Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast Sept. 20, 2012

BRADENTON -- One of the biggest events of the year, the Tampa Boat Show, is approaching at the end of the month and will now feature on-the-water education for all ages. Veterans now have an easier path to becoming commercial fishermen. Capt. Rick Grassett recommends catching and releasing snook before dawn and then moving to the flats for trout and reds in Sarasota Bay next week.

 FWC decides to make it easier for Fla. veterans to become commercial fishermen

• Florida veterans wishing to enter the commercial fishing industry may soon be able to do so more easily thanks to changes made today at the Sept. 5-6 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Tampa. These changes are anticipated to take effect on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2012.
• The Commission implemented a new program that will modify income requirements for Florida veterans seeking a commercial restricted species endorsement license.
• The restricted species endorsement allows commercial harvesters to fish for and sell species that are designated as restricted.
• Spanish and king mackerel, flounder, shrimp, dolphin and several reef fish are among the list of species that require a restricted species endorsement.
• Currently, commercial harvesters attempting to qualify for a restricted species endorsement license must have a Florida Saltwater Products License, which is Florida’s commercial saltwater fishing license, and be able to attribute $5,000 or 25 percent of their total annual income during one of the past three years to sales of saltwater products.
• With the new changes in place, restricted species endorsement income requirements will be waived for one license year (July 1 - June 30) for Florida veterans who were honorably discharged between Sept. 11, 2001, and June 30, 2014. After June 30, 2014, this income requirement waiver will continue to extend to Florida veterans so long as they apply within four years of an honorable discharge.

Weekend Forecast  

A weak stationary boundary will persist across the central waters today and Friday. High pressure will build north of the waters late Friday into Saturday . A cold front will move into the southeastern states Saturday night then into the Atlantic on Sunday. Strong high pressure will build north of the waters Sunday night and Monday.

Thursday

Northeast winds around 5 knots then becoming north in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered showers. Isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Thursday night will bring northeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated showers in the evening.

Friday

Northeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Friday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated showers in the evening.

Saturday

Northeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Saturday night will bring northeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of thunderstorms.

Sunday

Northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of thunderstorms. Sunday night will bring northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms.

Tides

Solunar Forecast