Here in Florida, the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) is looking at some new regulations that will greatly affect our Sea Trout fishery. You can view the proposed new regulations at www.myfwc.com. Here is my opinion, as a 46 year old Floridian, who has fished long enough to see the highs and lows of the Sea Trout fishery with my own eyes.

Currently, we have a tremendous Sea Trout fishery under the current regulations and as a guide I regularly witness Sea Trout up to 5 and 6 pounds caught on many of my trips. In fact, I have never seen the Sea Trout fishery this healthy in my angling career in our state… something to be proud of especially considering the “Red Tide” of 2005 and the “Deep Freeze” of 2010. And the reason why the Sea Trout fishery is so healthy? It’s because the current regulations are working perfectly and protecting the trout from a substancial commercial fishing harvest! And as bad as those natural phenomena’s were to the Sea Trout populations in our state… it will not compare to how these new regulations that the FWC Commissioners are proposing to adopt will do to them. In my opinion, the new trout regs are unwarranted and way too risky to accept. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!” is what most recreational anglers are saying about these proposed new regulations.

In the late 70’s and into the 80’s, the commercial harvest of Sea Trout made in nearly impossible to catch trout 15” inches or better on most trips and when anglers did catch larger trout those fish were scarred with net marks! That was an awful era for our Sea Trout populations, we do not want to endure that mistake again. Thanks to organizations like the CCA, recreational anglers finally had a voice and commercial netting of Sea Trout was finally banned. But here we are again in 2011, dealing with the possibility of commercial fishing doubling their current harvest, doubling the length of time they can harvest, and adding nets to the current hook & line method that they’ve had to use during the trout recovery! What in the world is the FWC thinking! In a few years, they (the FWC) will be telling us the Sea Trout fishery is in peril and that they are going to have to close harvest seasons for recreational anglers for an extended period of time… take my word for it that’s a good bet.

Here is something else to think about… the “trickle down” effect to the Florida economy. We have lots of tourism in this state that count on our healthy trout fishery to lure visitors down to Florida during the winter months… hotels, rentals, restaurants, bait shop owners, and guides. Additionally, sales of fishing tackle, boats, and even fishing licenses will certainly be hurt if these new Sea Trout regs are passed. The inshore fishing economy will certainly be wounded because not everybody is able to catch snook, redfish, and tarpon here in Florida on most outings but everyone can catch Sea Trout regardless of their skill level because the fishery is so healthy… the Sea Trout is the reason why most of us go fishing!

Listen, not only do we have to convince the FWC Commissioners to keep our current regulations in place for the Sea Trout. We have to insist that the Sea Trout gets game fish status like the snook, redfish, and tarpon… the Sea Trout should be the Florida state fish for that matter! My belief is the Sea Trout acts as a “gateway” species that draws new anglers and young people into our sport and into the outdoors… don’t let commercial fishing interests destroy this valuable resource and the opportunity to future anglers.

To make your voice heard take 2 minutes and visit www.myfwc.com and hit the contact page at the top then punch the email the Commissioners tab… please express to them your concerns about the new proposed Sea Trout regs. Additionally, go to www.snookfoundation.org and take the Sea Trout poll and add your comments as well… it’s important to all of us, please voice your opinion my friends.

Respectfully,

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Getting back to my roots! What really does that mean? I sometimes wonder if my entire professional fishing career has been just a side-effect of my father’s snook fishing obsession in the 70’s; he used to regularly have me tag along with him as a child to the local piers and bridges at crazy hours of the night just to catch snook. Fortunately, those midnight escapades made a positive impression on me, in spite of my mother’s resistance to let me participate, and the rest I dare say is history.

As a teenager, I remember growing up wade fishing in the Tampa Bay estuary in the late 70’s and 80’s and discovering all the little “out of the way” fishing holes that most anglers back then often overlooked. It seemed like every fishing trip was a Hemingway-like adventure… never knowing what the next cast would yield. Eventually, I swapped my wading boots for a shallow poling skiff and began exploring areas other than my home waters such as Charlotte Harbor, 10K Islands, and Mosquito Lagoon in the 90’s. Now that I’m a little older, I can reflect on those early experiences and can honestly say that they are my true angling roots. Flats fishing seemed so pure to me in those initial years and now it has matured into a full-fledged career and lifestyle. But the journey to get here has left me yearning to re-capture that same sense of excitement and adventure that I possessed in the very beginning.

Over the last year, I’ve been wrestling in my mind with thoughts of how I can take Flats Class to the next level… what’s missing? I was sitting in my tackle room preparing some tarpon leaders for an evening tide and found myself staring at some old trophies and photographs hanging on the walls from days gone by. A thought occurred to me, how do I want myself and Flats Class to be remembered ten years from now? I’ve always had aspirations that Flats Class TV will summon memories for fans similar to those I have when reminiscing about The American Sportsman with Curt Gowdy and Flip Pallot’s acclaimed Walker’s Cay Chronicles. Fulfilling this noble goal for Flats Class will not be easy unless I choose the right path. I believe getting back to my roots and stepping away from the hard-charging commercial side of the industry will give me this opportunity. And in the process help me teach newcomers entering our sport the true sense of flats fishing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve learned a great deal through my tenure as a professional tournament angler and don’t regret the experience at all. It’s a career path that forced me to make personal sacrifices along the way but it’s also tempered me to appreciate what I have accomplished and to greater understand the balance necessary to appeal to a variety of audiences. In the end, the experience of competing at such a high level has given me a better perspective of how we should safeguard many of our environmentally sensitive areas and still promote the sport responsibly. The need for me to chase the tournament trail is waning now because I see fishing in a different manner as I move into another chapter of my angling career. And it seems now more than ever, it’s about the quality of experience I have on the water with others… not how many fish I catch or how much they weigh.

Recently, I spent an afternoon fishing with my friend Todd in the Indian River Lagoon and he poled me down a shoreline that reminded me so much of “Old Florida” and why I’m so drawn to inshore fishing… the native fauna, the wading egrets & herons, waking redfish in ankle deep water, even a listless alligator resting in the shallows. Once again it re-enforced the sentiment that maybe I have focused too much on the fast-paced promotional side of the business and overlooked something very important! In fact, maybe I should concentrate on more than just teaching anglers the “how-to” they expect from Flats Class but also convey more of the essence of shallow water fishing. If my audience felt as emotionally connected to the sport as I do, then promoting conservation & ethics along with sound technique would have a bigger impact on them. I’ve come to realize at this point in my livelihood it’s time to take a new direction and bring myself and FCTV back to its genuine saltwater beginnings and in the process take Flats Class to the next level for its fans.

One of the qualities I am noted for at Flats Class is my belief in the products and tools I use to accomplish my goals. Many of the partners associated with FCTV have enjoyed long-term relationships with us that span over many years. And I attribute most of that brand loyalty to how well I perform with those products both on the show and in the real world. But from time to time, a change is needed to suit a specific need that can better meet our objectives at Flats Class. That’s why after much deliberation and a little encouragement from trusted industry friends… I have decided to join the Hell’s Bay Boatworks family. Hell’s Bay is the one brand that truly stands out from all the rest… they understand the culture, the lifestyle, build the finest shallow water skiffs in the world today, and make the biggest effort in the industry to help protect our inshore resources. Chris & Wendi Peterson, who own HBB, have resurrected the Hell’s Bay Boatworks brand during the most economically challenged period since maybe the “Great Depression” and brought them back to the forefront of the elite light tackle skiff industry once again. In my opinion, that says a lot about the commitment, the passion, and the leadership that is in place at Hell’s Bay Boatworks. Also, the legacy at Hells Bay is legendary with iconic anglers such as Flip Pallot, Lefty Kreh, Jose Wejebe and Andy Mill leading the way. Hopefully, Flats Class TV also can add to the Hell’s Bay legacy similar to these angling greats, through promoting education and conservation in the same fashion our fans have always enjoyed. Yes, partnering with Hells Bay Boatworks is definitely my “dream job” but in a strange way it has given me the unique opportunity to return to my early angling roots and perpetuate my love of the sport to others!

Respectfully,

Capt. C.A. Richardson, FLATS CLASS founder and proud owner of a Hell’s Bay “Neptune”

Finally, the winds calmed down toward the end of this week and the fishing got hot! I spent a few days with my clients from Louisiana, Clay & Spencer, dealing with finicky tarpon but we finally got on a couple of cooperative poons to play the game on Thursday. It’s always a pleasure to see anglers get so excited and intense when they are hooked up to a freight training tarpon jumping out of the water. I think it’s why I still enjoy guiding so much and sharing the experience with those like me who love this sport. In my opinion, sometimes these trips are more about the memories we create rather than the number of fish we actually catch. After a few epic battles, the three of us went over to a favorite “ watering hole” of mine to reminisce about the week’s tarpon fishing over a couple of cold ones… what better way to end a great trip with friends.

Later this past week, I shared the deck with a huge Flats Class fan, Frank from Bell, FL. Frank was really amped to go hit the shallows for redfish & snook on artificials. And when I say amped, I mean amped! So we headed out into Tampa Bay and worked several areas with top water plugs, swim baits, and my trusty Aqua Dream spoons. The bite was spectacular on the incoming tide; we both caught several redfish up to 27”, one “gator” trout near 24”, and the biggest snook of the year, so far, on a swim bait that taped out at 34.5”! Not a bad morning at all!

Between the busy tarpon charter season and trying to wrap up the final couple of episodes for Flats Class TV… there isn’t much time for sleeping or rest. I looked at my calendar and the next real shot at a couple of days off isn’t until ICAST Show held in Las Vegas in mid-July! Wow, what a turnaround from last year. I believe Americans are getting tired of hearing we’re in a recession and are looking to spend a little money and enjoy life again.

Next week, Dan Larson, the guy behind the cameras at FCTV, will be hanging out with me to shoot another tarpon episode for the show. Dan who resides in Minneapolis, relishes his trips to Florida normally to thaw out from the Minnesota “deep freeze” but he’ll be greeted by 90 degree temps and sweltering humidity this time. But that’s honestly when the tarpon bite best! And if the poons don’t bite at least Dan will go home with a nice tan after this trip and a full stomach courtesy of Jessica’s kitchen, lol.

That’s all for now… look for more great info here at FCTV and my personal website every week.

Capt. C.A. Richardson

I can tell its tarpon season because I’m up every morning at 4:00am! It’s just part of the deal when you’re hunting silver kings on the beaches and in the passes. This past week I got to spend a little time with an old friend, former BRP CEO Roch Lambert, he jumped a couple of tarpon on a windy day with me down in Charlotte Harbor and hooked a monster bull shark as a bonus. Roch’s intense determination makes him the perfect tarpon angler… he never gives up; must be the hockey player in him!

All of my colleagues are focusing on the tarpon run for now… it’s going to be solid for the next 6 to 8 weeks. It gives me a chance to field test some of the new tarpon sticks Falcon Rods has sent me for my big spinners (Daiwa Saltist 4500H, 5000H). Along with the new tarpon rods, I’m testing out some new proto-type fishing line (I can’t tell you the details on this one yet, but soon). There is no better knot tester than a pissed off tarpon, I will guarantee you!

This weekend is the grand opening for the new flagship West Marine store in my hometown of St. Petersburg, FL. I’ll be there representing Raymarine Electronics on Friday 3pm to 7pm and again on Saturday 11am to 3pm… come out and swap a few fishing stories with me.

On a personal note, it’s hard not to be proud of my son Cam. His AAU baseball team took first place at the State Championship tournament over in Auburndale, FL in Division 2. And his spring competitive park team is currently in first place also, they play for that championship this Friday! Two titles in less than a week, hmmm… he might be hard to live with ego wise, lol.

That’s all for now… look for more great info here at FCTV and my personal website every week.

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Between a full slate of charters, filming, and planning future projects, I’ve had very little free time. But that’s the job so it’s expected.

I have spent the last two days filming FCTV with long-time friend and Power-Pole inventor, John Oliverio in Tampa Bay. Challenged by windy conditions and dirty water we still managed a terrific show featuring a number of nice snook, big redfish, and a pair of 24” trout all caught on artificial techniques. By being patient and utilizing baits that create vibration, John caught some impressive fish that included several inshore slams!

In addition to all of the fishing I’ve been doing, I’ve also had to keep up with getting a ton of web work and social media updates out to fans. One of the more interesting updates was a two-part interview I did with pro angler Andre Moore from the SKA Tour. You can see part one of this interview at www.evinrudeeteam.com and learn more about the Mr. Versatility of professional fishing it’s a good read for saltwater fans.

Next week it’s time to crank up my summer tarpon charter season… it’s my favorite time of year. If you want to experience the thrill of a silver king pulling like a freight train aboard my boat, visit my charter website to secure a booking before they are all gone.

I’ll be back next week with even more FCTV updates until then catch’em up.
Capt. C.A. Richardson

FCTV is entering its sixth season and has been recognized as more than just an award winning television production but as an educational tool to thousands of loyal fans tuning in each week. The pros at FCTV strive to teach anglers not only the basic “how-to’s” of light tackle fishing but the subtle nuances that arm viewers with the information that’s needed for consistent success!

And now with FCTV supplemented by Capt. C.A. Richardson’s inshore fishing school, Flats Class V2.0, you can take all the strategies & techniques you’ve learn in class and on the show; And, utilize them the next time you’re on the water and get results. It’s like having a fishing coach right in your own boat!