It doesn’t matter where around the Florida peninsula you ply your craft; spoons catch redfish! Knowing when, where and precisely how to fish these wicked wobblers will ultimately increase your score.

Where the Critically Afflicted Come for Treatment

It’s 6 am and already a balmy 75 degrees. You’re surrounded by some of your best fishing buddies, and while attending to some last minute rigging duties you realize you may have thrown back a few too many last night.

Stalking stripers deep in the marshes of Cape Cod.

If the breeze is just right, I can tell what’s on the menu at my favorite restaurant a mile or so from a marsh I love to fish on Cape Cod. My stomach tells me it’s almost dinnertime but my ears tell me there are stripers – big ones – feeding in the seam on the other side of the outflow. The conditions are perfect with just a hint of wind to disguise the plop of my soft plastic as it gently lands up-current from the fish.

Wonder what goes into manufacturing the tackle, gear and accessories we all use today? Anglers often take for granted the tremendous effort it requires to engineer, design and build all of the equipment and countless components which combine to enhance our boating and sport fishing experiences. You name it, and somewhere in Florida is a team of professionals investing long hours to produce the assortment of fishing gear we so cherish. We wanted to learn more about these people and about the products they specialize in and know that you, too, will be fascinated with what we discover in our ongoing quest to find out “How It’s Made.”

Have you ever returned from an amazing fishing trip and caught a case of the blues, but for no apparent reason? After spending five days on Cat Island, I can tell you exactly why. We were catching fish, enjoying ice-cold Kaliks and living the carefree island life, all the while knowing we’d have to return home soon and face the realization that it was just a short getaway.

Florida's deep water delights continue to surprise.

The heavy sash weight finally hit bottom after what seemed like an eternity of anticipation. Within 30 seconds we had a solid tap and soon the heavy-duty bent-butt was doubled over under the pressure of a dramatic deep dweller. The unknown adversary made a strong initial run, ripping off drag from the featherweight Daiwa TB-1000 with little hesitation.

Summertime strategies for finding and fooling big kings.

Smokers. You’ve surely heard the word tossed around before and no, I’m not talking about the population that can no longer inhale their nicotine fix in local restaurants. The smokers I’m referring to are king mackerel that pull the scale past the 30-pound mark. With aggressive attacks and mind-boggling aerial assaults, monster king mackerel are among the most exciting coastal pelagic species to target. When a smoker king grabs your bait, the ensuing moments are sure to excite even the most seasoned veterans.

Is Florida’s favorite game fish in peril? You decide.

As I open my eyes for the first time, I’m nearly blinded by the golden hues of shimmering light protruding through the ever-present mats of floating vegetation. In my peripheral vision I notice a translucent shrimp drifting with the current. Natural instincts take over and after sucking down the tasty treat, I notice a juvenile filefish and quickly gobble it down, too. All the while my brethren scour the same weedline in hopes of filling their bellies – for the moment that is.