Articles
Hooked on Hope Wednesday, 17 August 2011 00:41 | Written by Brad Leber | 
Hooked on Hope's Inshore Fishing Tournament 2011Captain Lori is very dedicated to raising money and awareness in the fight against breast cancer, and she has done well in both areas. Respectfully, the 2009 and 2010 tournaments combined have raised $80,000 for breast cancer patients at the University of South Florida, in our very own Tampa Bay area. The USF Breast Health Center is directed by Dr. Charles E. Cox, and supported by his team of highly trained medical professionals. Dr. Cox and his staff provide various diagnostic and treatment options for breast cancer patients. These diagnostic and treatment procedures are very highly developed, cutting edge, as well as effective in battling breast cancer. The funds raised from the yearly tournament go to items usually not covered by ones health insurance-gowns, specialty clothing, prosthetics and patient assistance items that are needed for the various treatments the USF Breast Health Center provides. One pre-tournament event kicks off this Thursday, August 18th with a benefit at Circles Bar and Grill, located at Lands End Marina in Apollo Beach. This benefit is always a blast, and a ten dollar cover gets you hors d’oeuvres, draft beer, a chance to enter the raffle, as well as a DJ spinning some music. Come out from 6:30-10:00 pm and show your support.
Next, Hooked on Hope’s pre tournament reception is set to take place on October 7th and the fishing tournament held on the 8th. All weekend events will take place at the Magnuson Hotel and Marina Cove in St. Petersburg. The pre tourney reception includes dinner for Captains and anglers, as well as a silent auction and entertainment. On tournament day, one, or a group will be teamed up with a USCG licensed and insured Captain with all gear, food and drinks provided. Fishing consists of a friendly competition against your fellow anglers, looking for the biggest redfish, trout and snook, and of course trying to win the inshore slam. After fishing comes more fun with a banquet, awards ceremony, and entertainment. In addition to the fishing on the 8th, breast cancer survivors and patients can attend a “pamper party” put on by Hooked on Hope. Basically, this party is just what the name entails. A day for survivors and patients to be spoiled, a day of relaxation; massages, facials, lunch-you get the idea. Another great idea by Lori and her tournament organizers. Even if you can’t make the tournament or benefit, supporting Hooked on Hope in different ways is easy. There are many sponsorship opportunities to be had in helping raise money for this worthy cause. One can donate funds to the pamper party, sponsor a survivor fishing in the tournament, help sponsor food and entertainment costs, sponsor the program for the event, assisting with funds for awards, shirts, visors, volunteer expenses and more. It’s for a great cause. For more information contact Lori Deaton at 813.967.5032 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also check out the Hooked on Hope website at www.HookedonHope.org Out In The SwampMonday, 11 July 2011 14:49 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Natures FinestCouple pic's from a quick little ride we took on my buddy Jason's airboat the other day. Egret...
Five Footer...
Tampa Bay Tattoo Fest 2011Tuesday, 21 June 2011 13:20 | Written by Brad Leber |
With Happiness…Comes PainFinally-out of my stuffy, conservative work clothes and into more comfortable apparel; shorts, some Adidas, a t-shirt and hat was just what was needed to start off this Friday afternoon. The time was 11:45 am to be exact, and I was leaving work early, feeling great-at least for the time being. Leaving early on a Friday is nothing new, but this was very early, as I had an appointment in Tampa to attend to-not a doctor or dentist, but with Mindy Stewart Burkhardt from Studio XIII Tattoo in Cocoa Beach, at the 2011 Tampa Bay Tattoo Fest. Studio XIII is a reputable shop with a whole crew of great artists of all specialties. I was pretty stoked as Mindy is a damn good tattooist, and a portrait of my daughter was on the agenda-as well as a little partying. Today was the first day of the show, and being that the convention is so close to my work at the Doubletree Hotel, Friday was my planned day to attend. In my opinion, Tattoo Fest is a fairly good convention as far as Florida shows go. I’ve been to a few shows around the state and Tattoo Fest is worth heading out to; some others are a waste of time. Being in its 12th year, and having attended this event for a while, I knew a painfully good time was in store. Already having my supplies ready, it was time to get started.
There's All Kinds of Fish In The SeaFriday, 10 June 2011 03:06 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Mullet...With everything there is to fish for, sometimes mullet is just as good as any. Whether smoked or fried fresh, they're hard to beat. You can even kill 2 birds with 1 stone and freeze the heads -- they make a great tarpon bait for late season fish. This trip yielded good results...
What a Long, Strange Trip it’s been…Friday, 27 May 2011 16:24 | Written by Brad Leber |
Memories of David HallThe day I met Dave Hall is a day that won’t be forgotten. I’m not trying to be dramatic, simply stating the truth. In March of 2008 while at the Tampa Bay Outdoor Expo looking for products to review, I saw the HallEmInLures booth and headed over to take a look. This was my first time networking in a somewhat conservative fishing industry setting, so being a young writer at the time with no credibility or credentials, I was a little intimidated. The tattoos covering my legs didn’t help either. Immediately approached by Dave, I introduced myself. Instantly feeling more comfortable by his laid back nature, a long conversation took place, starting the beginning of our friendship. I have a very fond memory of that day; with Dave’s father turning his back, before I know it, a bag of lures is in my hand, a bit secretly. To me, this was a very funny moment, almost like a kid reaching in the cookie jar before dinner.
Outfishing DadWednesday, 13 April 2011 19:12 | Written by Brad Leber |
Lexis’s First Inshore ExpeditionI always begged for her to go out on the boat since she was little. She hopped aboard for random boat trips a few times, but is only able to count on one hand how many instances she actually fished with me over the years. Bass on artificials was fun for her, but Lexi has no salt in her veins-yet. I’m referring to my daughter, Alexis, who is now a teenager at fifteen. Being a teen, she mainly wants to hang with friends and chill at the house, not play on the bay with her dad. It’s understandable so I don’t expect much these days. A short time ago I got a call from my good friend Todd. Having his boat ready to fish, he asked me to head out to stalk the trout he was on as of late.
Springtime SunsetsTuesday, 12 April 2011 01:25 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Day In, Day Out...Nothing is as constant in life as the sun rising and setting each day, but the natural beauty of the event always captures your attention. We've all taken tons of these photo's, yet each time the sky shows you her colors, capturing them just never gets old. Perspective...
Shaped by HandThursday, 07 April 2011 14:15 | Written by Brad Leber |
Artwork Sold as Jewelry
Marilyn Machado is a friend of mine who designs jewelry. She made me an awesome fish hook pendant for me the other day so I figured I would share a few photos of the piece. Marilyn runs a jewelry business online and custom makes all of her own creations, some of which are made in advance for stock, but some are requested, such as my hook pendant. I am thoroughly impressed with her work, as I consider it more art than jewelry.
Currently Marilyn Designs most of her pieces with sterling silver and copper wire, semi precious stones, Swarovski crystal beads, Czech glass, craft wire, standard metals and leathers.
Marilyn’s thoughts on her style:
“My jewelry is made with a love and addiction for creativity. Wire is my first love and a majority of my pieces are made of sterling silver, gold filled and copper wire. Wire is my favorite medium to work with because it is so malleable but also stubborn and lends itself to endless possibilities. Without soldering you have to adapt and create solid pieces from a single piece of wire which is wonderfully challenging and allows my skills to grow each day.”
“I am partial to semi-precious stones Swarovski crystal and Czech glass beads. I hammer a majority of my pieces because I enjoy the contrasting texture it provides and the rigidity that it adds to a design. “
Marilyn is very good with photography, as these are her photos, so if the jewelry business ends up to become more of a hobby later on in life, she could always pursue photography.
See more of Marilyn’s artwork at:
Artwork Sold as JewelryMarilyn Machado is a friend of mine who designs jewelry and runs a web based business called Shaped By Hand. She made me an awesome fish hook pendant for me the other day so I figured I would share a few photos of the piece. Currently Marilyn Designs most of her pieces with sterling silver and copper wire, semi precious stones, Swarovski crystal beads, Czech glass, craft wire, standard metals and leathers.
What's up with this? Really FWC?Tuesday, 15 February 2011 14:28 | Written by Brad Leber |
FWC Navigation Issues Apparently these guys were running too shallow near Simmons Park the other day and they got stuck for a few hours. What's really funny about it, is that there's a clearly marked and navigable channel only a few yards away. Remember, these are the guys who are out there writing us tickets for excessive speeds in the same area, and they don't even know the water well enough to navigate safely. Isn't this a no wake zone too? Awesome, Way to go guys. Save the seagrass and manattes huh? This picture should be in everyones boat the next time the FWC messes with ya...
 The Daytona 500Sunday, 13 February 2011 23:43 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Daytona - The World Center Of Racing Being a huge NASCAR fan I tend to get a little excited right about now. We're right in the middle of Speedweeks at Daytona, only a week away from the 2011 Daytona 500 -- the official start of the 2011 season. I'll be there wondering a bunch of things. Will Jimmie Johnson actually win 6 championships in a row? Will Dale, Jr. get up to speed and finally compete for a championship? Maybe old Mark Martin isn't so old after all, we might just see him in Victory Lane at Homestead in November, finally hoisting that series winner trophy. Only time will tell. Time does tell me this though, we're in late February, NASCAR is gearing up, water temp's are warming, soon the azaleas will be blooming, bait will be on the flats and not to far off are those little white butterflies, alerting us all that Tarpon season in West Central Florida may be underway somewhere. A sight to see...
Introducing Nathan Austin...Tuesday, 08 February 2011 02:25 | Written by Brad Leber |
Florida Sportsman...With all the online forums, Facebook, print magazines and newspaper columns, you’ll see some very good anglers, hunters and divers. Many post and publish pictures and small reports, columns and articles and love the attention received after a good adventure. Some wish to inform others just to lend a hand and make friends, or are after the “hero” aspect of the game, and then there are those that just like to read, and check out pictures of what’s going on in our state. The man I am introducing as a new contributor to Inshore Insider tends to fly under the radar a little, but is one of the best there is at conquering our outdoor paradise. Nathan Austin resides in Sarasota, an outdoorsman’s paradise. Being lucky enough to be born and raised in our beautiful state, he had the opportunity to put the time in to become a true Florida sportsman; a very accomplished one at that. There's not much Nathan doesn't do. Come to think of it, I can’t think of anything he hasn’t done or tried when it comes to hunting, fishing and diving. In the winter months, you'll find Nathan in the marshes, as he is an avid and accomplished duck hunter. Come spring time he'll be on the boat catching snook, redfish, and trout on our bountiful saltwater flats.
A Huge Loss for the Fishing CommunityThursday, 03 February 2011 20:09 | Written by Brad Leber |
Dave Hall Will Be MissedIt is with deep regret that I have to deliver this horrible news. Last night, February 2nd, 2011, a great friend of mine, Dave Hall, President of HallEmInLures passed away. I have spoken with his father and partner in the business, and I will let the family grieve before any more is said. Dave was a great man and one of the first people I met in the fishing business; we hit it off well. I talked to him the night before his passing, which is very rare; I had been trying for a long time to reach him. The company was growing by leaps and bounds all over the country, he was always very busy. We had even planned to go out for a beverage and dinner after the Tampa Outdoor Expo. I am very upset as are many others, he will be missed dearly. Here are some pictures I have taken over the years of his lures and of Dave and Fred, his father. I will do a complete article dedicated to Dave and his family business in the very near future.
The One That Got AwaySaturday, 08 January 2011 05:20 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Mistakes & Miscues - Lessons LearnedWe're usually always talking about the one that got away and probably always will. It's just part of fishing. You win some and you lose some. Usually we only see the victory photos and I guess there's nothing wrong with that. Most fisherman are competitive and love a little glory every now and then. I know you've seen it, proud anglers posing triumphantly with the prized catch, which is usually accompanied by a detailed description of what they did right and how successful they were. Inevitably, some level of praise follows and the endeavor now seems all the more worthy of the time and effort. Plus, other anglers stand to learn something from the information. It's all good.
But what about the one's that get away? Where's the value in that and what about the glory, if there is any? I think there is, and I tried to remember but can't recall the last time I read about someone essentially explaining their failures and what they couldn't accomplish, so I thought it would be interesting to put a twist on things and do exactly that.
So what happens when they do get away? Usually all your left with is the story, right? After all, there's a million ways to lose a fish and that makes the stories even better to tell (or exaggerate). With every fish you lose there's an opportunity to learn from mistakes and correct your them. Maybe even share them too. I've lost plenty of fish this year and I'm not ashamed to admit it. They have all made me a better fisherman. I've got a few stories to go along with them, and they all pertain to my personal favorite pursuit, tarpon.
The Rub Of The Rail
We'll kick it off with this one. This big girl looks just about done, right? Not really. Note the steep angle -- this picture was taken from the tower on my boat. She rolled and caught one more gulp of oygen before darting off under the bow. Right about that time the line got caught in a groove on the rub rail, and snap! No mas.
Lesson learned? Well, there were a few but one would be to fix the rub rail. I did. That was an easy one to start with. The other lesson, and this one isn't always easy, is to keep the fish from rolling late in the fight and gulping that oxygen to begin with. It's fairly predictable, and can be avoided by keeping a watchful eye on the line itself. When the line looks to be rising with the fish you can dip the rod tip in the water and apply downward pressure to keep the fish from rolling. If successful, you should see the fish stay down and bubbles come up.They'll try to roll again and the process needs to be repeated, but generally, it helps quite a bit in tiring out the fish and reducing the overall fight time.
Finally...Wednesday, 17 November 2010 17:51 | Written by Brad Leber |
New Boat Ramp Completed at EG
About a month ago, the new addition to the EG Simmons boat ramp was completed. This is great news for boaters on the South Shore of Tampa Bay. With the lack of ramps in the area, this is huge news for me. I have used the park ramps for years, for a few good reasons. The presence of the park rangers deters crime at the park, as I have had my truck broken into at other
Old Florida Fishing At It's BestMonday, 15 November 2010 20:24 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Fishing In Chazzahowitzka...I've been lucky the last couple years to have been invited on trips to fish in the Chazzahowitzka area. "The Chazz" is truly unique and represents Old Florida at it's best. Located just about an hour north of Tampa, The Chazzahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 30,000 acres of river and springs, low country marshland, swamps and a spectacular saltwater estuary where it all meets the Gulf of Mexico. The estuary is vast and shallow (I mean very shallow) and chock full of rocky bottom making it extremely hard to navigate without extensive local knowledge.
Summer of the Silver KingThursday, 11 November 2010 02:21 | Written by Brad Leber |
2010 Tampa Bay Tarpon FishingSo, Tarpon season is officially over for me. Sure, there are still a few fish still lurking around in the bay, but the water temperatures have seemed to have pushed most of these bruisers out, especially after this last cold front. If you’re into fighting the juvenile poons, one always has the rivers and creeks. Fighting the small guys is really not for me, I prefer to fish for different species when the weather starts cooling down. Grouper, snapper, and redfish; I will write about how that’s been in the very near future. Reflecting on this year’s fishing has me already thinking of next year and the new techniques and areas being fished, but that’s a write up for next year. In 2010, I went out much more prepared. Only having fished for tarpon for three years, this was my best year yet. Fishing with others and acquiring tips and fighting techniques helped immensely, and the tackle I used, in my opinion, helped land me some big fish. I figured I would share some pictures of the good times had over the
Gator Bites Anyone?Tuesday, 02 November 2010 19:43 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
A Little Bit About Alligator Hunting...Alligators are no doubt a part of Florida culture and so is hunting them. It's been that way for a long time, from the original native Indian tribes to the early Florida crackers...they all hunted alligators. That tradition continues and is alive and well today.
These days gator hunting is tightly controlled and managed fairly well by the FWC. In Florida, alligator permits are issued by a lottery system with hunting rights granted to an individual for a specific County and/or bodies of water within that County. They fill up fast, so it's wise to be ready online when the drawing starts to give you the best chance of securing your permit.
Live bait or artificials for redfish?Wednesday, 27 October 2010 21:00 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Live bait or artificials? It's an age old debate and one in which I find myself on both sides at times. Both produce and sometimes one can outfish the other. I'll go out on a limb and say there's situations
Redfish TacticsWednesday, 20 October 2010 14:07 | Written by Nick Angerosa |
Stay on the Move with RedfishIf you fish for redfish then you know they can be frustrating. Here today and gone tomorrow. Typically, I start fishing redfish on the south shore of Tampa Bay in the fall, sometime around mid-September depending on the conditions. Every year conditions change. Sometimes a little bit, sometimes a lot. The availability of bait, the abundance of local forage and their locations, cold fronts, storms...they all impact the fish and as a result, we as fisherman are wise to adapt and follow the trends to increase our chances of getting on the fish.
Playing CaptainThursday, 19 August 2010 14:26 | Written by Brad Leber |
Sometimes it’s fun just to sit back and watchThere were many crazy parties and barbeques; our kid’s birthdays, watching Redskins football at the local watering hole, family gatherings, and just plain lounging around- but no fishing. Great friends of mine from Maryland moved down here after I headed to the sunshine state about eight years ago. After taking up fishing as my main hobby in Florida and purchasing a boat, we had been talking about fishing together for years; literally. None of my friends from up north knew anything about saltwater fishing. Sure, everyone knew how to pick up some bluegill or bass at the local ponds, but I was constantly asked to take out my friends and their father (who are all practically family, I consider them to be that), out on the waters of Tampa bay. For some reason we would always fall out of contact; I had plans, they had plans, or the busy pace of life kept us from getting out on the water, let alone even staying in touch on a regular basis, even on the phone. If someone want’s to get on the water with me to drop a bait down, I usually need a call so the trip and plans stay fresh in my head. This call would be different. I made a call to my buddy Ryan at the last minute late in the evening. Needing to run the boat I was hoping to get him out on the water with me. He had not fished the waters of Tampa Bay once after moving to Tampa, so even with last minute notice, Ryan was able to get out with me on his first trip on the bay. Supposed to arrive at my house at around eleven, Ryan arrives at twelve thirty or so. I am usually running behind anyways so that was fine, as my yard work and pool cleaning had kept me busy all morning. Normally I would have left but this was actually good as the boat was ready to go. Ryan had offered to throw a little gas in the tank, bought some beer and even paid for us to use the boat ramp. With me supplying all the gear, buying oil, wear and tear on the boat and my brilliant expertise, I figured that to be a fair trade, but he was more than generous. Fishing the incoming tide at a local reef on the South Shore was my plan as it would be some easy bottom fishing, perfect for a newbie. Pulling out of the channel at idle, many landmarks were pointed out to Ryan, mainly for sightseeing and orientation of where he was in relation to St. Petersburg, Tampa and the Gulf of Mexico. Ryan seemed enamored that the areas of Tampa Bay were so shallow; being that he was able to see the bottom a good bit of the time we were out. We are from Maryland so the Chesapeake Bay waters are the waters we were used to. Tampa Bay is much different. Showing him the different structures of the south shore and what fish lurked there kept his attention as well. It’s great to take someone out on the water that really is interested in what I’m saying because I can go on and on about our little piece of paradise.
The Fever BeginsWednesday, 28 April 2010 02:49 | Written by Brad Leber |
Tampa Bay Tarpon...Finally Every year, on the great holiday that is my birthday, I try to go out on a trip with a local Captain from the South Shore area. Even though today was not my birthday, I took the day off and went out a day early. I was invited to go out and scout with Sean Rice and Sean Hagen from Shamrock Charters, a local operation that fishes the South Shore from Apollo Beach to the Skyway, and pretty much the entire area. The vessel was a twenty two foot Ranger. Of course I jumped at the opportunity, especially since it was so close to my birthday, and hey, who can pass up the chance to learn new areas, tips and techniques, along with the normal joking around and camaraderie.
So off we went, myself, a good friend Tom from Tech Branch, Sean Rice, and Sean Hagen from Shamrock Charters. Honestly, my expectations were not very high. The forecast called for 20 knot winds out of the west and a small craft advisory. I figured these guys would cancel and I would be sitting at home doing yard work. Also, churning in my head was the fact that with the conditions, it would be tough to get bait, and the main objective…fish. I was pleasantly surprised that the trip was still on, and plans were made to meet up at Cockroach Bay boat ramp at seven. Ok, no problem on my end. These guys must be hardcore to be going out in that mess, or just dedicated.
Tarpon 102-Year Two of the FeverThursday, 15 April 2010 17:55 | Written by Brad Leber |
Year Two of the Fever Last year, I wrote an article based on fishing for tarpon for saltyshores.com, after some excellent, as well as frustrating times fishing for the silver king. The article was written to help someone like myself, a first year poon fisherman, a freshman. The piece was titled Tarpon 101-Getting Started. I felt like writing a little more this season, pretty much the same information, but from another point of view, and not as detailed. This time from the view of a sophomore tarpon fisherman; my freshman year was passed, barely.
So, it’s almost here, the summer long party most of us are already drooling over. The annual migration of tarpon to the I am already buying all my gear so I am ready. Being able to pick up at the drop of a hat and fish for the king is my plan. Hooks, dip nets, gloves, leader, and an anchor ball-all are being gathered up at this time. Maybe even a new rod and reel. All this gear will be in a separate tackle bag and the boat will be straightened up so only mainly tarpon gear is onboard. I want to keep the clutter off the boat.
Resume Normal Safe OperationWednesday, 24 February 2010 19:36 | Written by Brad Leber |
TARPON 101-Getting StartedFriday, 12 February 2010 18:55 | Written by Brad Leber |
TARPON 101Getting Started
One brief moment is all it takes to go from hero to zero. Exhilaration to major frustration. Fish on, to grabbing a bait. Calm atmosphere to total chaos. The only fishing in Tampa Bay that can cause this madness is fishing for tarpon, aka, the "silver king". This year is the first year for me chasing after the tarpon. Every summer, I always wondered why everyone was staked out at the Skyway Bridge or Egmont Key, sitting and waiting. The congregation of fisherman looking for tarpon cleared the flats up for me to fish, which was fine with me. My stance was always, "well I don’t have heavy gear", or "I don’t know the tactics and etiquette". The same excuses were used every year. Stories were always heard of anglers having "poon fever", spending weeks pursuing these fish with every minute of spare time. The declaration of "once you get a poon you will be hooked" was quite frequently heard. Come on, what was all the fuss about? My routine was always prowling the mangroves in search of redfish or fishing the shipping channel for snapper and grouper. This year would be different.
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Dave became my first unofficial sponsor. His sister Mindy and I had a laugh about the fact that being judged by Dave was even on my mind that day. Reflecting on our first meeting, besides a good friend, the fact remains that I was to gain more than ever imagined. Dave has forever changed my outlook on life.
Looking at Alexis, the question was raised, and she agreed to tag along. If she had said no, we would have made other plans for the day, but Lexi wanted “to tan”, and knowing she would have fun kept me excited.
Marilyn runs this jewelry business online and custom makes all of her own creations, some of which are made in advance for stock, but some are requested, such as my hook pendant. I am thoroughly impressed with her work, as I consider it more art than jewelry.
From late April until July, you will find him in Boca Grande Pass putting on a Tarpon clinic for all to see-literally. When tarpon season winds down it's off to the Keys for lobster season, to dive the waters for those tasty bugs. Next, it’s time to get a few hog hunts in before alligator season starts in August. When he's tagged out on the gators, it'll be just in time for stone crab season in October. Then it's back to the marsh to repeat the cycle. Not many do it better, Nathan has skills; but you won’t see him bragging and like I said, he tends to fly right under the radar.
where you may stand a better chance catching more fish chumming and soaking live bait, but at the same time there's some fish you wouldn't have caught unless you were throwing artificials and covering tons of water. Pick your poison I suppose. 
It was cool winter day in Tampa. Being that my employer gave me the option of taking the day off, I took it. The plan was to get some quality time in with my daughter, but I forgot that the kids in the Tampa area had to report to school that day, giving me a chance to get some needed errands completed, and maybe even a quick fishing trip. After shaking off the dust with a few cups of coffee, I prepped the boat for a possible fishing trip. Next, the middle school was my destination. 
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