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Rusty Chinnis

Rusty Chinnis

March 7, 2017
Rusty Chinnis is The Sun’s Outdoors columnist.
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August 11, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Monitoring Anna Maria Sound’s seagrass loss

As I reported in a story earlier this year, I was alerted by Capt. Scott Moore and his son, Capt. Justin Moore, last year about a large loss of seagrass in Anna Maria Sound. I, like Scott and Just…
August 3, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Mangroves: Critical habitats under threat

Friday, Aug. 7, is the deadline to submit public comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding a proposed shoreline wall at the Aqua/Sea Spray development along El Conquistador Parkway.
July 28, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Organize your fishing gear

Tarpon season is “officially” over, the heat is intense, winds have been blowing hard from the west and the fishing has been less than spectacular. What’s a die-hard angler to do? How about organizin…
July 21, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Voting and the future of fishing

There’s a direct link between how politicans vote and how their votes reveal whose interests are served.
July 14, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

The politics of fishing

Political decisions made now will impact anglers in the future.
July 6, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Dog days of summer arrive early

This is an article that I would have written in mid-August when the “dog days” of summer normally set in. This season has been marked by two “anomalies”: a drought for the whole season and unusually…
June 30, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Anatomy of a healthy Florida stormwater pond

In last week’s column, we discussed the importance of managing stormwater and its effect on water quality and fishing in coastal waters.  In our watershed, we manage stormwater runoff with po…
June 22, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Stormwater management benefits local fisheries 

Every angler who fishes the waters surrounding Anna Maria Island, including Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and the Gulf, depends on clean, healthy water to support the fish they pursue. 
June 15, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Courtesy: It’s only common sense

It’s that time of the year again when schools of tarpon conduct their annual migration and mating ritual off Anna Maria Island beaches.
June 10, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Game-changing trolling motors

Power-Pole has incorporated the operation of the Power-Pole and the Move PV trolling motor, allowing anglers to control and anchor their boats with one rechargeable controller. 
June 2, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Profiles In Conservation: John Kolojeski

There could be no better person to begin this series of “Profiles in Conservation” than Anna Maria’s John Kolojeski.
May 26, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Profiles in Conservation

Columnist Rusty Chinnis plans to profile individuals, leaders and organizations that help protect the area’s natural resources.
May 19, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

A salute to “Captain” Hunter Brown

I first met “Captain” Hunter Brown at Eldred’s Marina, at the foot of the Boca Grande Causeway after a day of tarpon fishing.  I had been poling a Charlotte Harbor flat with my good friend Mi…
May 12, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

The Apex of Angling: Part 2

If getting a tarpon to eat a fly wasn’t demanding enough, once a fish opens its mouth the real test of an angler’s mettle is revealed.  Tarpon are not trout, and attempting to raise the rod t…
May 5, 2026
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: The Apex of Angling (part one)

Tarpon are one of the premier gamefish that swim local waters and are a noble adversary on any tackle. The fish that frequent our beaches during the months of May through August can weigh over 200 po…