VENEZUELA - true story

Couples Derek & Cory Redwine, Adam Hipp & Charity Cox and Skip & Theresa Harris just returned from this incredible event. Derek and Adam were official "on board observers" for the tournament. Skip & Theresa tagged along (no pun intended) in celebration of Theresa's birthday.

After the tournament, the Merritt Island crew were invited to fish upon the Caliente a 72 ft Mikelson Sport Fisherman. The six of them had never seen so many billfish in their lives.

During the two days of fishing aboard the Caliente, the boat raised approximately 60 marlin. They had 33 bites while catching and releasing 21 white marlin, 1 blue marlin, and 1 sailfish. Billfish were caught by all aboard.

The boat employed the following techniques: trolling at 5-6 knots with 20 to 30 lb test line and 80 lb mono leaders while running "naked ballyhoos".

The white marlin were from 50 to 90 lbs, the blue was approximately 100 lbs while the sailfish was approximately 40 lbs.

Fish were caught around 20 miles offshore of the La Guaira Bank on a big drop that descends from 800 ft to 1200 ft.

Seas were in the 5 to 7 ft range on the first day and approximately 3 to 5 on the second, which is nothing to worry about in a boat as big as the Caliente.

The Caliente boat record of 14 white marlin releases was obtained on the second day along with the first quadruple catch for the boat (4 white marlin were all hooked up at once - all caught and released unharmed.)

Theresa caught and released 3 white marlin on her birthday; needless to say, she was just a little excited...

DARKSIDE - SWORD FISHING
by Troy Denson

During the Summer of 2000, I met up with a long time friend, Joe Settembrino. Sitting in his living room the topic of fishing came up, as usual. He mentioned night fishing and we began talking about the infamous swordfish. Through the grapevines I had been hearing that recreational fishermen were beginning to once again "catch them up."

Thinking back, I remember spurting out, "We need to make friends with someone to take us sword fishing-keep your feelers out!" Ever since I was a child I had dreamed of landing a swordfish, the notorious predators of the night, a popular target of the mid-80's long- liners that suffered depletion and became scarce throughout the southern waters, until recently.

Now Fast Forward Two Years...."Don't get your hopes up, don't get your hopes up!!" That's all I can say to myself as my wife and I headed south on I-95. As normal, I am zoning out and imagining the possibilities of an epic catch on the way to another fishing adventure. But this time things are a little different. You see, we are on our way to go see Joe in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For the last three months Joe has been telling me of the swords he's been slamming. But seriously, could he have learned that much and really figured out how to catch swordfish? Little did I know, he has found "the friend". By 6:00pm we pull into Fort Lauderdale, arriving late due to rush hour traffic in Southern Florida. If you have never tried I-95 at 5:00pm around Deerfield Beach, you're missing out. It's loads of fun. By the time we get our gear in the boat, ice from Ft. Lauderdale Marina at 15th Street and our live blue runners from Joey's bait stash, it's 7:30. As we make our way out, Joe and his good friend Toby Brundage give us the low-down on how they have learned to catch swordfish. They had met Chris, a young but experienced angler that works at the Fort Lauderdale Marina. He had single-handedly taught himself the do's and don'ts of sword fishing through trial and error and talking with the old-timers. Joe tells me that Chris had ventured offshore 13 times before landing his first sword and now we are about to follow his fine-tuned sword fishing theory. By 8:45pm we had finally reached our target depth, after an hour and 15 minutes of working through 3-foot seas, 15-knot winds and complete darkness.

As I sit and watch, Joey and Toby begin throwing together the tackle: 250 lb leaders, large stainless steel hooks, glow sticks, and LP's (flashing light emulating devices that glow a bright blue or green light under water that is used to attract the swordfish). After getting the gear set up on the first reel, Joe bridles a large blue runner and drops the bait, leader and the attached LP overboard. Once the bait sinks to our desired depth- approximately 200 feet-we attach a balloon with a glow stick taped onto the mainline. This gives us a visual on the direction of the line as we let the bait drift away from the boat. We proceed to follow this regiment twice more and then we wait.

In my mind I am expecting to see the rod double over upon impact of the ferocious, attacking swordfish. The reality, however, is quite different. They seem to play with the bait, possibly slashing the bait with their broadbill. We have to be constantly aware of the very slow release of drag. So there we are, an hour after we had put the lines out and Joe hears the drag..."What Drag?" I'm closest and I grab the rod. "Reel!!! as fast as you can." That's exactly what I do and as the line gets tight I believe the fish realizes he's hooked. The rod doubles over and the fish surges, and as he does, the hook slips or was spit and the line goes limp. In my mind I'm thinking, "Damn, I just lost my chance at catching a sword."

Thirty minutes later.......zzz, zzz, zzz..."Jen, grab the rod on the stern," says Joe. She lays into reeling as fast as she can, the rod bends fiercely and she is nearly pulled over. This fish is mad! She strains and hollers, happy then sad. The fight lasts for nearly 45 minutes as she gains line and then loses line. Finally in the darkness of the night we see the flashing LP. The sword is nearing. "It's about to go down," says Joe and as the creature of the dark breaks the water he grabs the sword and flings it to the boat.

I can't believe it! There it is, a swordfish on the boat I am fishing on. The feeling is incredible. After so many years of pondering the up-close look of the seductive broadbill I am finally able to experience what had only been described before and I am ecstatic.

Over the next four hours, each one of the four of us catches a swordfish one by one. The strikes are spread out fairly evenly and at all different depths. Overall, we are four for five this night. Two of the fish are legal and two are undersized. By the time we get back to the dock we are all exhausted and as we load our car to drive back to Port Canaveral I can't help but think about that day in the living room when I said, "We need to find someone to take us swordfishing!"

CALIENTE
THE EPITOME OF LIVE-ABOARD SPORTFISHING

From The Journals of Bennett Griffin

Working as a full-time mate and fishing more than 200 days a year, one question most frequently asked by dock visitors is "so what do you do on your days off?" My one word response is quick and usually leaves the questioner with a dumbfounded facial expression. "Fish," I say. "I hop on another boat and fish." Why, they wonder, do I want to fish on one of my few days off? My two reasons are really quite simple: 1) if I stay at the dock on my boat I will more than likely end up working and 2) having the opportunity to fish, watch and learn from other mates and captains at the marina is invaluable.

At no fishing destination is the latter part of this statement more true than at Porto Fino Marina, Carabelleda, Venezuela. It's here that some of the best crews in the world can be found in the fall for the white marlin bite and in the spring for the blue marlin bite. It's also here that on any given day during season you can expect a shot at a Grand Slam: three different species in one day. A sailfish, white and blue marlin combo is the most common "slam," but sword and spear fish are also a possibility. Being in Venezuela this past fall I took full advantage, riding and learning from as many different crews as possible.

One of the best "days off" that I can remember happened a few weeks back, fishing with Captain Richard Fifer and owner/mate Vince Austin aboard the 61' Viking "Sea Trial." Richard, Vince and their Venezuelan mate Leo truly define a professional fishing team. On this day the boys decided to drop a few lines for a swordfish around midday after the morning troll.

The morning started off hot. After about 15 minutes of trolling we had a white come up on the right teaser. Vince was quick to pitch him a bait and hook him up. As I was clearing lines a blue piled on the left short and the double header was on. After both fish were released we all crossed our fingers for a sailfish before we pulled up to try for a sword. The rest of the morning Vince and I traded whites and by 1 pm we decided to stop trolling and start sword fishing. It was a rough afternoon but we hung in.

After two hours of waiting it paid off when we hooked up to a nice broadbill. The boys put me in the chair and I settled in for the long stand off. The first time we got close to the leader the fish gave us a spectacular jump no more than 100 yards behind the boat before sounding deep enough for me to see the backing. After an hour or so the fish finally gave in and came up to the boat. Vince and Leo did not hesitate placing the flying gaff accurately and quickly pulled the 240 pound fish through the transom door. It was a particularly special day for me...as I got my first personal grand slam!!!! What an incredible day off!!!!!

TEEN ANGLERS

Have you ever had the feeling from just hearing the name of a program that it will be worth supporting? If you are into fishing whatsoever and, moreover, if you support programs that focus on today's youth, the Teen Angler program is one that is worth getting behind. The Teen Angler program was started by Al Bernetti (host of Southern Coastal Angler, a radio show on "740 The Team"), with the intention of providing an opportunity for all teens to participate in a no-fee program that will teach them the art of fishing, conservation, and essential details of boating with emphasis on safety. When asked about how the program evolved, Bernetti stated: "After being a part of the Kids Fishing Days in Port Canaveral, I saw the tremendous response from the kids and the community. The only problem was that it was a one day event. There was nothing to provide continuous support for kids who need the support to stay involved in fishing and boating. We want to provide a long term commitment to those kids, and in return we believe our efforts will come back to the community tenfold."

Basically, the Teen Angler program provides kids the opportunity to learn more about fishing and boating along with the camaraderie of fishing with fellow students. Kids ages 13 through high school are eligible to sign up for the program. Each county has their own program and each middle school, as well as high school, is eligible to form their own chapter. These counties and chapters compete for points and bragging rights.

"Osceola County for instance has a traveling trophy that is awarded to the school that scores the highest at the end of the program year," Bernetti said. Updates with the information about each chapter and county can be found on their home page on the Teen Anglers website, www.teenanglers.com.

Tournaments are a big part of the Teen Angler program. Basically they are like exams that the students take. They provide the sponsors and teachers an idea of how far a student has progressed. Points are also awarded individually for being at tournaments and placing in tournaments. Along with being in the classroom, these points are added up at the end of the year and the student with the most points is awarded top student for his school.

Scholastics is stressed greatly within Teen Anglers. Weekly classroom sessions are provided during the program and students must maintain a 2.0 overall GPA to stay in the program. "We are also in the process of putting into place a scholarship program for those students who wish to carry on their marine interests beyond high school and into college," says Bernetti.

Critical to Teen Anglers is its volunteer support. "We ask a lot from the community," said Bernetti. "But we feel the community is really reinvesting in itself and has a tremendous amount to gain from this." Volunteers are needed for everything from sponsors to tournament boat volunteers to teachers and coordinators. As of right now Teen Anglers is looking to start up programs in Brevard and Indian River counties. If you have any interest in helping out this tremendous effort please give Al Bernetti a call at 772-519-0482.

FISH BOX
by Sean Bloomfield

To say that Capt. Lee Meyers knows the waters offshore Port Canaveral is an understatement. Meyers, 31, was born and raised in Port Canaveral and he has spent over 18 years fishing the Atlantic waters of east central Florida and the Bahamas. Capt. Lee is expert in all areas of sport fishing, from blue water trollingo live baiting. Equipment and techniques vary for all the different species found in Canaveral waters, and Capt. Lee has developed some special tricks and some of his own techniques that give his fishing parties a definite advantage. The catch list for Canaveral waters includes dolphin (mahi-mahi), wahoo, sailfish, cobia, king mackerel, red snapper, grouper, amberjack, tuna and even shark. During a day on the water with Capt. Lee, he will coach you in the fighting techniques for any of these gamesters, and it will make your trip an experience to remember. When you and your party return to the docks, watch Capt. Lee filet your catch.

Capt. Lee extends his personal invitation to come and fish with him aboard the Fish Box.

Check out his new site , www.FishBox.net

FISHING KEY LARGO - WITH DARREN WILCOX
by Derek Redwine

Recently Troy and I attended the 2002 Scout Boat's Boy Scout Celebrity Classic at the Ocean Reef Club in beautiful Key Largo, Florida.

We were lucky enough to take part in a half day fishing charter with Capt. Darren Wilcox, a local guide who runs charters out of Ocean Reef Club.

As we boarded Darren's boat, our wives headed off to the Ocean Reef's shopping areas. We knew we had better have a lot of fun because we were going to pay later for leaving them alone in the stores.

The first thing you notice about Darren is his humble, quiet demeanor. Not punchy, but very confidently, he asked us what we wanted to do and we told him to put us on the "best bet" option. The winds were pretty breezy so we knew bone and permit fishing on the flats would be tough. He suggested running to some back canals to look for bait and see if we could find a few tarpon and snook. This sounded good to us and off we went. Little did he know we could have just fished right off the docks for those big dock mangrove snapper and had a great time.

As we entered a narrow creek mouth, not far from where he had picked us up, there were pilchards and greenies flipping all over. Capt. Darren got the cast net and Troy took the wheel. Within a few casts we had plenty of bait to chum and fish with. We then headed up into a pleasant little mangrove canal. It appeared to be full of life and as we got near one of Darren's honey holes we noticed several rolling tarpon. He anchored the boat and proceeded to chum with the live greenies. It didn't take long for the action to begin. We caught a few nice tarpon, a snook, and a handful of jacks and snapper while blowing quite a few other shots.

Darren then said he knew of another spot which had been stacked with some nice snook, so we crossed through the bay. Many of the tournament anglers were poling along the flats looking for slam points in the Boy Scout Tournament. Darren gave them plenty of room and was very courteous not to spook any fish within their vicinity.

We pulled into the mouth of an incredible little channel. We dropped anchor and started live bait chumming. Within minutes we had the little creek alive with action. All 3 of us lost a few shots at snook. Personally, I am embarrassed to say the fish won this round, but it was incredible seeing those snook in crystal clear Keys water. We caught some more snapper and here is a funny story...Troy had a nice black grouper run out, grab his bait and rock him up. So Troy grabbed a mask and went in after him. The cave was a little deeper then he expected and after a few minutes of wrestling the grouper, the battle was lost with a broken line... oh well.

With only a short time left, Darren asked if we wanted to haul butt back and try for some of the big dock snapper with our remaining baits... we said "PERFECT!!!"

Thirty minutes later I tossed a 5 inch greenie up under one of the sportfish boats docked at the club. The bait got slammed and on the end was a 4 pound mangrove snapper. I was doing all I could to keep him out of the pilings. He was an awesome fish. Anyone who knows myself and Troy knows we are snapper fanatics and this was the icing on the cake that topped off an awesome half day with Capt. Darren Wilcox... We can't wait to get down there and fish with him again. He was super friendly, laid back and just generally one of the most pleasant guys we have fished with.

If you're interested in great fishing in the Key Largo area, drop him a line at 305-394-4721 or email at Darren_fish@yahoo.com.

FOUR BREVARD TEEN ANGLERS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE H.O.T. FISHING CIRCUIT

As Anthony Abbate was growing up in Melbourne, he always kept an ear to the door on early mornings while he was sleeping. At a young age Anthony developed his passion for fishing, and didn't want to let his father go fishing without him. His dad went without Anthony a few times, but at least Anthony made sure his dad knew how he felt: that he wanted to go too! His dad listened to his son's desires, and over the years Anthony has become quite an accomplished angler, so much so that he and a group of three other young anglers with similar backgrounds have formed a team called Reel Teen Anglers with one of their main purposes being tournament fishing.

Along with Gino Butto Jr., Kyle Lunden, and Anthony Vargas, the group looks to set a high standard with their participation in the 2003 H.O.T. Fishing Circuit. All have been fishing since they were barely able to spell the word "fishing" and are excited about parlaying the expertise they have garnered over the years into a successful rampage through the H.O.T. Fishing Circuit.

Team members have previously placed in twelve offshore tournaments, with the highlight coming last year when Abbate won the top Junior award in the Rusty's Kingfish Classic. It was a 21.9 pounder but not quite the fight Anthony's 77 lb. wahoo had been. Gino had an 81" sailfish to his credit at age 11, while Kyle had a 35 lb. kingfish to his credit this past year.

Besides tournament fishing, one of the goals of the team is conserving our saltwater fisheries and our natural resources. The group has committed themselves to volunteer a minimum of 100 team hours in such projects as Take a Kid Fishing, Mangrove Restoration, Monofilament Recycling and Pepper Tree Eradication. Check out the team's website at www.reelteenanglers.com to see just how serious these teens are about fishing.

The Reel Teen Angler team is looking forward to next year's H.O.T. Fishing Circuit with the passion and excitement that fills young fishermen. Just ask Abbate's dad, Frank, when he tried to fish without his son on schooldays. "It's hard not to notice what the eyes are saying, besides that, if I didn't take him I would get a fishing rod in my ribs," Frank said jokingly.

SCOUT BOATS - QUALITY BUILT ON PRIDE
by Sean Bloomfield

Team BoldWater is sponsored by Scout Boats, makers of what is arguably the finest vessel on the water. We see Scout Boats as the unsung hero of the marine industry, and we invite you to take the "Scout Challenge" to see for yourself what you've been missing. We took the Challenge, and it forever changed our perspective about boat building.

Team BoldWater's fishing boat is the 280 Sportfish, a sleek center-console with the ultimate fishing and cruising design. She's powered by twin Yamahas. This center-console sportfisherman was built to meet the demands of the die-hard angler. Scout's exclusive Air-Assist Hull and aggressive 21-degree deep-V hull pledges maximum speed and fuel efficiency while keeping us "hunters" safe and dry in rough seas. And throughout the Port Canaveral Tournament Trail, this boat has kept her end of the bargain in some very nasty seas.

The inventive Scout-Strata-Mount outboard engine mounting system found on the 280 Sportfish's turf allows the natural stresses of engine weight and thrust to be equally distributed throughout the entire hull for unmatched performance and structural strength. The much-desired fishing features include an enormous deck, abundant storage, insulated fishboxes, a 30-gallon lighted livewell, and a yacht-quality bait prep station. BoldWater dares you to try and find a better fishing cockpit on a center-console.

What about the specs of the Team BoldWater Scout? Her overall length is 28-feet and 6-inches with a 9 and a half foot beam. The dry weight without the engines is approximately 4,300 lbs. The fuel capacity is 208 gallons while the maximum horsepower is 500, which often comes in the form of twin Yamaha 250 EFI Outboards. Slap on a 20-inch draft and you've got the recipe for one mean fishing machine!

BoldWater's 280 Sportfish enjoys the same reliable quality and extreme attention-to-detail found in every vessel made by Scout Boats. The excellent quality begins with Scout's in-house design team. While it is considered by many the marine industry norm to sub-contract prototype/design work, Scout believes that you simply can't expect true forward-thinking design from a manufacturer that lets someone else do the thinking, especially when such firms "think" for a variety of boat builders.

Each Scout hull is an original design; there are no cookie-cutters here! Scout's in-house research and design team works closely with engineering to take concepts from blueprint to production much more efficiently, ultimately delivering new product to the customer in less time than most of our competition. This approach keeps Scout Boats on the frontier of new product development.

Scout's superior construction schedule includes a combination of multi-directional laminate materials, which assure maximum strength while keeping excess weight to a minimum. Every layer of glass is custom-cut to fit a specific hull. Once the hull has been hand-laid, it stays in the mold for an entire day while the single deck/stringer piece is lowered into place, virtually eliminating any chance for warping or distortion.

Thanks to reverse shoebox design of Scout boats, the deck actually fits inside the hull. The chemical bond of the deck and stringer system reduces the chance for hull/deck separation while maximizing overall strength. There is no wood used anywhere in the construction of any Scout boat, so there's nothing to rot. (Translation: longer life and less maintenance!)

Every transom is polished and uncapped, reducing the chance for separation or damage. Even the fiberglass doors, hatches, and consoles are fully finished with gelcoat on both sides. From a performance perspective, Scout's cutting-edge Air-Assist hull reduces drag, allows for better fuel economy, and is faster to plane.

Scout Boats recently announced the addition of two all-new models, the 220 Bay Scout and the 235 Sportfish, to its lineup of inshore and offshore sportfishing boats for 2002. With the introduction of the 240 Bay Scout in 2001, Scout continues its tradition of creating inshore and offshore boats that provide the ultimate fishing experience and performance, albeit in a new breed of boat. The latest addition - the 220 Bay Scout - perpetuates this standard of excellence.

The demand for bay boats has never been stronger. "Scout customers told us they wanted an affordable bay boat without sacrificing the function and style that Scout Boats are known for," said Nelson Jacobs, Scout sales manager. "We listened, and in response to customer demand, developed the all-new 220 Bay Scout."

The 220 Bay Scout draws upon the fishability of Scout's center- console, sportfishing and flats fishing models, combining the very best of inshore and offshore angling characteristics.

The 220 Bay Scout's shallow draft provides the ability to prowl the inshore waters, making this model the perfect boat when fly-fishing for redfish, trout or snook. The 220's technologically advanced hull design also provides a smooth, dry ride for effective nearshore angling. Continuing its commitment to offering the ultimate fishability for anglers of all types and levels, Scout introduces the 235 Sportfish.

"Our goal with the 235 Sportfish was to continue our push into the offshore saltwater market by creating a serious offshore boat without sacrificing style and function," said Jacobs.

Just like Scout's other sportfishing models, the 235 delivers the ultimate offshore action and performance. When you're hooked up to the catch of a lifetime, you can be confident the 235 Sportfish will perform like a champ and deliver.

The 235's 150-gallon fuel tank and strong, reliable Yamaha outboard provide the range and the power to reach the hottest fishing spots. The technologically designed hull takes on rough waters providing a smooth, dry ride. As always, the functional center-console configuration offers plenty of room and maneuverability for fighting and landing the big ones.

Just a few of the many standard features include gunwale storage for six rods; baitwell with sink and washdown; insulated fishbox; tackle storage drawer; console cooler seat; and much more. "During these difficult times it would have been easy for us to sit back and let our current product line carry us through," said Steve Potts, Scout Boats, Inc. President. "However, we believe it is important to conduct business as usual, and to always strive to meet the demands of our current and future customers by continuing to develop our product line."

Again, BoldWater is proud to be representing Scout Boats in the Port Canaveral Tournament Trail and elsewhere. For more information about Scout Boats and to learn more about taking the "Scout Challenge", visit their website at www.scoutboats.com.

BOYSCOUT BACKBONE CELEBRITY CLASSIC 2002
by Sean Bloomfield

You're invited to join BoldWater by taking part in the world's most prestigious inshore fishing tournament: The Boy Scout Backbone Celebrity Classic, sponsored by Scout Boats, taking place on December 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2002.

Held every year at the beautiful Ocean Reef Club Resort in Key Largo, the Backbone Celebrity Classic raises money for the South Florida Council Boy Scouts, IGFA Junior Anglers, The Dr. Guy Harvey Research Institute and Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited. The list of board members and participants is impressive: Stu Apte, Flip Pallot, Jose Wejebe, Curt Gowdy, Chico Fernandez, Lefty Kreh, Doug Hannon, Rick Murphy (just to name a few!).

Anglers are guided for two days of fishing in pursuit of redfish, seatrout, bonefish, permit, tarpon and snook. The true spirit of this event is not competition; more so it is the spirit of having fun on the water, and on the waterfront.

The Backbone is capped off at 120 anglers to preserve its integrity. Aside from the great fishing, guests are treated to unbelievable dinners, cocktail parties, casino events, lucrative raffles and such a wealth of activities that you will find yourself pleasantly busy. The cost per angler is $2,750. This includes resort accommodations (double-occupancy), meals, guided fishing trips and much more. It's an all-inclusive vacation/tournament package. There is a discount for two anglers. Nearly everyone who takes part comes again the next year. We can't stress enough how unbelievably fun the Backbone is.

The Scout Boats BACKBONE Celebrity Classic aspires to become one of the most prestigious inshore tournaments of its kind. The winning angler will receive an invitation to represent the BACKBONE Celebrity Classic at the Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship Tournament scheduled in May, 2003, in Islamorada, Florida.

The Rolex/IGFA championship is a culmination of approximately 45 qualifying events from around the world, and will be a gathering of some of the world's most talented inshore light tackle anglers. If the winning angler in this tournament declines to participate, the second place angler will be invited to fill their slot. Winners receive Rolex watches, trophies and international recognition.

Come join us at Ocean Reef Club, one of America's most luxurious private clubs, located in the fabulous Florida Keys, for this world class event. Fish the outback of America's largest remaining subtropical wilderness, Florida Everglades National Park and the Florida Bay.

Rekindle old friendships and make new ones. Shake hands with well-known celebrities, get a fly casting lesson from a fishing legend, or learn a new brush stroke from some of America's top marine artists. You may even get the autograph of your favorite Florida writer on the flap of their latest release. Dance in the sand at the Angler's Beach Party or dig for buried pirate's treasure at the infamous Backbone Dig. And wait until you taste the cuisine prepared by renowned culinary masters! The spreads of scrumptious island recipes will stretch forever. It's all here waiting for you at the Scout Boats BACKBONE... that, and the fish of course.

To request more information, such as brochures or the Backbone Chronicles detailing the event, or to learn about fishing or sponsoring the Backbone, please contact BoldWater. 1-866-828-3820, or info@boldwater.com. You can also visit the Backbone website, created by BoldWater, at http://www.boyscoutbackbone.org.

HUNT FOR REDS
by Sean Bloomfield

The month of October has always been considered a premier month for catching redfish, especially in the Space Coast area. Anglers will be searching famous waters such as the Mosquito Lagoon, the Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River for these coppery gamesters. They will look for signs such as tails protruding from the water's surface, bait scattering away from unseen predators, or moving humps of water known as "head-wakes" that oftentimes indicate an entire school of reds.

One now-famous fishing tournament, The Hunt for Reds in October presented by Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters, seeks to promote this red-hot autumn action by offering a range of lucrative prizes. Taking place this year on October 4th and 5th, 2002, the Hunt for Reds is heralded by many as a tournament that nobody should miss. As in the past, winning fish are not determined by weight, but by the number of spots on their bodies. Most redfish have just two spots often located on either side of the tail, however, a good number of reds are found to have more than that, sometimes numbering into the double-digits. Occasionally, anglers will even catch the rare fish that is literally covered in spots, numbering well into the hundreds.

The top prize this year is a 16-foot, 2003 Hewes Redfisher with a 90-horsepower Yamaha with an EZ Loader Trailer. Second place will receive $2,500, third place $1,500, 4th place $750 and 5th place $250. The top Senior angler will get $300 and a custom trophy, the top Ladies angler will receive $300 plus a trophy and other prizes and the top Junior angler will earn $300 and a prize. There are many other prizes and places, so the chances of walking away with more than you came with are very good.

Anglers may take off from anywhere, but lines cannot be in the water until 6:30 a.m. as there is no check-out required. The fish must be checked-in at Sand Point Park beginning at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 3:00 p.m.

You and all the anglers on your boat will be disqualified if you haven't checked in by 3:00 p.m. The legal-sized redfish with the most spots wins, however, spots that connect will only be counted as one spot. Ties will be broken by the first fish checked in. As The Hunt for Reds in October seeks to promote sound catch and release ethics, all redfish brought in and released alive will be awarded an additional 2 spot total. Polygraphs will be given to the top 5 anglers to insure compliance with the rules. All disputes must be filed on the day of the tournament; it costs $150.00 to file a dispute.

Anglers may fish from shore, wade, canoe, boat or kayak, but once you check in you are not allowed to fish the rest of the day. No alcoholic beverages are permitted during any of the tournament fishing. In addition, any closed areas are off-limits and it is imperative that anglers obey all local and state manatee protection zone speed limits. All boats must meet USCG and Marine Patrol safety requirements. And don't forget to make sure you have a valid Florida Fishing License.

The Hunt for Reds in October is a non-profit tournament with all profits being donated to various charities. Entry fees are $30.00 for the General Division, ages sixteen and up, or free for the Junior Division which includes anglers below the age of fifteen. Registration will end on Friday, October 4th, after the Captain's Meeting is over. Anglers can register in person at Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters, or by mailing in the registration form (Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters; 22 North Washington Avenue; Titusville, FL 32796).

The registration forms can be found online at the official website: www.mosquitolagoonoutfitters.com. Issues of Florida Sportsman Magazine should also contain entry forms that can be cut out. If you have any questions about the registration process, please call Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters (local: 321-267-1200; toll-free: 1-866-652-4666). Captains' Bags will be given to the first 1,000 anglers who register. As noted, the Hunt for Reds in October is presented by Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters located in Titusville, Florida. Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters, a recent BoldWater client, offers some of the finest flats and bay boats available, including Hewes, Maverick and Pathfinder. Their prices and customer service are first-rate and BoldWater is proud to have them aboard as part of the team.