OUTDOORS: Anglers seeing uptick in hogfish - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

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OUTDOORS: Anglers seeing uptick in hogfish - Sarasota Herald-Tribune Posted: 29 Jan 2020 07:55 AM PST Most hogs have been taken primarily by spear fishers in the past, but are increasingly being caught by hook-and-liners Many of my articles have addressed the recent uptick in abundance of some species not seen here in some time or ever. Tripletail have been the most notable this year. Another that is showing up more and more on offshore boats is the hogfish. I'm not entirely sure there are a lot more of them on our reefs these days. Most hogs have been taken primarily by spear fishers in the past, but are increasingly being caught by hook-and-liners that have figured out the tricks for taking them. The hogfish is in the wrasse family and inhabits live bottoms, particularly with soft corals in the west Atlantic and Gulf. They are a hermaphroditic species, starting out as females and switching to males at about 14-15 inches. They are an exotic looking fish and are also prized, when small, in the aquarium trade. Their feeding habits are definitely bottom focused, rooting for crustaceans as a pig roots for food. Hence the moniker. They are a highly regarded food fish. In the Gulf, the minimum size limit is 14 inches at the fork, a 5 fish per day bag and a year round open season. Anglers looking to catch hogfish are best served to use live shrimp of average size. The most important key to success is to get your bait to the bottom quickly and keep it there, ideally right on or within a foot of the bottom. You will have a lot of by-catch of grunts, porgies, snappers, etc., so it is important to bring a lot of bait. Hogfish can be found on good bottom starting at about 40 feet off our shores. SBEP grants available for local projects Once again the Sarasota Bay Partners Grants are being made available from the Sarasota Bay Esturary Program for local projects focusing on habitat restoration, water quality or bay-related education in 2020. Groups may apply for up to $4,000 each. Businesses, non-profits, schools, civic associations, religious groups, HOA's/neighborhood associations in Manatee and Sarasota counties are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by March 2. Contact Darcy Young at 941-955-8085. A visit to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program website/Sarasota Bay Partners Grants will provide a lot of information.

Non-native species provide mixed bag - Lake County Record-Bee Posted: 28 Jan 2020 11:03 PM PST If you stop to count how many exotic or non-native plants, fish and wildlife we have in California the list would probably fill a small telephone book. Many of our game fish are not native to the state and there are literally hundreds of plants that have a foreign origin. Some species of fish and plants have been a benefit while others are considered a nuisance. Take largemouth bass for example. This popular sport fish is not even native to the western United States. It was first brought to California back in the 1890s. It found the state's waters ideal habitat and is now the most popular freshwater game fish in the state and provides thousands of hours of recreation to fishermen. Crappie, catfish and bluegill are not native to California. Striped bass were introduced from the East Coast. Some species of trout aren't native. If these fish had never been relocated to the state just consider what few fishing opportunities we would have. Of course, there are species of fish that are considered as pests. Take carp for instance. They originally came from Europe and were first planted in a small pond near Sonoma. They have since spread throughout the country and are considered by many fishermen as a nuisance. However, there is a small and dedicated group of anglers who regularly fish for carp during bow hunting contests, which are extremely popular. Overall the non-native species far outnumber the native species. There are only 10 native species in the lake compared to a whopping 21 non-native. There are several species of wildlife that aren't native to the state but have thrived since their introduction here. Pheasants are one of the state's most popular game birds. However, they're not native to the United States, originally coming from China. Lake County is literally awash with wild turkeys. In fact, many of county's vineyard owners omplain about the turkeys eating their grapes, which isn't a native plant. The birds are also not native to California but are considered an excellent game bird by local hunters. When it comes to plants, Lake County has plenty of non-native plants that are considered noxious. There are now thousands of acres of star thistle scattered throughout the county. It's that plant with the prickly stem and a bright yellow flower. Star thistle originally came from the Mediterranean. It chokes off other grasses and is nearly impossible to kill. We have all heard about the hydrilla infestation of Clear Lake. While the government has controlled hydrilla, one or two new plants are discovered yearly. The state has a hydrilla crew permanently assigned to Clear Lake. Approximately 36 different species of aquatic plants call Clear Lake home. Many are native plants and are a benefit to the lake. However, others are classed as "invasive or noxious" plants that if left unchecked could literally take over the lake. How do are these non-native fish, birds and plants get into the state and county? In the case of turkeys, pheasants and bass, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWF) planted them. However, most of the foreign plants got into the lake by other means, such as residents dumping aquariums into waterways. In other cases it's from birds spreading seeds. Farmers bringing in hay is believed to be the root cause of star thistle. According to county officials, people should be careful how they handle plants from their aquariums and backyard ponds. Dumping them into the lake or even disposing of them where they could eventually find their way into the lake can have disastrous consequences. Hydrilla is a good example. The plant was first discovered just south of Lakeport near Catfish Slough and most likely came from an aquarium. Within a few months it had spread throughout the lake. Left unchecked it would have completely covered the lake. Other plants also have that capability. The big fear the past five years has been the quagga mussel. It hasn't yet been detected in the lake and one reason is because of the extensive inspection program the county has initiated. The county has an aggressive weed control program and hopes to control some of the more dangerous weeds, but it needs everyone's help. Don't dump the water from an aquarium into the lake and be careful when cutting weeds. The radio show "Lake County Outdoors" is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday on KPFZ 88.1 FM. And will discuss different species of clams and mussels in Clear Lake.

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