Skip to main content
Rusty Chinnis

Rusty Chinnis

March 7, 2017
Rusty Chinnis is The Sun’s Outdoors columnist.
Email Rusty Chinnis
March 26, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
Salon fundraiser meets with success

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) – a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of…
March 20, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
Check, check and double check!

Reel Time: Check, check and double check!

How many times have you arrived at the boat ramp to find you left something important behind? How about forgetting to put the drain plug in before launching the boat? Not often, I hope, but if you’re…
March 12, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
Suncoast Waterkeeper’s vision expands

Reel Time: Suncoast Waterkeeper’s vision expands

Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) has seen phenomenal growth over the last several years. In that time, they have hired an accomplished wetlands scientist as executive director, hired a marketing and commu…
March 5, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Harbinger of spring

I just heard my first whippoorwill last night, a harbinger of spring. While we might still be a few cold fronts away from spring, now is a great time to prepare for the upcoming season, getting tackl…
February 27, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Take a kid fishing

Reflecting back on the importance fishing has had on my life, I’d like to pass on some of the things I’ve learned over the years about how to introduce children to the marine world and fishing. Thos…
February 19, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

The fourth annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend. The two-day, fly-only redfish tournament with a snook calcutta was a sellout with a total of 145 anglers registered. The…
February 14, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
‘Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’

Reel Time: ‘Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’

This article originally appeared in Reel Time in 2018. It’s republished here, (with revisions) because I think the message it imparts has never been more relevant. Respect and action to protect this…
February 5, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
Scallopalooza: We’re making waves

Reel Time – Scallopalooza: We’re making waves

  On Saturday night, Feb. 24, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is holding its 14th Annual Scallopalooza: We’re Making Waves. The event is a major fundraiser for the organization. This year Sarasota Bay…
January 29, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Capture the moments

Digital photography and videography continue to evolve as phones advance. Anglers have never had more access to capturing images and videos, right in their pocket. Whether you are capturing a picture…
January 23, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Using push poles

Push poles have been used to propel boats for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Today’s push poles have come a long way since then. They’ve evolved from wooden poling oars hewn from tree limbs to…
January 16, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
The re-making of Perico Preserve

Reel Time: The re-making of Perico Preserve

Perico Preserve is a Manatee County jewel. But this gem wouldn’t have become a reality without the vision and determination of a few key individuals who captured the attention of and created opportun…
January 9, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis
The making of Perico Preserve

Reel Time: The making of Perico Preserve

Nestled just off the edge of Perico Bayou, a slender body of water that connects Tampa Bay and Palma Sola Bay, Perico Preserve would appear to the unversed as an extension of the wetlands that rim Pe…
January 1, 2024
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: New Year’s resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are an annual ritual. It’s a time to look back and reflect on what matters most, how we feel about our lives, and what changes might improve our situation. It’s also a time to…
December 23, 2023
By Rusty Chinnis
Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness

Reel Time: Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness

Whether you’re fishing local water, stalking bonefish in the Bahamas, poling a flat in Charlotte Harbor for tailing redfish, or any number of angling scenarios, we anglers spend the majority of our t…
December 19, 2023
By Rusty Chinnis
The value of mangroves

Reel Time: The value of mangroves

Anglers know the value of the mangrove forests to provide habitat, food and protection for the snook, redfish, sheepshead and other species they pursue. For those who don’t fish but enjoy eating fish…

Upcoming Events

View Calendar