From World Records to Baby Blacktips, Sarasota is Shark-Fishing Paradise

The mystique of shark fishing lies no farther than a couple miles off the Sarasota beaches, where Spanish mackerel dart and Capt Jonnie Walker’s boat prowls for gamefish.

As Walker fished for mackerel during a trip this week, free-lining sardines, an array of sharpnose and blacknose sharks up to 4 feet in length cranked lines, splitting the Gulf waters and making for intense light-tackle action.

Although Sarasota-area anglers have long been accustomed to monster sharks, the possibility of anything from a two-foot blacktip shark to world records are possible.

In 2006, Bucky Dennis of Gardens of Gulf Cove, brought back an unofficial world-record 1,262-pound hammerhead, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The article said Dennis caught the monster off of Boca Grande, just south of Sarasota.

But where does the official world record come from?

That’s right. Sarasota.

In 1982, Allen Ogle caught the record 991-pound hammerhead.

Ah, the possibilities.

“You can catch them out on hard bottoms and artificial reefs – they’re around everywhere,” Walker said.

Those from states such as Minnesota, Colorado, New York or other northern states long to vacation in Sarasota, and travel thousands of miles for a chance at saying they caught a shark.

“They’ve never caught one before,” Walker said. “It’s the whole mystique.”

Who Needs a G.P.S.? Try Triangulation

There's good news in the world of Florida fishing for anglers without a G.P.S. -- triangulation.

To remember a honey hole, Capt. Jonnie still uses triangulation, a method in which an angler picks three spots on shorelines far in the distance, and once he or she has followed each point and is at the "cross-hairs" of all three, the artificial reef or ledge is below the boat.

For example, an angler can mark a spot by finding -- a tree in front of a house with a high chimney (a great example of a marker) at 12 o'clock, a water tower at three o'clock, and a channel marker at six o'clock.

The angler can make a note of an artificial reef, for example, by jotting down these three points.

On the way to the spot, find one such "marker", then follow a line to the next marker, and finally to the third, and you have triangulated your position. You can feel like a seasoned fishing veteran and war strategist simultaneously.

"That's the way we used to do it years before there were condos on the beach," Capt. Jonnie said.

So for those who cannot afford a G.P.S., this "old-school" method is effective and, in its own way, a tad adventurous.

Spanish Mackerel Back off Gulf Beaches

SUNCOAST SALTWATER SCENE

Capt. Jonnie has been catching a lot of Spanish mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico again. “All of a sudden they started showing up again,” Walker said. “It hadn’t been very good.”

Big threadfins have moved in from the south, and with it has come reports not only of Spanish mackerel, but of kingfish. Now that’s a Florida fishing report we like to hear.

Walker said tarpon fishing has been tough the past couple days as the tarpon return from their offshore, full moon spawn. “There’s a lot of fish,” Walker said, “but we can’t get them to bite that well.”

He said trout fishing also has been slow following the full moon. “I think a lot of them spawned because a lot of the spawning fish are full of roe,” Walker said. “Before the full moon we were getting lot of 20-inch trout.”

SOMETHING TO TRY

To target the Spanish mackerel, head off the beaches and net some of the 3-to-4-inch scaled sardines. Try a 30-pound test leader and a 4/0 202 Eagle Claw hook that prevents the bait from getting cut as much. Walker uses 5-to-6 foot leaders so that he does not have to re-tie every time he gets cut off. The big, 26-to-28-inch Spanish he’s been getting simply dice through leaders.

CAPTAIN'S TIP

Don’t set the hook on Spanish mackerel -- simply reel. “They hit so hard and fast anyway,” Walker said. “If you jerk, you end up jerking it out of their mouth.” And Walker does not like to use braided line with Spanish mackerel – monofilament will give anglers the shock absorption they need to ensure the hooks embeds in a mack’s mouths.

Boy Catches 24-inch Trout on Florida's Sarasota Bay

Capt. Jonnie Walker battled strong northwest winds during another episode on http://www.mysuncoast.com/ of "Fishin' With Bob & Capt. Jonnie."

Jonnie's theory that women and children catch the most fish held true once again, and one boy caught a seatrout of 24 inches in length -- almost as big as himself.

Fishing charters in Sarasota Bay with Capt. Jonnie are great for family fun because of the variety of fish that can be caught -- depending on the season, snook, redfish, trout, cobia, bluefish and ladyfish make for a good fight for everyone from dad to daughter.

Summertimes are getting muggy, and fortunately Capt. Jonnie has a T-top anglers can stay cool under.

Wanna Tussel With Tarpon? Bring your Moxie

You could say it is the Super Bowl of fishing.

And that is why Florida tarpon fishing, although a one-in-a-lifetime experience, is not to be taken lightly.

Especially in the sweaty, muggy summers.

Those looking for a fishing charter in Sarasota should consider, first of all, if they are in good enough shape to tussel with a 100-pound-plus tarpon for more than an hour. Do you have the moxie? Do you love to sweat?

And do you live for competition?

If so, you just might be a tarpon angler.

“It's not for kids,” Capt. Jonnie Walker said.

But while the adults tame tarpon offshore, there are plenty of trout inshore for the kids to tangle with. Trout are extremely abundant on the deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay, Walker said.

“It's fantastic,” Walker said. “You need the tide to be moving. Preferably incoming. But it doesn't seem to matter. As long as it's moving they've been biting.”

And a few toothy, excellent-fighting Spanish mackerel and bluefish are mixed in.

Come and get your fill with the most experienced fishing captain in Sarasota, Florida.

Tarpon Busts Filleted Trout on Fishin' with Bob & Capt. Jonnie

On another episode of Fishin' with Bob and Capt. Jonnie, a day that began with a hot trout bite ended with tarpon busting the water for filleted trout near the Sarasota docks.

Click here to watch the video.

A lackluster bite during the full moon gave way to a strong trout bite over deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay.

Capt. Jonnie brought his wife, Jo Ann, along for the trip. She of course caught loads of trout.

"I bring my wife and what does she do?" Capt. Jonnie said on the WWSB abc7 show. "She out-fishes me everytime. Women and kids, women and kids."

Afterward, the crew went to Dry Dock Restaurant, which deep-fried the trout they caught. Fishing charters in Sarasota do not come much better -- catch the fish, feed the skins to fish, eat fresh fish at the restaurant.

Florida fishing at its finest.

Summer Tarpon Fishing an Angler's Dream

Short of mounting a replica tarpon over your mantle, having a picture of yourself with a tarpon is one of the world's best fishing accomplishments.

Capt. Jonnie Walker has been targeting the silver kings off the Sarasota, Florida beaches his entire life and looks forward to guiding anglers – whether it's their first time or hundredth time – to these prehistoric-like fish.

Summertime fishing in Florida is upon us, and anglers looking to book a charter in Sarasota should consider a once-in-a-lifetime tarpon trip.

Just be prepared to drink a lot of water and sweat all day.

“I've poured water on guys and put soaking-wet towels on their heads,” Walker said.

As any tarpon angler knows, once you've caught one of these massive, aggressive fish, tarpon fishing is in your blood.

They skyrocket out of the water, iridescent scales glimmering in the sun, allowing the angler to drop their jaw before “bowing to the king.”

A regular angler truly becomes a legitimate Florida angler after such an experience.

Seatrout Abundant in Pre-Wedding Fishing Trip

Relationships built on the foundation of fishing are sure to endure.

Before any wedding vows or rings or "I do's," a married-couple-to-be hit to the water with Capt. Jonnie Walker on the May 4 episode of Fishin' with Bob and Capt. Jonnie on http://www.mysuncoast.com/.

The first -- and most most trying -- test was over. Who between Marty McAlhany and Rebekah McAlhany, of High Springs, Florida, would would catch the most fish in Sarasota Bay?

Using greenbacks over a grass flat, Rebekah began pulling in a series of seatrout. That's when Capt. Jonnie offered his sage advice to the groom-to-be: "She's catching all the fish. And this is going to happen the rest of your life."

Click here to watch the video.

Capt. Jonnie Walker has been a professional fishing guide in Sarasota Bay for more than 32 years. Whether it's a couple preparing for marriage or a family wanting to spend a relaxing day catching a variety of Florida fish on Sarasota Bay, Walker is a sure bet when it comes to fun on the water.

And good luck to the bride and groom!

Snook Fishing in Sarasota Starting to Heat Up

Fishing in Sarasota Bay had heated up -- proof was in Capt. Jonnie Walker guiding Rob Buskirk from landing this nice snook of 34 inches.

Snook are out of season, and so the linesider was quickly released. Snook, Florida's premier game fish because of their fighting instincts and tenacity when hooked, have begun to make a bit of a comeback from a winter freeze more than a year ago. Anglers looking to book a Sarasota charter captain to target snook can rest assured there are plenty of snook to target.

But the snook is far form the only speces in Sarasota that's biting.

Although the king mackerel and Spanish Mackerel action offshore is not as it should be at this time of year, they are targetable.

Inshore, there are lots of trout, bluefish and mackerel being caught as the white bait is plentiful.

A week ago on Wednesday, April 20, while fishing with Terry Thorstenson and his family, Capt. Jonnie's anglers caught lots of mackerel, bluefish and trout up to 25 inches.

"My boat rule is that all trout in the 23-inch-size and above, which are the breeders and  full of roe (eggs) at this time, are released," Capt. Jonnie said.

Capt. Jonnie has been using white bait with circle hooks on medium tackle and 10-pound test line.

Fishin' with Bob and Capt. Jonnie: Mixed Bag Keeps Rods Bent

On another episode of Fishin' with Bob and Capt. Jonnie, the grass flats were holding tons of threadfins and mixed bag of inshore species to keep anglers drags humming.

But this trip also featured a grandfather with his 15- and 16-year old granddaughters.

Click here to see the video.

The anglers drifted grass flats in Sarasota Bay for bluefish, Spanish mackerel and trout.

Once again, Capt. Jonnie found the fish on a gorgeous day, netting plenty of bait.

Anglers wanting to fishing with Capt. Jonnie out of Sarasota, Florida can call him at 941-232-4970.

And tarpon season is about to bust wide open off the beaches! Now is the time to book that charters for a trophy poon!

Tips for Maintaining Tackle

Here are some "bang for your buck" tips for maintaing tackle and saving money when you're out on the water - straight from Capt. Jonnie Walker.

• Eagle Claw hooks. One of the cheaper hooks on the market, Eagle Claw has managed to develop a reputation of being relatively durable and reliable. For species such as Spanish mackerel and bluefish, whose sharp teeth cut off the most stubborn of leaders, try 202 Eagle Claw 4/0 longshank hooks. Buy them in boxes of 100. Again, bulk purchases pay off in the long run, especially if you often pound the water.

• Oh, and there's a little trick to preserving your hooks (and weights). Keep a smaller box with an assortment of hooks — around 10 with different types of hooks, weights and jigheads — in a handy spot on your center console. This way, the hooks are less likely to rust. On the other hand, if anglers are constantly reaching into a big box of hooks, dripping saltwater on the hooks each time, rusting is sure to occur. (And you wonder why that silly tarpon snapped the hook.) Keep the rest of the tackle in a dry Tupperware container in the bottom of the console.

Circle Hooks Key to Sarasota Bay Pompano

Capt. Jonnie this week guided Andrew Reding of New York to a four-pound pompano in Sarasota Bay on a sand bar next to a grass flat.

The pompano hit a live shrimp on an outgoing tide.

A circle hook was key.

“When it first got on we thought it was a real large trout," Walker said. "Pompano, for them to be able to eat shrimp, they’ve got to work at it. You’ve got to let them play with it for awhile. They hit it and hit it and hit it. They have such a small mouth they have a hard time swallowing the shrimp. The main thing is when the come up after it you can’t strike right away. That’s why I put (the bait) on a circle hook. I’ve been using circle hooks a lot because I don’t want the angler to strike it. Let them play with it.”

Walker also caught a mosster 27 1/2-inch trout in the bay.

Once the weather lays down, look for some real Florida fishing to bust loose. Finding a fishing guide in Florida has never been easier, as Capt. Jonnie is rigged and ready for inshore and nearshore charters for the plethora of species in the area - kingfish, cobia, tarpon, Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish and (pant, pant) well, let's stop before we run out of breath.

Need to save some of it for those bruising fish, anyway.

Tight lines from Capt Jonnie!

Mackerel Running Thick Around Sarasota, Florida Beaches

Fishing Tuesday March 15th with Dick Diedrich and his son Jimmy, Capt. Jonnie Walker caught more hogfish, flounder (one of largest he has have seen in a while), sheepshead and Spanish mackerel just off the beach, using light tackle (10-pound fishing line) and shrimp for bait.

Jimmie Dietrich and Capt. Jonnie with a nice (and tasty) flounder

The remainder of the week was much the same with catches of hogfish, sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, flounder, Key West grunts offshore and trout and mackerel in the bay.


The mackerel have come in strong the last few days and seem to be the dominant fish out there.


Anglers from western states such as Minnesota, Colorado and Montana would love fish such as Spanish mackerel. These toothy fish are surprisingly feisty and crank line like no rainbow trout ever could.


Best part is, fishing licenses are requires when booking charters. So out-of-state anglers are covered.

Florida Fishing Heats up in Sarasota Bay

                                  Marianne Hamilton with a nice hogfish landed off Sarasota beaches

It's happening!

So far this week, the fishing in Sarasota Bay, about 45 minutes south of St. Petersburg and Tampa, has been unbelievable.

The nearshore reefs have been producing nice quantities of hogfish (yes, hogfish - we haven't seen them around here except on rare occasions), sheepshead, flounder, and Spanish mackerel.

"I have never caught so many hogfish on hook and line before," Walker said. "They are running in the 4-to-5 pound range. I do not know what to attribute this to."

Walker also has been able to land some nice flounder and sheepshead. The Spanish Mackerel have been plentiful in the bay, the passes, nearshore and in the Gulf. The time for finding a fishing trip in Florida is here - options for nearshore, inshore and action on mighty game fish, or fish such as flounder and hogfish that make excellent table fare, are abundant.

As the water temperature continues to warm up, we should soon be seeing the King mackerel and cobia.

"Cute" FIsh Caught on Television Show

Check out another episode of Fishin' with Bob & Capt. Jonnie from last week.

Click here to see the video.

"I love a girl that will touch a fish," Walker said during the show, referring to the girls on spring break.

The anglers caught a bunch of Spanish mackerel and even a huge whiting.

"Everything we've caught today is either pretty or cute and we have to put them back," Walker said during the show.

Cute, pretty .. but fish nonetheless.

Upper Sarasota Bay Trout

Capt; Jonnie Walker guided John Kramer from Wheeling, W.V. March 1 caught to this 24-inch trout in upper Sarasota Bay. After pictures, the trout was released alive back into the bay

Right now Florida fishing is about to break loose as springtime is upon us. Water temperatures are warming, bait is slowly showing up, and mixed bags are possible.

No doubt, Capt. Jonnie will be one busy fishing guide as kingfish are soon to show off the beaches. Already, a few kings have shown at the Sunshine Skyway fishing piers in Tampa Bay.

And here's a quick secret: Pompano have been caught around the buoy by Cannon's Marina in Longboat Key. Shh...

Happy fishing!

Fishin' With Bob & Jonnie, March 3

Check out another episode of Fishin' with Bob & Jonnie from March 3!

Every week, Captain Jonnie Walker and Chief Meteorologist Bob Harrigan from WWSB abc7 take you fishing on the Suncoast.

The pompano weren't biting on a choppy day in Sarasota Bay, but they managed sheepshead (on the fly), trout and Spanish mackerel, which are scattered around the bay and Gulf.
 

Bay Walker Gag Grouper Lands Catch of the Week

Sarasota Patch recognized a Capt. Jonnie Walker catch last week by featuring him in its catch of the week.

The catch was a 24-inch gag grouper, landed by Walker's grandson, Trey Walker-Dietz.

Some of the best gag grouper fishing in Florida is right off the Sarasota beaches, and the gags are capable of ranging just off the beaches, making for a short boat ride with deep Gulf of Mexico catches.

The secret to catching a catch-and-release gag just over a mile off the Sarasota, Florida beaches? A live shrimp.

See more in the catch of the week.