April Luncheon

click for larger photo
The April Hammer Point Ladies Luncheon was held at Mandalay restaurant. Many of the snowbirds have gone home so there weren't as many ladies there. Most of the snowbirds come back to Hammer Point year after year and we miss them and think about them while they are up in the cold Northern Territories.

Very Big Bug

This is about a ten pound lobster from the marine lab. It is a male about 7 or 8 years old. For more information about lobsters go to the lobster link.

Eco-Mariner Florida Bay

I attended a resource protection course for Florida Bay boaters today along with Captain Gus Ramirez and Captain Glenn Warington at the Green Turtle Hammock located in Islamorada.
The course is designed to teach boaters how to safely navigate the Bay's shallow waters and illustrates simple actions that can reduce the extent of fish and seagrass habitat damage. The course was very informative with information on preventing seagrass damage, catch and release techniques, identification of birds and mammals and much more.
The course can be taken online at: www.ecomariner.org

Conch

photo by Keysmon
Cindy Lewis from the Florida Wildlife Research Regional Laboratory holds a live conch while explaining about their habitat and and what is being done to keep them from disappearing all together in the Florida Keys.

Sailfish caught off Islamorada

photo by Captain Perkins
Nice closeup of the Sailfish caught by Billy Olson. It was released safely.

Mixed Bag

Billy Olson and John Romanus took a day off from backcountry fishing and headed off shore with Captain Dave Perkins. As you can see they caught a variety of nice fish.

NYC Background

photo by msgdan

Tom is about to land the bigger of the two stripers. This was his first time kayaking in saltwater.

Jamaica Bay is a great fishery right on the outskirts of New York City. Click on the picture for the skyline view.

Sully's Striper

photo by msgdan

Tom Sullivan fishing with his Kayak Club in Jamaica Bay. That is JFK Airport in the background. Tom was fishing with his buddy Danny Viscardo, both former firefighters that I worked with. These guys like adventure.

Peter's Big Fish

Peter Anthony Asencio likes to fish in the Keys. He is the grandson of Sonia and Gus Ramirez of Bristol Court. When Peter isn't fishing he spends his time practicing Jujitsu and Tae Kwon Do. He wants to be a Miami-Dade firefighter-paramedic like his dad Pedro Asencio.

Captain Dave Perkins

Captain Dave Perkins did some backcountry fishing yesterday with Billy Olson from Athens GA and John Romanus of Aspen CO. Dave fishes from an 18 foot Action Craft skiff called "The Perks". Billy and John managed to catch some trout and snook. Dave caught this 30 inch snook.

Check out Captain Perkin's website in the LINKS.

Everglades Snook

Jim O'Keefe caught this over the slot giant while fishing backcountry near Everglades City.
O'Keefe is the O'Keefe from O'keefe's Reef, a fine line of fishing clothing.
Check out there website in the Links.

Everglades Snook

Dan Belman and Jim O'Keefe managed to catch a few nice size snook while fishing out of Everglades City.

photo by Glenn
Captain Ramirez of Bristol Court finally got out on the water for the first time since his knee replacement. He fished with Captain Warington of Cromwell Court. Of course, Captain Ramirez would rather be fishing for wahoo or sailfish, but he never passes up a chance to be taken to one of the Keysmon's secret spots.

Eric's Monster Snook

Photo by Ramiro
Eric Moreno of Dexter Court caught this 22 lb, 40 inch Snook fishing with his dad, Ramiro and fishing guide Ron Wagner out of Islamorada. Captain Wagner said it was the second biggest Snook of his 42 years of guiding. There is a good story that goes with this fish and as soon as I get more pictures I will post it.