheepies

Capt. Thom Smith with a roughly 5-pound sheepshead

Anglers who crave that delicious white meat of the sheepshead have anxiously waited for the convict fish to begin piling up in thick numbers aroud pilings.

But the frenzy has yet to happen.

Good news though: Some big 'uns are here.

On Monday, I fished with Capt. Thom Smith and Capt. Zach Zacharias, and in north Sarasota Bay, Smith sunk a hook into what we all thought was a redfish based on its bullish runs.

Then, a surprise, as we saw a hefty, zebra-striped sheepy break the surface. At about five pounds, it was the largest sheepshead Zacharias had seen this winter.

There were more good-sized sheepshead, but none as big as Smith's.

"Sheep-herding" is in its early stages around such docks, and reportedly anglers have had success at Anna Maria City Pier and Rod and Reel Pier as well. Moreover, many of the sheepshead are in an early spawn, as was evident by the female's bellies full of roe.

It's a start.

Grab a Gill Grabber

Terry Mowrey displays his invention: The "Gill Grabber."

When Bradenton resident Terry Mowrey, 63, invented the patent-pending "Gill Grabber," he had in mind, first and foremost, fish and angler safety.


The Gill Grabber allows an angler to slide the stainless steel rod into a fish's gill without risking a laceration, and at the same time, allows for a timely release without touching the fish. After removing the hook, an angler can simply set the fish in the water and move their hand away as the rod slides from the gill, releasing the fish.





Gone could be the days of catfish stings or cuts from razor-like gills such as those in a grouper. And because fish won't be touched, they will retain their protective coating and increase their mortality rate.


"Women and children love this thing," Mowrey said.


Mowrey said the Gill Grabber retails at $15.95. He added that his No. 1 distributor is Rivers Boaten & Stuff on 2420 Manatee Avenue East.


The Gill Grabber is made of a wooden handle with rubber outing for grip. The bar is stainless steel, and is designed so that an angler can hold a fish without their knuckles touching the fish.


How much weight can it hold?


"How strong are you?" Mowrey said.


Fair enough.

A Smile from God

A trio of seagulls forms a smile in the Florida sky

Sometimes, we just need reminded that it doesn't always matter if the fish are around.

And when you're in the Florida outdoors - pay attention. Never know what you might see.

The above photo was sent to me by Capt. Bobby Hilbrunner of Fish'n Flyer Charters. A friend of Hilbrunner's from Las Vegas took the photo off the coast of Fort Myers.

"In the original note he sent me, he told me it was just awesome," Hilbrunner said. "He looked up and saw the birds and they created a smile and they were like, 'How about that.' That's when you know somebody's smiling on you."

All around us, nature is talking, formed messages, even flaunting its majesty. It's up to us to take notice.

Whether it be sneaking up on a school of snook in a kayak, or spotting a burrowing armadillo off a hiking trail, one of the best aspects of the outdoors is simply watching. Notice the damp mangrove roots and the level the water once was at. Then maybe we'll be a bit more thrify with using water. Look to the sky and, at any given moment, you may spot something that the most vividly imaginative author could not put to words.

And maybe, one day, you'll gaze up from the water and think God's smiling upon you, too.

Sneaky spiders

When I awoke one day to find that the skin on my right middle knuckle was tough and irritated, I thought nothing of it.

Mosquito bite. Nothing more.

I had been night-fishing the night before, and I was sure nothing had crawled onto me in my sleep.

The next day, it began to swell a bit, but not to the point that I was alarmed.

The point here: Don't be like me. Be alarmed. Go to a doctor.

Another day passed, and the last thought that came to my mind was that I had been bitten by a spider. As the swelling peaked, I actually looked at my knuckle and was intrigued. Again, not the smartest reaction. At the same time, I knew that if it had been one of the two main types of venomous Florida spiders - the widow or recluse - I would have been in much worse shape.

As I looked closer, I could see two small, brown dots, about a quarter-inch apart. Had to be scars from spider fangs.

I went online and performed a search for 'Natural Spider Bite Remedies.' Two came up that received a lot of positive feedback. There was advice that you could make an incision directly on the bite and hold a piece of sliced potato on the wound, the idea being that the starch from the potato would draw the venom out.

I tried this, became impatient with the results, and went on to another possible remedy. I simply ran hot water over the bite, and poured salt over the wound. I let the salt sit for 10 minutes, and rinsed it off. That's an old-time remedy, and after I did this, my knuckle ceased to squeak. (Really - I would hold the knuckle to my ear, and when I opened and closed my hand, the joint squeaked. Not good.)

I did the salt remedy day after day, and finally, the swelling went down, and the joint stopped squeaking. Oddly enough, there remained something in my knuckle, maybe a quarter-inch long, that resembled a fang. I considered seeing a doctor for this, but I figured I'd just be doling out money to hear the words: "You're OK. It will go away naturally."

And it did. As time passed, this "thing" in my knuckle apparently disintegrated. The skin on my knuckle became dry and flaky for a couple days.

People who are engaged in activities where they cannot see where their hands are going (lifting boards, reaching into storage boxes, etc.) should wear gloves. Take it from me, that includes fishermen.

Fire danger high

Florida senior forest ranger Andy Lee isn't into scare tactics, but he said it's a fact that we're in a pretty bad fire situation. Drought condition and a freeze that killed off much vegetation has left us prone to possible fires.

On Tuesday night, Lee helped contain a fire in North Port that he estimated had burned 100 acres.

People whose vehicles are low to the ground should watch that their catalytic converters do not contact high grass. Also, people can make sure weeds around their houses are trimmed and there are no leaves in their roofs. Even a sprinkler running occasionally in a backyard can be helpful.

If anyone has any questions, Patrick Mahoney, an information officer for the Division of Forestry, can be reached at 751-7627.

TerrorEyz a terror on fish

The D.O.A. TerrorEyz, unique because its eyes are designed to reflect light, can be fished to imitate a bait fish or crustacean.

For example, a black back over silver glitter resembles a finger mullet, and in freshwater looks like a shiner.

When I was out with D.O.A. President Mark Nichols last year, he choose the other option - make it emulate a crustacean. He did this under a bridge over a rocky bottom for a 36-inch snook.

Another technique Nichols uses over a muddy bottom is to let the TerroEyz rest, and then jig it sharply to kick up mud and get a fish's attention.

The TerrorEyz also is a great tarpon bait. In his seminars, Nichols compares this technique to flying a kite. When you cast the TerrorEyz down-and-cross tide, the lure suspends itself in the water column because the line entry is at the head, so the head is hitting the water on the top of the head. "That's how tarpon like to eat it," Nichols said. "Leave it motionless."

Another thing - when designing the hook, Nichols made it so that the entire hook is exposed, yet does not tear on the plastic. So the hook is exposed for an easy set. Plus, it makes for a durable lure. "That is huge," Nichols said.

Nichols would recommend using a loop knot with a TerrorEyz, especially when using 60-pound leader for tarpon-fishing, so that the lure has maximum action.

Just like ice fishing

If you've ever been ice-fishing before, and you miss the way you could cut a hole in the ice and drop a line — or even if you haven't — here's good news: Florida has its own version.

In fact, a great way to catch freshwater fish such as speckled perch, bluegill and catfish is by simply taking a net and pushing a hole into a hydrilla mat in 5 to 10 feet of water. That will release all the minnows and grass shrimp and can start a feed. Just drop a minnow or grass shrimp in the hole and hope for the best. Capt. Doc Lee said he's sometimes taken 3 or 4 speckled perch from one hole.

And once you hit one hole, move onto another. Make sure to works different levels of the water column to see where the fish are biting.

On another note, Lee heard that at Lake Manatee, anglers recently pulled 36 speckled perch from one-half to two pounds working around hydrilla in 8 to 10 feet of water.

The full moon is coming on Jan. 22, and anything in a spawning rhythm, such as bass and specks, should be spawning. Typically, bass and specks will spawn in 1 to 3 feet of water in grassy areas such as hydrilla or other heavy-duty brush. Once you find one spawner, there likely will be another couple dozen in the area.