February 26, 2024
By Florida Sportsman Staff
Florida Sportsman news and notes:
Antique Tackle Show this Weekend The Florida International Antique Tackle Show's auction is scheduled Saturday night. The second annual Florida International Antique Tackle Show , hosted by the Florida Antique Tackle Collectors, is scheduled March 1-3 at the Renaissance Hotel Resort & Conference Center at World Golf Village in St. Augustine.
Join collectors from around the world for The Largest Vintage Tackle Show in the South. There will be hundreds of tables of quality tackle in a beautiful setting, culminating with the Saturday Night Auction.
The Florida International Antique Tackle Show is open to the public. Online registration is now closed, but you can register and pay at the show. Registration is $15. Tables are $45. Membership is $35. To register, contact show hosts—Larry Lucas (386-527-4338; theporterguy@gmail.com ) or Chris Smith (904-315-3944; chris@southernbreezeof.com )
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A special room rate for show attendees is available. The show is open to the public. Admission is $5 for adults. Children are admitted for free. The public is invited to bring in old fishing tackle for a free appraisal, but is not allowed to sell on the showroom floor.
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Recreational Harvest of Snook for Florida’s West Coast Opens March 1 Common snook The recreational harvest of snook in the Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Southwest management regions will open March 1, and remain open through April 30. This includes all Florida state and inland waters as well as adjacent federal waters within each management region.
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These regions and regulations are part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) holistic management approach for Florida's most popular inshore fisheries. Through this approach, seven metrics are used to evaluate the fishery by region, adding a holistic perspective to management decisions and allowing the FWC to address regional concerns. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Snook .
FWC Approves New Rules to Support Trophy Bass Management A hollow-bodied frog is capable of drawing strikes from fish in the nastiest of cover when bass push deep into the slop. (Photo courtesy of LiveTarget) The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved new regulations to support trophy bass conservation during its February meeting. The approved rules include largemouth bass fishing regulations changes for specific waterbodies, including Lochloosa, Orange and Newnans lakes in Alachua County.
Specific freshwater fishing regulations approved for these waterbodies prohibit killing or possessing any black bass that is 20 inches or more in total length. Also, the new rule requires circle hooks when fishing with natural baits greater than three inches in length.
“Florida bass need to have the right genetics and waterbody conditions to grow for a long time,” said FWC Commissioner Gary Lester. “Orange Lake is unique, like in its fluctuations in water levels, that makes ideal conditions for bass to reach record sizes.”
These freshwater fishing regulations changes support the agency’s concerted efforts to grow larger trophy bass across the state and allow bass in these lakes to reach their maximum growth potential. The goal of the FWC’s Florida Trophy Bass Project is to make Florida the undisputed Trophy Bass Capital of the World. FWC staff are focused on producing, documenting and promoting trophy bass as well as increasing opportunities to catch Florida’s heaviest trophies.
To learn more about the Florida Trophy Bass Project, visit MyFWC.com/TrophyBass .
