Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast Dec. 06, 2012

BRADENTON -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be hosting two webinars in December to gather public input on the potential creation of salwater game fish and sport fish designations. The commission will meet on Dec. 5-6 to discuss topics which include: two boating related topics; gag grouper; and flounder and oysters in Apalachicola Bay. Tripletail should remain a good option in the coastal gulf when conditions are good. Anglers can find trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. With water now in the mid 60s, shallow water fishing for reds should also be good. Look for them in potholes and on the edges of bars when the tide is low or higher on shallow grass flats at the top of the tide. 

Fishing Updates

Game fish, sport fish webinars planned for early December

• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting two webinars in December to gather public testimony and input on the potential creation of saltwater game fish and sport fish designations.

• The online meetings are from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 10 and 12. To participate in a webinar, visithttp://fwc.adobeconnect.com/mfm/at the start of each meeting.
• The designation issue will also be a topic of discussion at the Commission’s Dec. 5 meeting in Apalachicola.
• Reasons for considering these changes include helping highlight and protect some of Florida’s premier recreational fish and encouraging anglers to practice voluntary conservation practices such as catch-and-release. If adopted, these changes could lead to healthier fish populations and help Florida market its unique fishing opportunities to residents and visitors.
• Suggested parameters for game fish include no commercial harvest, possession or sale; fish could be targeted only with hook and line; and captain and crew of for-hire vessels such as charter boats would have a bag limit of zero and would not be allowed to take fish home for themselves.
• The sport fish designation would offer a higher level of protection than game fish by making selected species catch-and-release only, including no recreational harvest as well as no commercial harvest, possession or sale. Sport fish could also be targeted by hook and line only.
• If game fish and sport fish designations are approved, staff will return to future meetings with suggestions for potential fish species candidates.

• To learn more about the webinar, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Rulemaking” and “Workshops.” For those without computers, voice-only access is available. For questions about webinar access, please contact Carly Canion at 850-617-9627 orCarly.Canion@MyFWC.com.

Weekend Forecast

Easterly flow below headline criteria will continue across the marine zones of the eastern Gulf of Mexico through Friday morning. The local gradient is expected to then weaken further by later Friday and into the upcoming weekend. This weak gradient will keep winds and seas low. Winds will then increase out of the south early next week ahead of an approaching cold front.

Moday

East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered showers. Monday night will bring northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth to a light chop.

2011/12/08Thu06:08 a.m.-0.37L

2011/12/08Thu01:11 p.m.1.32H

2011/12/08Thu04:25 p.m.1.18L

2011/12/08Thu10:09 p.m.2.25H

Friday

East winds 5 to 10 knots then becoming northwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth to a light chop. Friday night will bring northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth to a light chop.

2011/12/09Fri06:45 a.m.-0.45L

2011/12/09Fri01:52 p.m.1.29H

2011/12/09Fri04:51 p.m.1.18L

2011/12/09Fri10:42 p.m.2.31H

Saturday

Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming variable less than 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated showers in the afternoon.

Saturday night will bring northeast winds around 5 knots then becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2011/12/10Sat07:21 a.m.-0.5L

2011/12/10Sat02:26 p.m.1.25H

2011/12/10Sat05:20 p.m.1.16L

2011/12/10Sat11:18 p.m.2.35H

Sunday

Southeast winds around 5 knots becoming southwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Sunday night will bring south winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2011/12/11Sun07:56 a,m.-0.51L

2011/12/11Sun02:54 p.m.1.22H

2011/12/11Sun05:57 p.m.1.12L

2011/12/11Sun11:57 p.m.2.36H

Solunar Forecast