CharlestonFishing.Com's FREE Weekly Newsletter

New Inshore Limits?
About once a year I try to dedicate one article to conservation. It is one of those topics we hear a lot more of these days actually more than ever. While our site focuses on catching fish there are also some really good discussions on conserving the resource as well. It is interesting to see how divided recreational anglers are on this topic, but at the same time it is good to see it being discussed and debated and hopefully put to use within the guidelines we are given by DNR. Over the past few years, many anglers have commented that some of the inshore limits needed to be adjusted due to the great increase of pressure on these fish. As our population explodes, the number of people fishing is increasing at a rapid pace. I recently received a press release from CCA addressing some of the limits and this piece of legislation has already passed the house and senate and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Read the article HERE

Council Approves Amendment to Create Marine Protected Areas - Amendment 14 Approved for Submission to the Secretary of Commerce
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved an amendment for submission to the Secretary of Commerce that will create a series of 8 marine protected areas in the South Atlantic during its meeting this past week in Key West, Florida. The areas, established in Amendment 14 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan, are designed as a means to protect deepwater snapper grouper species and their associated habitat and spawning. The MPAs are considered “Type 2” and will prohibit fishing for species in the snapper grouper management complex, including deepwater grouper and tilefish. Many deepwater species, including snowy grouper, golden tilefish, and speckled hind, are vulnerable to overfishing because they are long lived, have complex life histories, and do not survive the trauma of capture from deep waters. The Council believes that MPAs are the most effective fishery management tool to allow deepwater snapper grouper species to reach their natural size and age, while protecting spawning locations and habitat.
Read the article HERE

Top Ten Tips From BoatUS For Getting The Most From A Tank Of Gas
Fuel prices are reaching their summertime highs in many parts of the country, so Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has a few tips that could help stretch your fuel dollars:

Leave the extra 'junk' home: Don't load the boat up with weight you don't need. Do a little spring cleaning - unused equipment that has been collecting mildew in the bottom of lockers for years should be taken home.
Water weight: At 8.33 pounds per gallon, why keep the water in the tank topped off if you're only going out for the afternoon?
Tune her up: An engine tune-up is an excellent investment and should easily pay for itself over the summer.
Tune your prop: If your boat goes 30 mph with a like-new prop and only 27 mph with a prop that's dinged and out of pitch, that's a 10% loss in fuel economy, or, you're wasting one out of every ten gallons you put in your tank.
Paint the boat's bottom: When boating in salt or brackish waters a fouled bottom is like a dull knife. It takes a lot more fuel to push your boat through the water.
Keep the boat in trim: Using trim tabs or distributing weight evenly will help move your boat through the water with less effort - and less fuel.
Go with the flow: Consult tide tables and try to travel with the tide whenever possible.
Install a fuel flow meter: A fuel flow meter is like a heart monitor; when consumption starts to rise, it's an early warning that something is amiss. A fuel flow meter also allows you to select a comfortable cruising speed that optimizes the amount of fuel being consumed. If you don't want to spring for a fuel flow meter (about $300), you can calculate your fuel mileage by dividing distance traveled by gallons at fill-up. Using your logbook, you can then approximate fuel flow using average speeds and time underway.
For sailboats only: While their engines are miserly, a sailboat with a fouled bottom, prop, or poorly maintained engine can have marked effect on its fuel economy.
Get a discount: Many of the 870 BoatUS Cooperating Marinas around the country offer up to 10 cents off a gallon of gas. To get the discount all you have to do is to show your BoatUS membership card. If you aren’t already a member, join online now for a special rate of $19.00 by going Here or call 800-395-2628.

Fishing over the last two weeks has been really good, both offshore and inshore. The offshore bite is still going strong with plenty of dolphin out there with some reports of boats catching them as close a 55’ of water! There were some monster wahoo caught as well. The tuna are still hit and miss and the dreaded barracuda are starting to wreak their usual summer havoc on trolling spreads. The nighttime swordfish bite is also pretty good right now if you can find good weather for an overnight trip. The king mackerel fishing is in full swing using live menhaden over areas of live bottom from 45’-60’ of water. The spadefish are on the reefs and are hitting jelly balls and shrimp. Inshore the redfish are hitting a variety of artificial and live bait. The trout fishing is good and top-water in the early morning or just before dark is providing some great action. Sheepshead are around just about any structure you can find and the flounder fishing with live mudminnows is really good as well. For some light tackle action try live crabs for bonnet head sharks along the oyster beds at creek mouths.
In closing my family would like to express our condolences and we send our prayers to the families and friends of the 9 firemen that lost their lives this week. It was really tough for me to sit down and get my mind on fishing with such a tragedy hitting so close to home. We appreciate the bravery and dedication these men exhibit each and every day in their dangerous profession.

Tight lines…
Captain Tim Pickett
CharlestonFishing.Com