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I bet this happens way to often!
Author: jcarrigan
On my first day in the Keys and after a long drive, I settled into my hotel and checked out the bar, and the bartender just happened to be a local fisherman as well. Steve was great with the info and told me a few places to check out and what bait to take. The reassuring part was the fact that the areas I had already discovered online and the baits to use, well those were already recommended earlier in the day.
The next day after work I set out to check the first few spots on Key West! I started out on White Street Fishing Pier. I spoke with a few locals that were fishing with squid of course and decided to break out the travel rods. On the pier, the popular technique, was the squid for smaller fish near the pier, then cast the smaller fish farther out for something better. I chose to ignore this and throw lures and jigs all to watch a few fish strike and follow my baits.
I moved on to fish a few more spots working towards the airport. Heading towards the airport the spots I chose were; the corner of Bertha St & S Roosevelt Blvd, the third rock jetty on Smathers Beach (all were recommended), and the corner near the airport where S Roosevelt heads north just past the Best Western. It was at this corner I had my first strike from a small barracuda. I also spoke with a local, who again recommended squid, hum…shocker!
My final day, I took the some of the advice and bought bait, well not squid but shrimp from a pretty cool tackle shop and bar. Key West Bait and Tackle is a pretty cool little hangout, not only to get bait but talk with some locals as well. I got the shrimp and headed to Fort Zachary Taylor and fished the rock jetty next to the beach.
I set up on the rocks and decided to try my lures again just in case. Well just in case nothing decided to strike. I tied on a small jig with the shrimp and proceeded to feed the local population of very small fish with my shrimp. Those little….kept stealing my shrimp…… I decided to pull out the Berkley Gulp shrimp that I brought with me and put a very small piece on. If you leave the jig in place just barely moving it with the Gulp, you will catch smaller fish near the rocks by the shore. I did catch a small bait fish and threw it out on my bigger rod and proceeded to try to catch more bait.
I did manage one decent fish to the shore but I have no clue what it was. It did put up a good fight, which most saltwater fish seem to do. 
Within minutes, I had something pulling line off my reel. Something so BIG, it literally took all my line….:( I spooled back up, but could hook any smaller fish with the power bait so I put on a couple of shrimp and chucked it back out in the deeper water. Again, within minutes the line began to scream until……wait for it…….snap. No more line….. At this point, I didn’t have any heavy sinker left and just used the rest of the shrimp to find the local population living amongst the rocks. In the end, I had a good time and got some well-needed sun. Just wished I would have listed better. Maybe next time in Key West!
Recommendations for shore fishing the Keys and Key West.
The best bait to use to avoid the bait stealer is squid and Berkley Gulp. Any shiny for barracuda! Small jigs with bait to catch more bait. Then send the smaller bait or the bait you bought farther out to deep water to catch something else. I’m very confident that this info will bring you luck in the Keys, that I on my next trip I promise to follow my own advice and use this info and let everyone know how it works.
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Key West for a work trip and a last minute one at that. So with Key West travel and booking things late, all meant I had to drive from Miami to Key West. It is a 3 plus hour drive depending on traffic, so why not take advantage of the trip to check out the shore fishing on the way down and opportunities to fish from the shore. Now, I’m not going after any trophy fish or highly targeted species, just looking for something to catch after work for some entertainment. Some people might get caught up in the Key West nightlife and the happenings on Duval St. However, I chose to spend my extra time scouting the local fishing scene.
So I should frame this post as what not to do because obviously you will find out I didn’t take the advice of multiple people I talked to. I least I can say I tried something different. Shore fishing the Florida Keys is really simple and try to listen to the advice, that I chose to ignore and you will find success fishing the Keys!
I started the drive down with at stop at the Islamorada World Wide Sportsman or more fondly know as Bass Pro. I was lacking a heavy duty travel rod and the local Bass Pro in Baltimore did not have what I wanted. There I picked up a new Tsunami travel boat rod, and what I great investment that was (review to come!) While there I also took the time to check out the area. This is a great stop to find motivation to fish the shallows of the Keys. The docks surrounding the Bass Pro are covered in HUGE 5-6ft Tarpon, which is lazily cruising around knowing that they are being left alone! That site alone had me all amped up to go fishing.
As I got back to the drive to Key West I made a few stops at various bridges and keys to check things out and see what the locals were catching. It seemed most people were having luck with various grouper, snapper, and barracuda near all the bridges. On the drive down the most notable bridges that seemed to be producing and popular with the locals; Indian Key @ Indian Key Channel, Lower Matecumbe Key @ Channel Two, the bridge between Long Key and Duck Key. If you want to throw a fly a decent place I scoped out was at Bahia Honda State Park. The front side of the island around the beaches and near the bridge, with the right wind, looked so promising for a fly rod. However, the wind was not cooperating with me that day so I moved on. The ranger at the park did tell me when the wind is right, so is the fishing! This is where I ended my day and headed to the hotel as the sun was setting.
Recommendations for shore fishing the Keys.
Honestly, if you can find a bridge or a spot on the side of the road to fish, you are going to catch “something”! The reoccurring fishing theme for the various bridges was fresh bait, shrimp or squid. I high recommend two rods. One set up with a small jig head and bait it with squid to catch smaller fish. Then throw out the smaller fish on circle hooks to catch something bigger!!! The best bait to use to avoid the bait stealer is squid and Berkley Gulp. Any shiny baits or lures for barracuda! Small jigs with bait to catch more bait. Then send the smaller bait or the bait you bought farther out to deep water to catch something else. I’m very confident that this info will bring you luck in the Keys, that I on my next trip I promise to follow my own advice and use this info and let everyone know how it works.
While this is a not a complete list of places, it is a start to discover shore fishing the Florida Keys!
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
Beginner 3 Rod Setup – How to select your first fishing rods.
When I first started fishing as a kid I wanted to be just like the pros! Heck, I even had my first boat at the age of 13 and used a transom mount trolling motor on the front, just to be cool. I then began to collect every piece of fishing gear I could get my hands on; lures, rods, reels, tackle boxes, etc. I think at one point I had almost 15 random rods and reels. As a kid and would drag every one of them out with me on my adventures. As an adult, I still have a vast array of rods for almost every situation. I have rods for the surf, catfishing, crappie, bass and even fly rods (salt and fresh). I had an aha moment while reading an article about 7 years ago and it was to keep things simple from tackle to rods. When it came to rods it focused on your strengths, and I had three techniques I fished most, finesse, swim jigs, and topwater.
I found that if I had three rods that match my favorite techniques I would save time and room in my boat. I also discovered along the way, that these three rods worked for other situations when needed as well. I started carrying just three rods back in 2009 and have since added a few to a daily arsenal. I have rod holders mounted on my boat and can hold 8 and that is the max I will take. Today I do carry multiple rods, but the base of what I bring is still geared toward the three techniques.
First up, FINESSE FISHING, and what I have is an older Abu Garcia 6’6” Medium Light (ML) spinning rod. The reel varies based on what I’m fishing for. I will say normally I have a reel spooled with 8lb fluorocarbon (sensitivity and sight). If you are starting out and new to fishing really any Medium Light to Medium spinning rod will do. As you advance and get confident to the various techniques of FINESSE Fishing picking rods specifically designed for an application like shaky head and drop shot, will have better performance, but with a higher price tag. So why finesse fishing? Well, it’s simple I fish some highly pressured rivers in lakes that are in and around Washington DC. The Potomac River and my favorite watershed Rocky Gorge Reservoir get pounded by anglers. I make it a goal to fish behind people and catch what they miss ; ). So finessed fishing is my favorite technique for bass.
Next, SWIM JIGS, and with this application, I am using another Abu Garcia and more specifically the first Veritas model. It measures 7’6” and is Medium Heavy (MH). In regards to the reel situation, it changes all the time, but I do like a fast retrieve. Faster is better for me because I can always slow things down. The long rod allows me to really chuck a heavy jig out in the water. Along with casting the swim jig, and with the length of the rod I will switch it up from casting, and go straight to flipping and pitching. As far as line goes, I’ll use braid on the Potomac River with all the weeds and switch to fluorocarbon in the local reservoirs that don’t have a lot of heavy cover. This rod can be used for so much more; spinner baits, Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, swim baits, and even catfishing : ). Again, if you are starting out pick something simple and then work your way up. All the major rod manufacturers produce very decent models that start around $40 to $60 and work great. So why swim jigs, we all know bass jigs produce. I just get bored and would rather fish it like a spinnerbait that it. Also, when I’m throwing frogs on the Potomac in the slop and I miss a fish, I quickly follow up with a jig and usually have success!
Last, TOPWATER FISHING, nothing is better than throwing a popper or a frog and watching a bass explode on the lure. When I started out top water fishing especially with a walk the dog lure was always difficult. However, I bought my first Shakespeare Ugly Stick and it was that action that made all the difference is my topwater techniques. The long flex through the entire rod has always helped me impart the best action on a lure, thus producing more fish on the end of the line. I have switched and now use s-glass rods and are usually sold as “Crankbait Rods”. The first two rods mentioned are usually made of carbon or graphite or a combination of. The one I use now is Wright & McGill Skeet Reese S-glass crankbait rod and measures 7ft. Sold as a crankbait rod, this works great for me as a topwater rod as well. It’s the long bend in the rod and that is the reason I like them so much.
As a side note for those anglers who are not yet comfortable with baitcasting reels. It’s really OK to use a spincast reel. Heck I still have my first Zebco 33 that was passed down from my Great Uncle and is probably from the 70’s. Honestly, there are some really nice spincast reels out there today, to get you started.
That rounds out the baseline for the rods that I use when fishing. It’s geared towards bass mostly, but I still use those rods for other fishing methods as well. When starting out fishing, I would try to really keep things simple, until you get the hang of things and want to venture into more technique specific and higher priced rods.
If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! Email or check out on Social Media!
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, and email thenationalangler@gmail.com
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
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Deeper Fish Finder Review
UPDATE May 3rd, 2016
Thanks to some good help I have realized that I’ve left out good info and stuck to too much of the basics just like the details on the Amazon site. While I’ve used it I’m still experimenting with the fishfinder. So with that, I will say the following. My only complaint is the noise. My first time out I pulled up to a bridge where some guys were catching catfish. I cast it out and the cats stopped biting. About 15min went by and they began again. The guy said something to me “hey since you showed up, they stopped biting…” They started catching again, so I asked if I could experiment. Well, the noise definitely had an impact on fish in shallow water.
Also a big shoutout to my new friends at the Facebook Group “Texas Crappie Fishing”
Semper Fish
Joe
This fishing review covers the Deeper portable fish finder geared specifically towards shore anglers. A majority of the cast-able fish finders are sold on Amazon, and the Deeper with the highest cost also came in with the highest reviews and most capabilities. The Deeper can be used on a fishing pole, through a hole in the ice, mounted to a small boat or kayak. It operates on a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone which saves on battery time. You can also charge it with a micro-USB adapter, which happens to be the same charger for my smartphone. Overall this fish finder has some great options and I look forward to getting to use it. I will be doing more reviews covering specific functions of the Deeper.
If you are on the hunt for a fish finder like this, I highly recommend the Deeper and you can purchase it on Amazon. Click on the image below and check out the reviews to see the almost 5 stars.
PROS: Multiple uses from shore, ice, and small crafts. Bluetooth saves battery life of device and phone. Convenient charging. Mapping feature which is usually found on very expensive fish finders. Excellent phone app.
CONS: Sonar is loud (pings). Large splash when hitting the water. Bluetooth distance ( I can outcast this easily), Poor shallow water performance.
Watch how the Deeper casts below!
Surfing the internet for fishing info usually runs you into some very interesting things. One evening I ran across a YouTube video of a guy using a Deeper fish finder. Intrigued I continued to find related information on the device. I found some very generic information, but not the in-depth reviews. I went on the Deeper website to find it was sold on Amazon. Yes, Amazon is one of the first places that I go to for reviews of anything fishing related that I might want to buy. I quickly discovered that along with the Deeper fish finder, a multitude of other brands existed for attaching to the end of the line. I quickly reviewed all the different options and discovered the Deeper was the most expensive and had the best reviews.
The Deeper is a fish finder that attaches to the end of your line and can be cast out onto the water and slowly retrieved to view depths and potential location of the structure, bait and hopefully fish! It can also be used for ice fishing with its flasher mode and with the optional mounting arm, attached to a small boat or kayak.
Top 3 uses for this phone are for finding fish, finding structure (depths, weeds, etc.), and water temp. These are a few thing only available to boaters and now you can have all this from the bank.
Deeper works with both Android and Apple devices and uses Bluetooth to transmit the images back to the smart device. The range of the Bluetooth is advertised at 150 feet, but I can easily outcast this.
Charging is done via USB and I’ve charged mine with my computer and both home and car charger for my smartphone. The battery is said to have a battery life of 4 hours. I haven’t personally tested this yet. It also recommends recharging every 2 months. This was a problem for me after a few weeks. I will check the rate before every fishing adventure.
The sonar operates on a dual be at 290 kHz which is a narrow 15 Degree and 90 kHz at 55 Degree angle. This gives multiple options to scan for fish and structure. Depth is advertised from 1.5 feet to 130feet, not much of worry for me since I have never fished that deep, yet… I’ve had issues with performance at depths less than 3 feet and the device doesn’t’ work perfectly.
The application that is downloaded is very user-friendly, which includes a great color display. The display has a regular view, flasher, split screen and my favorite a mapping option. The ability to put this device in boat mode and track the bottom contour is great. I’m looking forward to using it more and providing a review for it as well. The weather and social functions are also great.
Accessories included in the package with the sonar are; attachment bolts, USB wore, neoprene carrying pouch and manual. Optionally you can buy a flexible are to mount this sonar to your boat or kayak and multiple colored covers for night fishing. The color caps allow the blinking light to show and help keep track of your sonar unit. The attachment bolts go in three separate areas and are for different uses, boat, casting, and ice.
One accessory I purchased separately was a cell phone holder for a bicycle. This attaches perfectly to the handle on any fishing rod and securely holds a smartphone. I got the one pictured below of eBay for about $6 including shipping.
Technical specification
Size: 2.55 in / 6.5 cm
Weight: 3.5 oz / 100 g
Connection: Bluetooth
Range: Up to 140-160 ft / 50 m
Depth: 130 ft / 40 m
Temperature: -4F to 104F
Battery: Li-Poly. 6H
Sonar: Dual beam
Frequency: 290 & 90 kHz
Cone angle: 15° & 55°
If you have any questions for future reviews, let me know!
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
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Carp Addiction
Today started out at a brisk 28 degrees in Maryland. My friend launched his new boat on the Patapsco River near Baltimore Maryland, to begin the break-in process. After some scouting on the fish finder and seeing some activity, we began throwing rattle traps in the hopes for large Maryland striped bass.
Working areas of with current and eddies did not show any results. We worked around a few bridges in the hope for a crappie bite also, but no success. Marks on the fish finder remained constant and so did our intent on figuring out what lurked below the boat. Finally, something jumped just yards from the boat. “Wait was that a striped bass”, no clue. A few casts later my friend hooked up with something very large and lethargic in the 45-degree water. After a minute of fighting the fish with his medium light rod, buckling over, the hook came free.
Moments later, I hooked into a fish and quickly lost whatever was on the end. A few cast later, I hooked into something large and the drag began to scream. Every time I got the fish near the surface it would bolt away, stripping line from my reel. It made a few attempts under the boat and I was able to fight it back every time. The arc in my medium light rod was insane, as I held onto the main part of the rod with my hand to horse this beast of something from the river. This fish was not coming to the boat, without a fight.
15min went by and my hopes of large Maryland striped bass fell apart. However, I was excited to see my personal best carp on the end of the line. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have a tape measure or scale to measure or weigh the fish. The fish was returned to the water to fight another day!
I never understood the allure of fishing for carp. Well, until you catch a carp like this one, you wouldn’t have a clue. I think this just opened me up, to finding trophy carp in the future!
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
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Is this cheating?
On Saturday, April 2nd, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2nd Annual Blue Catfish tournament at Smallwood State Park MD. The tournament was hosted by the Central Maryland Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association. Prizes included a custom rod, $500 cash, Engel Coolers and custom CCA fishing rods. Participants had the opportunity to fish from the shore, kayak and boat for various prizes. 
Up for grabs during the tournament was a $5000 bounty sponsored by Bass Pro Shops for the angler who could potentially break the current state record Blue Catfish at 84.28 that was caught back in 2012.
Unfortunately for anglers, the weather did not cooperate at all. Temps in the mid 40’s and SW winds at 20+ mph with rain slowed the catch rate considerably.
Personally, I had engine problems and my partner and I ended up fishing near the main channel of the Potomac River.
The combination of the weather and engine problems kept me from getting to the prime Blue Catfish areas. We caught plenty of Blue Catfish, however, nothing to brag about or even weigh-in. The highlight of the day was a bit of needed sunshine and this 2ft eel and an extremely small White Perch ; )
The top weight for the boater division for 3 catfish was at 50lbs, 28lbs for the kayak division and no fish for the shore anglers. A great event to raise funds for CCA Maryland and hopefully the weather and my engine cooperate for next year!
Semper Fish!
Joe, The National Angler
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Monday…
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Shhh
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