Outdoors

Young guide has honed skills for success in Northeast Florida

Bob McNally — Sat, 26 May 2012 21:48:51 +0000

As they say in horse racing parlance, Capt. Jeff Crabtree has “good early speed.”

That’s because this 19-year old former Bishop Snyder High School football standout is about as good a local fisherman as there is on the water.

And as a Coast Guard-licensed charter boat captain and guide, Crabtree has a long list of fishing tournament wins and high finishes to his credit. Most are local events, but they include some big ones, such as The Times-Union Redfish Roundup and the Gate Jacksonville Fishing Rodeo.

Outdoors: Calendar

Staff — Sat, 26 May 2012 21:47:53 +0000

A one-day boating safety class taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary on Saturday, June 2, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at St. Johns River State College, St. Augustine. Information: Victor (904) 460-0243.

Jacksonville Skeet & Trap Club NWTF Fundraising Banquet on Friday, June 15 at Ramada Inn, 3130 Hartley Road. Dinner at 7 p.m., auction at 8. Information: (904) 610-0629.

Great Parks: Jacksonville National Cemetery

Mike Clark — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:21:53 +0000

Everyone can be proud of the Jacksonville National Cemetery, the 526-acre space on the Northside, designed to serve veterans' needs for more than 100 years.

It's still relatively new, but there is more than enough to make a trip worthwhile. You take Interstate 295, go north at the Lem Turner exit. After about five miles, you turn on Lannie Road past the Montgomery Corrections facility.

Recent rain can't satisfy all of Okefenokee

Terry Dickson — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:17:21 +0000

The wet season is living up to its name this year in the Okefenokee Swamp as afternoon thunderstorms are becoming more numerous.

But the storms, though appreciated, haven't dropped enough water in the swamp to offset the needs of the plants and of evaporation and their lightning brings the risk of new fires, said Arthur Webster, supervisory ranger for the national wildlife refuge.

As a result of the falling water level, some of the services have been curtailed in the swamp.

Bob McNally's Outdoors Outlook

Bob McNally — Thu, 24 May 2012 01:57:21 +0000

BEST BET

While area fishing is excellent on many fronts, a recent catch from Crescent Lake, at Crescent City, makes this the hottest of hot spots now for putting fish in a cooler.

Four anglers hit the lake over a period of three days recently and caught 700 bream. They used earthworm and crickets as bait, and in the take was a healthy group of oversize shellcrackers. Bluegills also made up the haul.

No word on how long it took to clean those fish.

SALTWATER

Georgia shrimp season opens in a week

The Times-Union — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:22:30 +0000

BRUNSWICK - Georgia waters will open for the commercial and recreational harvest of shrimp at 6 a.m. Wednesday, said Mark Williams, commissioner of the state Department of Natural Resources.

That means that shrimp boats can trawl inside state waters to the three-mile limit and that people can use beach seines and cast nets to take shrimp in any waters where such gear is allowed, Williams said.

Jacksonville crabber: Don't get pinched by crabbing laws

Drew Dixon — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:20:25 +0000

When Raymond King cruises onto the St. Johns River to check on any of his 600 crab traps, he knows he may not find all of his gear.

Many boaters aren't aware that crab traps are protected under law and that they aren't suppose to be tampered with, he says. They're not a community seafood dispenser and they can damage boats that come too close.

"I don't think they care," King said. "If you [trap] in a high-boat traffic area, yeah, it's going to get messed with. You will have people steal from you."

Watch: Anglers start the 23rd annual Wolfson Children's Hospital Annual Bass Tournament in Palatka

The St. Augustine Record — Sun, 20 May 2012 02:09:30 +0000

Anglers start the 23rd annual Wolfson Children's Hospital Annual Bass Tournament in Palatka

Menhaden: Bait for all seasons on First Coast

Bob McNally — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:47:15 +0000

While there are times when other baits might produce more or bigger fish, if there is one live bait all Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coastal anglers should learn to love and fish with, it’s the menhaden.

Known by many colloquial names — pogie, moss bunker and bunker — the menhaden is not only a bait for all seasons, but it definitely is a bait for almost all marine gamefish on the First Coast.

Outdoors: Calendar

The Times-Union — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:46:32 +0000

Save the Sawfish Benefit on June 2 at MG on the Halifax, Daytona Beach. Live and silent auctions from 6-10 p.m. Information: www.SavetheSawfish.com.

Jacksonville Skeet & Trap Club NWTF Fundraising Banquet on June 15 at Ramada Inn, 3130 Hartley Road. Dinner at 7 p.m., auction at 8 p.m. Information (904) 610-0629.

First long distance St. Johns River swim receives grant, project to boost river awareness

Beth Cravey — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:12:03 +0000

JumpingFish, a nonprofit that used athletics to advocate for Northeast Florida waterways, won a $1,000 grant from Community First Credit Union to fund Jacksonville's first-ever long distance swim in the St. Johns River.

The Up the River 12-mile Swim project, designed to increase public awareness of the river, is the first of six community improvement ideas to receive grants in the Credit Union's summer contest, according to a news release.

Angling action hitting high gear on First Coast

Bob McNally — Sun, 13 May 2012 02:47:52 +0000

The local spring-summer fishing season is wide open. Area angling action on almost all fronts is offering outdoorsmen unparalleled sport in freshwater, saltwater, offshore, inshore, beaches, lakes, rivers and probably some other watery spots as well.

With so much red hot fishing available in the regional angling realm, plenty of nearby fishing tournaments, derbies, benefit charity events and other outdoor bashes are on tap almost every week from now through summer and into early fall.

Here are a few on the near-term slate.

WOLFSON BASS TOURNEY

Outdoors: Calendar

Staff — Sun, 13 May 2012 02:46:00 +0000

Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament, Saturday. Team event is the largest single-day bass tournament in Florida and offers $37,000 in cash prizes. Entry fee is $90. Entry forms available at wolfsonchildrens.org. Applications also accepted at Palatka City Docks from 2-4 p.m. Friday and 2-8 a.m. Saturday. Information: (904) 360-4531.

A one-day boating safety class taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at Amelia Island Lighthouse Cottage, Fernandina Beach. Call (904) 735-0322 for price and reserved space.

Bob McNally's Outdoors Outlook

Bob McNally — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:49:07 +0000

BEST BET

If you own a paddle craft (anything without a motor) your best bet may be entering the 9th Annual Kayak Fishing Classic on Saturday. More than $60,000 in prizes will be awarded to more than 20 anglers catching longest spotted sea trout, redfish and flounder.

It’s a unique catch-measure-release event, with more than 400 anglers already registered, and fishing for all three target fish species has been outstanding locally.

Anglers may fish anywhere in the First Coast, as well as coastal Southeast Georgia.

Angling for par: Area golf courses filled with fish

Bob McNally — Sun, 06 May 2012 03:13:27 +0000

Most of the world’s best golfers this week gather at the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach. They’re there to tackle undulating and tricky greens, tough bunkers, tight fairways, and water hazards full of gators, snakes and sometimes round white balls.