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Ridin’ the Waves in Florida

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Ridin’ the Waves in Florida

Florida boasts of having over 8,000 miles of coastline as well as 4,500 miles of inland waterways. With this much water for cruising, it is no wonder that boating is such a popular sport in the state. Many boaters often find themselves cruising over Florida waters and its waterways for the sheer beauty of it. Many types of boats have graced the waters of Florida ranging from mega-yachts to wooden skiffs. In Florida, owning a boat is as normal as owning a car.

Florida Waterways

The wonders of boating in Florida are further enhanced with its waterways, passages where boats can pass through for maximum boating experience. There are many waterways maintained by the Florida Inland Navigation District, the two most common and popular are the Intracoastal Waterway or ICW and the Okeechobee Waterway.

The ICW is also known as “the ditch” and is a natural but dredged channel. This channel extends 500 miles down the east coast of Florida to the tip of the Keys. This is a very popular boating route because it runs through rivers, creeks as well-dredged canals, giving boaters an extremely great variety in boating experience.

The Okeechobee Waterway, on the other hand, is composed of 135 miles of boating route. Extremely popular during the summer, this waterway runs along the St. Lucie Canal from Stuart, across the lake, then on to Sanibel Island via the Caloosahatchee River.

Best Places to Anchor Out

Just as cars park in a parking lot, boats do so as well but in ports. Boats aren’t just anchored anywhere. There are many great places to anchor in Miami including across Baker’s Haulover Inlet in front of Florida International University; in front of Watson Island; the anchorage in Boca Chica Harbor; and the bayside by Sand’s Cut. Palm Beach County also has a great place to anchor such as Peanut Island across Lake Worth Inlet.

Boating Rules and Regulations

It is recommended that before purchasing a boat or even before boating in Florida, especially for those new in the area, to get acquainted with the state’s boating rules and regulations for a safe and legal boating experience.

Catching Our Predators that Lurk in the Deep

iOutdoors Blog, Shark Fishing

Catching Our Predators that Lurk in the Deep

The state of Florida has vast deep sea waters teeming with natural predators such as sharks. These waters provide a great venue for a dangerous and exciting hunt: shark fishing.

It is important to understand and remember at all times that sharks are dangerous. They are known to attack people, especially when provoked – this makes the hunt more exciting and challenging, of course. That is why thousands of people visit Florida during shark fishing season, usually in summer.

The best bait to use for a shark is a smelly, bloody one – it does not always matter if the bait is dead or alive as long as it gives off the scent of blood. It is said that the shark has the most accurate sense of smell and could sense even just 1 drop of blood in as much as 1 billion drops of water. Because of this fact, you will likely lure at least one to your bait.

What possible species will you catch when shark fishing in Florida? Well, the Florida Keys is known to be home to several species of shark, including the hammerhead, mako, tiger, dusky, blacktip, bull, lemon, sandbar, bonnethead, black nose, and nurse. Of course, the tackle and line to be used may vary across these species, especially because these species differ in size, food, and behavior.

Although shark fishing is often done at daytime, some professional guides offer fishing expeditions at dusk that end up at dark – a more challenging twist to the already dangerous hunt.