I can't believe another five years have gone by. Time to renew My USCG License aka; Merchant Mariner Credential. I just sent in 30 pages of forms and documentation to the Coast Guard Regional Examination Center in Boston. 

Quite a process, drug test, physical, eye and hearing exams, background check, sea time and boat ownership documentation. All that with a $90 check and presto, 8-12 weeks later your new certificate arrives in the mail.

But in reality jumping through such hoops is very important. Licensed captains are entrusted with the safety and well being of the folks on our vessels. A responsibility we all take very seriously.

Obsession Sportfishing Charter, celebrating 25 years of providing quality outdoors experiences. I have the greatest group of clients and friends in the world. I also have the most understanding wife in the world. I am truly blessed.

Capt. Dave 

Barb and I will be heading to Port Charlotte in a week or two. Thought I'd start my fishing reports now seeing that I'm checking the conditions daily. 

Conditions: Water temps will rebound this week. Winds will drop too. There will be mid day low tides with good moving water

Bait the fish are feeding on: some whitebait in the upper harbor, pinfish, ladyfish, shrimp, crabs

Species to fish for this week: Seatrout, Redfish, Jacks, Spanish, some Snook

Fishing Tactics: Cold water tactics – fish deep water and banks until the mid day warmth heats up the flats.

My fly fishing tip of the week: Cold water requires fishing slow and deep. Might need to swap to an intermediate or sinking line. Maybe even weighted flies for the holes and edges.             

My spin fishing tip of the week: Still fishing with bait and popping corks or slow retrieved jigs in deep water early then move to the grass flats as the water warms.

7 day outlook: A cold front move out Monday and the winds will drop and shift into the southeast. The weather change will bring a few showers. Temps will rebound to seasonal levels allowing the water to warm up.

This week's forecast:

This is something Barb and I already knew - Punta Gorda on the southeastern side of Charlotte Harbor is a great place to excape the cold. Trip Advisor agrees, it listed PG as its most afordable southern destination.

We live just across the bridge in Port Charlotte but spend most of our time in Punta Gorda. Great restaurants and shops, We love the farmers market, I launch from two of PG's boat ramps almost daily and pick up my Florida fishing charter clients at the area hotels. PG hosts several festivals and fishing tournament throughout the year. Oh, almost forgot Barb's favorite ice cream shop Scoops is at Lashley Park right on the River Walk.

And the fishing... PG has great snook, redfish, trout, cobia, jack and mackerel fishing minutes from their boat ramps. Spin fishing or fly fishing, you'll have a great time in Punta Gorda.

Just wrapping up two busy days at the NACO annual meeting. This year we met in San Diego. Lots of issues coming at the charter industry over the next few years: possible inspection requirements for guide boats and 6 pack boats, the Uber phenomenon that has turned the taxi industry on its ear is now riling the charting waters and, ever changing fishing regulations will have both captain's and angler's close attention in 2016 and beyond. Oh if it was just as simple as going fishing... Serving on the boards of NACO, the Florida Guides Assn and the Maine Assn of Charter boat Captains is one way I give back to the resource I've been blessed to make a living from for 25+ years. Thankfully we have great groups like NACO, FGA, and MACC protecting the interests of our recreational fisheries.

Took a walk along San Diego Bay this afternoon. One of the largest boat harbors I've seen.

Can't begin to guess the number of vessels. Everything from day sailors to 100+" long range charter boats.

This one has 18 state rooms is 118' long with a 29' beam goes out on trips as long as 23 days fishing the waters off Baha Mexico.

The anglers seen here with their carts of gear (one cart for each) are about to board for what will be an adventure of a lifetime. 

Yeh, it's on my bucket list.

I retired the ol' Yukon Denali and have a nice (newer) GMC crew cab pickup. Problem - no secured rod storage with a 5'-6" bed... Enters my friend Fred Bogue, a beach and jetty angler who has struggled for years just such a problem. Fred sent me a link to Big Sky Rod Box in MT. Great product and really nice folks but, it only holds up to 6 fly rods... Next I contacted my buddy and sales rep at Hammond Lumber; Matt Stelzer for a bit of brainstorming on available materials. After three days in my workshop here's the result.

Constructed from metal roofing panels and aluminum angle over a 1/4" plywood substrate

Weighs about 50 pounds and removes in minutes by undoing four U bolts.

Holds 9 fully rigged rods up to 9'-6" long. Nicely cushioned cradles, watertight, ventilated and lockable. Even has enough room to accommodate my 8' one piece tarpon spinning rods.