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Outdoors

Outdoors, Reel Time

Reel Time: What happened to catch and release?

Nov 22, 2020 – Rusty Chinnis
November 2, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Turtle rainbow

Nesting News

Turtle nests laid: 349 (Record: 544 in 2019) False crawls: 450 Nests hatched: 289 Hatchlings hatched: 20,237 (Record: 35,788 in 2018) Nest disorientations: 1 Source: Anna Maria Island Tu…
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October 26, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Enlightened self interest

Enlightened self-interest

With just over a week until election day, regular readers of this column can probably guess how this writer will be voting. I’ve said it more than once, but this bears repeating. I don’t consider mys…
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October 18, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Reel Time: The land of shining water

Reel Time: The land of shining water

Noontootla is a word derived from the language of the Cherokee Nation in northeastern Georgia. The translation, “land of shining waters,” perfectly describes Noontootla Creek, an 11-mile tributary of…
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October 11, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Reel Time: Shifting seasons 

Reel Time: Shifting seasons 

I admit, it’s been a subtle shift from summer into fall, but even if the weather doesn’t reflect it, the shorter days and cooling Gulf waters are sending local anglers a message. One sure harbinger o…
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October 4, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Vote for water and land

I have been blessed to live on a barrier island in Manatee County since 1980. I was drawn to the area by family but moved here because of my love of fishing and the natural world. I realized I’d foun…
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September 27, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Sarasota Bay Watch releases clams

Sarasota Bay Watch conducted its first post-COVID-19 clam release on Saturday, Sept. 26. SBW board members and volunteers gathered at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron in the morning to transfer clams to…
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September 21, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Fred and the fish-eating squirrel

Reel Time: Fred and the fish-eating squirrel

Most of Bradenton was asleep and dreaming when I pulled up to the locked gate that barred access to Jiggs Landing on the shore of Ward Lake (a/k/a Bill Evers Reservoir). Beeping my horn and flashing…
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September 14, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
New horizons in trolling motor technology

New horizons in trolling motor technology

If there’s one thing I learned over the years it’s that the more “stuff” you put on a boat the more you have to deal with. Having said that, there are a few things I have found worth the effort. Chie…
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September 6, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Hone your hot weather strategy 

Hone your hot weather strategy 

Summer may be on the wane but you would never know it unless you’re up early or get out later in the day. Savvy anglers know to change their strategies, tailoring their efforts to maximize comfort an…
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August 31, 2020
By Rusty Chinnis
Fishing at o-dark-thirty

Fishing at o-dark-thirty

The clear, pale green halo of light stood out in stark relief, surrounded by inky dark water at the end of the boat basin. The properties and docks that encircled the water, normally bustling with ac…
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Upcoming Events

April 9, 2025
11:45 am

The Off-Stage Ladies of the Island Players, April luncheon meeting