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Reel Time

Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit
Environment, Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time

Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit

Sep 8, 2025 – Rusty Chinnis
July 29, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Mangrove Rangers celebrate

Mangrove Rangers celebrate

In 2024, Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) launched its Mangrove Rangers program to train local volunteers as community scientists using drones to survey and map the health of these essential coastal “fore…
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July 21, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
In fishing, as in life, just be nice

In fishing, as in life, just be nice

When was the last time you got upset when you were on the water? Was it when someone cut you off while you were poling a shoreline, or maybe when they motored up to that school of tarpon you had been…
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July 15, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis

Reel Time: Waterkeepers guide hurricane recovery grants

The waters on Florida’s Gulf Coast are more than the scenery, wildlife and beaches, they are also a lifeline for fishing guides. Following the 2024 hurricane season, which brought widespread damage f…
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July 6, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Who will protect our children’s future?

Who will protect our children’s future?

Every time I hear a new angler say, “Wow, this place is paradise,” it takes me back to the early 80s when I met Capt. Scott Moore and began fishing Suncoast waters. I had much the same response so ma…
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July 1, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Tarpon season winds down

Tarpon season winds down

For many anglers, the final days of June traditionally mark the beginning of the end of the tarpon fishing season. This is the time that big spawning pods break up into small groups and singles. Whil…
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June 23, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Invest in catch and release

Invest in catch and release

The ethic of catch and release isn’t a new concept. Even in the early part of the 20th century, far-sighted anglers could see the potential for depleted fisheries. Over the last couple of decades, I…
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June 16, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Jack crevalle - the ultimate underappreciated adversary

Jack crevalle – the ultimate underappreciated adversary

Jack crevalle are often underappreciated but are one of the toughest targets an angler will encounter. These tenacious juggernauts are not sought after by most anglers. The majority of jacks are cau…
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June 9, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
The apex of angling: Part two

The apex of angling: Part two

Last week we discussed the basics of fly fishing for tarpon; now we want to discuss the all-important details. Once set up, the angler must be able to make a 40- to 50-foot cast to a location the si…
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June 1, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
The apex of angling

The apex of angling

Tarpon, the premier gamefish that swim local waters in late spring and summer, can weigh over 200 pounds and average from 80-100 pounds. While most anglers pursue them on conventional tackle, a grow­…
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May 28, 2025
By Rusty Chinnis
Reel Time on the Road: A Drift on the Chattahoochee

Reel Time on the Road: A Drift on the Chattahoochee

“Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” Norman Maclean, “A River Runs Through It” I have always had a fascination with rivers. As an angler more at home in saltwater, ri…
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Upcoming Events

April 9, 2025
11:45 am

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