Capt. Brandon Simmons runs the Into The Blue Charter Boat at Hawks Cay Resort. Brandon fishes for Mutton Snapper and other reef fish regularly and creates sand balls using a mixture of chum, sand, and water to get the fish active. He tells us exactly how to make these, and why they work and how we can all use this technique to catch more and bigger fish.
Read MoreKevin Pavlidis Is @Snakeaholic and he knows a little about snakes. In fact, he is a contracted snake hunter in the Everglades. While Kevin is trying to find snakes, the rest of us are trying to avoid them.
Who better to ask “How do we avoid snakes in the wild”?
Read MoreThis week for How 2 Tuesday, I had the chance to sit down with Chris Pascual and talk bridge fishing in the Florida Keys. Chris has a TON of experience bridge fishing and if you don’t believe me, go check out his instagram @pescadorcubano and see for yourself. In this episode, we talk bridge fishing techniques, tackle, accessories, and what you need to do to have the most success. We talk about what types of species you can target and the best places to do that. Bridges are a great way to get on fish without a boat, and I think that many of you will really enjoy learning about this subject. Let me know what you want to learn about next on How 2 Tuesday by emailing me at podacst@saltwaterexperience.com
Read MoreWhether you live way up north, or down in the south, the change of the seasons usually means doing some sort of preparatory maintenance on your boat. Whether that be winterizing the motor, preparing the batteries, or covering it for the season, there are always good ways to ensure that your boat will stay in the best condition. Down in South Florida, we don’t have to worry about the cold as much, but we do have to make sure that it is well protected from the sun and the salt. In this episode we have a special guest, Scott Shimtov of Empire Boat Covers on to tell us about the importance of using a cover in the offseason. We discuss different cover options, and why you want to keep your boat protected with a cover. If you are going to spend a lot of money on a boat, you should invest in a good way to protect it.
Read MoreThis week we take another question from Instagram, talking about tips and techniques to have success catching juvenile (baby) goliath grouper in the mangroves. This is a perfect time to talk about this, because we target these fish in the first episode of the 2021 Saltwater Experience season. All of the techniques and tackle are still fresh on my mind, and I broke down everything that you need to know to have success catching these fish.
Read MoreThis week I had the chance to sit down with Capt. Ryan Nitz. We had Ryan on the show a few weeks ago to talk about public land hunting, but what he is best known for is the massive snook that he targets. That is exactly what we are talking about today. I ask him many questions in this episode that will be helpful for the beginning angler to get on some snook, but will also be helpful for the more seasoned angler to find those bigger snook, and have success landing them. We go over tackle choice, leader and hook setup, and fish locations to help you have more success finding those trophy sized snook. Be sure to share this episode with someone who you think would find it beneficial.
Read MoreLast week, we discussed how to choose the best landing net for your fishing situation. This week we are talking about the most effective way to use a landing net. A landing net is a great tool to have in your boat to decrease the stress on the fish and safely and efficiently catch and release a fish. If you do not use a net the proper way, it could result in you losing the fish. Too many times I have seen net being used improperly, and the line ends up getting wrapped around the net, resulting in a lost fish.
Read More“What is the best landing net for saltwater fishing?” And “DO I even need a landing net for saltwater fishing?” I got both of these questions recently so I thought I’d dedicate todays episode to giving my 2 cents. Today we start part 1 of a 2 part series on landing nets. First, I am going to go over the attributes of a landing net that are important to me and why those same attributes may be things you want to consider. With this in mind, I describe and even say by name the net I consider to be the perfect landing net for me.
Read MoreIf an angler wants to maximize his chances at permit, the spinning rod is unquestionably the most useful tool available. The spinning rod allows anglers to cast small and large crabs, light artificial lures and jigs and live shrimp in every condition. In the Florida Keys, we experience seasonal changes that require me to alter my spinning tackle to optimize the conditions. For example, winter and spring conditions are often windy; a condition that allows guides to get very close to the fish before they become alarmed. The rough conditions camouflage anglers and boats contrary to the extreme calm.
Read MoreThe Lower Florida Keys are one of the very best places in the world to catch Permit on the flats. In order for Permit to be plentiful, they need the right temperature, food source, vast inshore and offshore habitat and structure such as wrecks, coral heads, and bridges. I sat down with Capt. Nick Labadie of Tailing Water Expeditions (find him on Instagram @captnicklabadie) and discussed boats, guides, seasons, time of year, tides, and questions to ask that go into a planning a trip for one of the most difficult fish in the ocean, the permit.
Definitely listen to this podcast with Nick if you are interested in permit fishing. Below you will find some of my own information on seasons and guides. The podcast has much more information than this article.
Read MoreThis week I had the chance to sit down with Ryan Nitz and talk to him about public land hunting in Florida. Ryan is an avid hunter and has spent a TON of time hunting on public land. He has a ton of good advice for anything from gear all the way down to specific techniques that will grant you the most success with hunting public land. We also talk about public land etiquette, rules and regulations, and things to avoid when you are out there. Be sure to follow Ryan on Instagram @ryannitz to see how his hunting season is going this year, and to reach out to him with any additional questions you may have.
Read MoreFourth-generation Conch and Key West Flats Guide Brandon Cyr joins me today to discuss everything about how to catch a permit on a fly rod. This is one you do not want to miss if you ever aspire to catch this incredible fish. While we agree on most of these tactics, we do have some differences. Brandon recently won the IGFA Permit Fly Tournament with Nick Labadie and has been catching a lot of permit on fly. Find out how he does it.
Read MoreToday, I answer a question from a listener. “How do I pick a bonefish fly?” I open my bonefish box and go through 8 flies that I would feel unprepared without. We go over the most important quality in selecting a fly; sink rate. I show the different flies and organize them based on sink rate from slowest to fastest. Is it more important to have a variety of different flies or a variety of sink rates? I go over the answer and how I have prepared for trips around the world. You can have a bonefish fly box that will help you to be successful wherever you go.
Video and photos by @jasonstemplephoto and @bonefishbluff
Read MoreLast week we discussed the best all-around fly rod. Today, we discuss the best all-around spinning rod for inshore fishing. If I had to pick one, I would go with a 7 foot, 8-17 pound rod with a moderate tip flex. For me, the go-to is the St. Croix Mojo Inshore. I would pair this with a 4000 size spinning rod. This setup is perfect for all around inshore fishing. Obviously different rod lengths and actions can be better for specific situations, but if you only want to get one rod for fishing inshore, this is what I would go with. It will help you land a number of different fish species, and can handle a variety of different situations. What else would you like to hear about for How 2 Tuesday? Send me an email at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com with your ideas!
Read MoreIn this week’s How 2 Tuesday, we talk about a question that I get very often, how to pick your first fly rod. I would divide this into two categories based on if you are fishing in freshwater or saltwater. If it’s freshwater. I would say to go with a 5wt. If you fish more saltwater, I would suggest a 9 or 10wt. In this episode we go into the reasoning behind that, so be sure to check it out! As always email me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com or tag me on Instagram @tom_rowland with any How 2 Tuesday questions you may have, and I will try my best to answer them!
Read MoreFish live in the shade and around structure so they can ambush prey and also hide from other predators. Skipping lures under docks, mangroves or any type of structure and can be very effective and every good fisherman should be well practiced at this and be able to do it. There are some things that will make anyone better at it immediately. Your choice of bait, rod, reel, line, leader will make as much difference as a ton of practice but the practice is equally important.
We go over every part of a good skipping setup and then talk about where and how to practice this technique before getting out on the water.
Big fish live in hard to fish areas. Learn how to skip a lure waaaaaaaaayyyy back in the bushes.
Read MoreThis week, we unbox and spool up the Daiwa Certate 4000 for a brand new Permit reel. I use a professional line winder to spool my reels. I know that not everybody has one of these, but I go over some of the reasons why it may be worth a few bucks to get your local tackle shop to spool yours up for you. We also go through using mono as backing (Why would you do that?) and attaching it to the braid to avoid any slipping. If you have any special tricks that you use when lining a new reel, be sure to tag me on Instagram @tom_rowland or @tom_rowland_podcast or email them to me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com
Read MoreThis week I answer another great question from Instagram, this time coming from @codyrubner. Cody asks, “what pieces of gear should upcoming guides always have in their boat?” In this episode I dig into some of the things that are crucial to preventing a day of guiding from going wrong. We talk about many different items that you can use as a backup when something goes wrong, whether that be a dead battery, a missing drain plug, a dead cell phone, and much more.
Read More@spookyskiff asks about solo fishing setups in a skiff on the flats.
I have spent a lot of time fishing by myself in a skiff. It is challenging and highly unproductive at times, but with the right apraoch, equipment and some patience fish can be caught. Check out this episode and share with a friend who may enjoy it as well.
Read MorePermit are described as the hardest fish to catch on the flats. They are my favorite fish to catch and I fish for them more than any other fish. Im not sure that I agree that they are the hardest fish to catch after spending so much time with them. The most effective way to catch permit is with a live crab on spinning gear. The choice of hooks and how to hook the crab to keep it alive the longest can make a huge difference in how many fish you catch. On today’s show, I am on the water with my friend Capt Scott Brown and I show you exactly what hook to use, exactly how to hook the crab and exactly what rig I use. To show that it really works, I was able to catch one and release it too. These tips will help you catch more, I promise. Let me know if these tips help you by emailing me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com or leaving a comment below.
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