Tide Charts
Search by Zip Code or Location:
*	Location	State	Latitude	Longitude
*	Cortez, Sarasota Bay	FL	27¡28'N	82¡41'W
*	Bradenton, Manatee River	FL	27¡30'N	82¡34'W
*	Anna Maria Key	FL	27¡32'N	82¡43'W
*	Sarasota, Sarasota Bay	FL	27¡20'N	82¡33'W
*	Redfish Point, Manatee River	FL	27¡32'N	82¡29'W
*	Mullet Key Channel (Skyway)	FL	27¡37'N	82¡40'W
*	Egmont Key, Egmont Channel	FL	27¡36'N	82¡46'W
*	St. Pete Beach Causeway	FL	27¡42'N	82¡42'W
*	Venice Inlet	FL	27¡46'N	82¡27'W
*	Point Pinellas	FL	27¡42'N	82¡38'W

Recreational licenses and permits for residents and nonresidents are available at county tax collectors' offices. In addition, they are available from subagents, such as sporting goods stores or other retailers selling hunting or fishing equipment. All license, permit, and issuance fees may be subject to change pending the outcome of this year's legislative session. Prices listed include tax collector's fee. In addition to the cost of a license or permit given in this section, an issuance fee of $.50 may be charged by the subagent selling the license or permit.

If you have a major credit card, the FWC offers you two ways to buy your hunting or fishing license without leaving your home.

By Michael Penn

James (Jim) W. Goodwin died at age 79. He lived in the area for almost 30 years having transplanted here from Massachusetts. His passion was fishing and he loved to share his knowledge with amateurs and the local fishing experts alike. Jim retired early from Nabisco, due to a knee injury and spent most of his retired years-writing fishing articles for local publications and national magazines.

Although he never claimed to, Jim helped launch a number of local fishing guides careers with his writings and he had a large following. National publications would seek him out to write fishing articles. He was well-versed in Gulf waters fishing, fly-casting and fishing in the Northeast. Over the years he wrote over 500 fishing articles

Jim’s fishing knowledge seemed endless and he always seemed to have the time and interest to help anyone who had a fishing question. Those who knew Jim could tell he didn’t write for the money. He wrote to share the sport of fishing with all that he touched. If he didn’t have the answer he researched it or consulted the local fishing guides and shared the information either via his column or the telephone.

One day Jim told me he was asked to write a fishing column for the Sarasota Herald Tribune while the fishing editor was out of town. I asked Jim if they were going to give him a byline. He responded "no, they asked me to do it anonymously". I considered that a large tribute to Jim’s unsel’fish’ness and the smallness of the "big paper". (Pun intended).

Jim Goodwin was more than a fisherman who loved to help people. He was an environmentalist who taught people to release fish long before it was politically correct. Often he was invited to join the State of Florida Fishery Department tours of fish hatcheries so he could spread the word. When someone had a new fishing invention Jim was one of the first contacted.

Some of his most striking qualities were his humbleness and perpetual smile that inflicted you. His jovial laugh came naturally and you could tell he spoke from the heart. He was one of those people that made you feel happy and good inside every time you saw him. On rare occasion his English temper would shine through went he felt an injustice had been committed.

As Captain Johnny Walker put it, " he was a gentleman and a scholar, one of the most professional and nicest persons you would ever want to meet. " Aleida Tushman, owner of Mr. CB’s Saltwater Outfitters said, " Jim was a good friend who would help anyone."

He leaves behind, a wife Carolyn, of 56 years, one daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren two great grandchildren, and two sisters, along with a legacy that shall not be forgotten. Jim, we all love you and will miss you.

 We have near perfect boating waters and weather to boat all year long.  The intra-coastal waterways make it possible to have a great day on the water even when the wind may be kicking up. If you love the water and boats this area is pure heaven, 24/7.

 Most new boat owners have never taken a boating course or maybe even driven a boat before. It is not difficult. Add some common sense, lots of courtesy, a well equipped boat and a little knowledge of the waterways and most people have little difficulty. We do strongly recommend that all new boaters take a boating course or be under the guidance of an experienced captain.

There are some differences in driving a boat as compared to a car. A boat responds slower particularly in regards to steering. The wind and tide effect the way you maneuver. With a cross wind at your bow you may have the boat steered straight but the wind will head your boat in the direction of the wind. You need to steer into the wind in order to maintain a straight course if there is a stiff wind. Driving with a cross wind and against the tide while motoring slowly (5 MPH) will make it more difficult to steer the boat on a straight course. You may need to bump up the speed which will give you greater control over the boat.

Going under a bridge is fairly simple. One should pay attention to their speed, distance from the bridge and alignment with the underpass. You should line up the bow of your boat to the center of the bridge at least 1500 feet before the opening. Think of yourself as an airline pilot coming in for a landing. Do not go thru a bridge opening at full speed, 10 to 20 MPH is an average range. Watch for boat wakes or wind that may set you off course. Don't pass another boat while going under a bridge. Around 500 feet before the bridge pick out a marking on the bridge that will lead you through the center of your half of the bridge opening. If there is a stiff wind you may have to steer into the wind.

Staying in the channel is easy. The channel is marked by a colored marker on the right and one on the left. The channel is in between these two signs. When piloting the area you should stay in  is from the middle of the channel to the right marker. Boats headed in the opposite direction have the area from the middle of the channel to the left marker. A trick my grandfather taught me has served me well for making sure you stay in the channel. Look at the markers in front of you and then behind you. Looking forward you may look like you are in the channel. If you look at your rear markers and you aren't in the channel adjust your course.

Most boaters mean well but don't know that the waterways are steeped with special marine laws, courtesy and tradition. The larger the boat the bigger the wake. A boat traveling at quarter to half throttle will throw a bigger wake than a boat traveling at full throttle or slowly. If your boat throws a big wake slow down to 5 MPH before approaching smaller boats. It is illegal to endanger other boats. Marine law also gives the right of way to all sail boats. Give them plenty of leeway. They can't steer as well as a motor boat and need to maintain the center of the channel sometimes to have enough depth for their keel. Sail boaters hate to be waked, be courteous.

When passing another boat leave as much room as possible. Do not pass another boat, especially at cruising speed, if you can't maintain 35' to 50' between you and the other boat.

Children like to sit on the front of the boat and hang their feet off. Not. This is illegal and unsafe.

Boating is fun and relaxing. Go slow. Take it easy and take a boating course. The local Power Squadron offers an excellent one. Some marinas offer free boating lessons when you buy a boat from them. This article is not meant to be all inclusive or an authority on boating. Tis only the views of one Capt. Seek professional guidance for boat operation.

By Jim Goodwin

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole.

That bit of verse ran through my mind like a litany as Captain Rick Grassett drove his boat, The Snook Fin-Addict, down the Intracoastal on my first night fishing trip with this innovative and daring fishing guide. The innovating as obvious when you consider his choice of action once he had passed his examination to become a salt water fishing guide. Because he was still employed he was limited to guiding on weekends and holidays which made his desire to become a guide appear to be nothing more than an expensive hobby. Snook fishing had always appealed to Captain Rick and as snook are extremely active at night the choice of fishing times became obvious and from the very onset successful. I consider him daring not simply because of his ability to move up and down the IntraCoastal in the dead of night but also because I consider it daring to base a career in guiding work on the supposition that anglers could and would come out in numbers to fish for snook at night. His offerings as a guide have been received so well that today the Captain is a full time guide.

The primary snook fishing locations for night snook fishing are the fenders and abutments of the bridges, selected docks and piers and some rocky outcroppings that can and do hold nocturnal snook. The watchword here is caution and the complete absence of unnecessary noise and commotion. Grassett will, as a rule shut off his motor some distance for his objective and brings his neat boat into the desired location with either his electric motor or he may take advantage of the drift or the tide to come in quietly. The anchor is eased over the side and once it appears that all has quieted down and everything is back to normal, the quest for snook can begin.

The Snook Fin-Addict is remarkable for a number of things not the least being the lack of clutter and the almost abnormal neatness. The thinking here is certainly easy to follow; in the dark of the night with a big angry snook hooked and thrashing, the last thing an angler needs is to fall over a misplaced rod or an out of place tackle box. Small lights that keep the deck and center console in a subdued light do a good job in keeping the angler oriented and aware of the space. Two anglers and Captain Grassett can operate extremely well on this boat and although things can become slightly hysterical with a double hookup, still the excitement quota is above average and in fishing that is the best part of the experience.

Captain Rick prefers to use a medium spinning rod of 6 feet length with a high quality reel, one with a good drag is a must. He spools his reels with 10 or 12 pound test monofilament and ties on a 20 to 30 pound leader. While snook fishing around bridges especially, the best course of action is, once the snook has struck, move him out into the clear water quickly and then you can settle down and fight him in the conventional manner. Light gear is not recommended as you will find it virtually impossible to move a big feisty snook out and away from structure before he can cut you off. Use the type of equipment that has proven to be successful in this type of fishing and eliminate those lost snook.

Naturally these night time feeders will take big hand picked shrimp and they will also react to such snook baits as shiners or pinfish but on those nights that live bait seems to be out of sync there is one artificial lure that has provided Captain Grassett and this writer with some fantastic and unbelievable nights with big snook dancing in fury. This lure is called the DOA and is a plastic reproduction of a shrimp that is complete in every detail. It comes equipped with hooks and a small sinker and it will do well if used in this manner but both Captain Rick and I like to remove the hooks and the sinker and hook the DOA through the head as you would a live shrimp and use a small split shot a few inches above the hook. Used in this fashion the swinging shrimp like-lure can be pure dynamite and may bring snook out of hiding and anxious to hit. I am not at all certain if the color or size of this lure has any bearing on the reaction by the feeding snook and Captain Grassett has noted that no one color can be considered superior.

When snook fishing at night be alert for big trout and the occasional redfish as they may be found in and around the self same lights that hold such fascination for the snook. If there is one word of caution for this type of fishing it would be to keep the terminal tackle at a minimum, light wire hook, small split shot, avoid using metal snap swivels and above all keep a firm grip on reality and those big snook will do the rest.