Outdoor Sports "Rod, Gun & Game": There is a bridge to warmer winters
By Forrest Fisher
We gave my ice auger some time off last week and headed south for a few days, to a Florida area that we knew very little about. When most people think of Florida in winter, they think of the warm weather to be found at Disney World or at Cape Kennedy watching a NASA space launch.
Those areas are great for just getting away from the cold up here, but they are commercial, a bit busy much of the time and true relaxation there can require a search. Just two hours south, there is an even warmer, very peaceful, superbly colorful, natural, eco-paradise of bridge-connected islands called the Florida Keys. They were new to me and they are truly amazing!
The Keys are a series of sub-tropical, bridge-linked islands that run 125 miles down U.S. Highway 1 across some 43 bridges from Key Largo (near Miami) to Key West. Mile marker locaters offer the remaining distance to Key West and provide a useful aid for visitors trying to find various attractions along the way.
Travelers with fishing rods and swimming gear can view the Atlantic Ocean on their left (south) and Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on their right (north). The sea waters flow from one to the other with changing tides beneath the many bridges and inlets, offering great shore fishing and simple picnic opportunities. Quiet occasions for simple, warm fun!
The chain of Florida Key Islands (more than 200 in all) is segmented into five main regions that include Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West. Each region seems to have a unique specialty that includes various ordinary visitor attractions.
At all of these environmentally rich island regions, we discovered there is excellent fishing and acquiescing peace, especially at sunset, as expected, but there are also winter dolphins, whales, sea turtles, multiple indigenous bird species and many other creatures that relate to the warm sea waters there! It was so warm!
Water temperatures in the low 70s, just right to do some snorkeling over the only live coral reef that exists in the United States off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (MM 102.6), allowed a group of us to enjoy simple visual sightings of fish and fauna that were plentiful and colorful. There are camping facilities here, too. Winter visitors in the Keys enjoy average temperatures of 81 degrees with usual sunny days from January through April. A nice winter break place!
Intriguing, vivid colored fishes of many types, sharks too, barracuda — I caught four casting right off the dock at Islander Resort in Islamorada, speckled trout, sailfish, mahi-mahi, and many other game fish, shrimp and lobster too, some of these farther offshore, abound in the island chain. Fresh fish and shrimp are available at every commercial fishing dock.
While on Islamorada, we also stopped at Robbie’s Marina (MM 77.5) where a school of 50 to 100 silver king tarpon become resident at the docks for several hours each day. Visitors can enjoy a fish-feeding display and participate, too, when they purchase a small pail of herring and offer them to the huge fish. Some of these fish are five feet long and weigh over a 100 pounds!
Visitors hold their baitfish in their hand out over the water (with baited breath…a pun!), while the tarpon leap up as much as two feet in the air to grab the tasty seven-inch baitfish morsel right from their hand. This is incredible! If the fish miss, nearby pelicans are ready to grab any leftovers. Also, incredible! There is a lot of exciting fish splash! You may get wet! Visit www.robbies.com to view a live cam.
Continuing the drive brought a panorama of high bridge elevation views, including lush emerald-green lagoons, belize-blue sea colors of shallow and deep water transition areas, peaceful coconut palms along the ocean edges, rustling pine trees, interspersed by an eco-paradise of olive-green mangroves that provide shelter for native and wintering birds, including white herons, pelicans, sea gulls, ospreys, yes — cormorants too (ugh!), and countless underwater creatures, such as many fish varieties, stone crabs and tree crabs.
We discovered many of these in our search for Florida Key Deer, a small whitetail deer variation, kayaking with local outdoor adventurist guide, Bill Keogh, in the mangroves near No-Name Island. Keough started out with a simple love of the outdoors, growing up in Connecticut and Maine, then decided to head for warmer climates about 30 years ago. He completed college and became an outdoor photographer and adventurist in the Keys. He turned his northern love of the outdoors into southern fun and profit, authoring a guidebook series for kayakers through Big Pine Kayak Adventure, his business, to be found near Mile Marker 30. Visit www.keyskayaktours.com for more information.
Of course, restaurants offer dozens of fresh fish lunch and dinner options, and just about every combination of seafood with anything else, many that can just melt in your pallet with only a view of the well garnished plates. What is really eye opening and impressive for all sportsmen and conservationists is the large number of facilities to be found with dedicated people (many of them volunteers) that devote their lives to the rescue and care of the many sea animals from these local, rich, saltwater areas.
Near Marathon at Mile Marker 30, on Grassy Key, the Dolphin Research Center has grown from a small facility to one of the largest marine care facilities in the country. Under the leadership of marine Vietnam veteran, Mandy Rodriguez, and his able assistant, Mary Stella, visitors can watch interactive dolphin training sessions and can learn about manatee rescue efforts for a small donation charged upon entry.
Here we learned that dolphins can move their eyes independently of each other and that when they sleep, they rest only one side of their brain while the other stays up to keep watch for predators (sharks). They can only hold their breath for about eight minutes, so then they come up for air and back to sleep. Talk about broken sleep?! In nature, each species has their own way. Visit www.dolphins.org for more information.
Elsewhere in the Keys, it is noticeable that other sea animal caregivers abound in a variety of facilities. We travelled by boat to observe dolphins in the wild with Captain Victoria at Key West, explored some remote sandy islands with her, and found unique coral pieces lying on distant island beaches during a walk on the wild side at some of the outer islands. She called dolphins right to the boat 25 miles from the dock! I’ve never have seen anyone do that before! Mysterious and exciting! For more, visit captainvictoria.com.
So, if you are looking for a warmer place to visit during our chilly, deep WNY winter cycle, one new place to consider is a stop to any of the island chain of the Florida Keys. For information on the Keys, visit www.fla-keys.com or call 1-800-ASK-KEYS. One note, it was 82 degrees in Key West when we left to return home. It was only two degrees a few hours later when our plane landed in Buffalo. Ouch! I actually said more than that. Volunteer me now mama!
Case Lake fishing derby
This popular ice fishing contest that still includes cash and door prizes will run again on Saturday, Feb. 20. Registration will begin at 6 a.m. and fishing will begin at 8 a.m. Hot food will be available with coffee and hot chocolate and event sweatshirts and T-shirts will be available for purchase. This derby is sponsored by the Franklinville Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, go to www.chamber.franklinvilleny.org or call Tim Dash at 676-3692.
Also, DEC reports indicate good solid ice for Case, Harwood, New Albion, Quaker and Redhouse Lakes. Anglers catch mostly panfish on these lakes, however there is good opportunity to catch large trout as well. Each fall the Randolph Fish Hatchery stocks each of these lakes with brood stock trout. This past October, each of the lakes were stocked with at least 300 brown, brook and rainbow trout that ranged between 12 to 30 inches long. Quaker Lake is also a good spot for northern pike.
Great Backyard Bird Count
The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is set for Feb. 12 to 15. Anyone can join other citizen scientists to tally visits from our fine feathered friends, then post the data online. Anyone can participate, from beginner bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy and helps the birds. To register, visit www.birdcount.org.
Excalibur volunteers needed
A private, non-profit all volunteer, charitable organization seeks competent anglers and charter captains to help provide free boating and fishing opportunities on Lake Erie for disabled and disadvantaged persons at a new fishing and boating vessel moored at the Buffalo Small Boat Harbor. If you’re interested, e-mail director Jim Catalano at jim@excaliburls.org or visit www.excaliburls.org.
Bluebird box time
Now is the time to put up new nest boxes for bluebirds, the state bird for New York State, which become less common due to a lack of suitable nest sites. Dan Brauning, the Game Commission Wildlife Diversity chief from nearby Pennsylvania says, “Bluebird boxes enable folks to help wildlife in a natural way. Also, building nesting boxes is a great project for individuals, families or civic organizations interested in wildlife. These box designs are proven to attract bluebirds and other species, including tree swallows and house wrens.”
The bluebird boxes should have an opening that is one-and-one-half inches in diameter, this precludes starlings from being able to enter. However, house sparrows can still enter the boxes, particularly those placed in close proximity to houses. If this occurs, the house sparrow nests should be removed immediately. If it happens repeatedly, consider moving the nest box to a more open location. Boxes should be erected on a free-standing pole three to five feet above the ground, facing south and a nearby tree or fence where young birds can safely land on their initial flights from the box. To reduce predation and competition from other species, no perch should be placed on the box.
To order by phone, call the Game Commission’s Harrisburg office at 1-888-888-3459. The boxes sell for $7, or there are numerous plans on the Web, making a great winter wood-working project.
Outdoors Calendar
Feb. 5: Winter Indoor Archery, 7 p.m., West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge Street, West Falls; call Mike at 432-6035 (daytime).
Feb. 6: Harry Staebell Memorial Archery Shoot, West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls, shooting time options 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., call 941-9393 for information.
Feb. 6: NYS Region 9 w/Erie County Trappers Assoc. Fur Auction, S&S Taxidermy, Route 219, Springville, NY, check-in at 8 a.m., auction starts at 10 a.m.
Feb. 6-14: Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, State Farm Show complex, Harrisburg, Pa., see www.easternsportshow.com.
Feb. 7: WNYFAB Indoor Archery, Creekwood Archery, 451 Lawrence Rd., Brockport, shooting time options 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., call 585-392-2030 for information.
Feb. 8: West Falls Conservation, monthly meeting, 55 Bridge St., West Falls, call 652-4650.
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