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Now browsing: Hometown News > Fishing > Dan Smith
Dan Smith
This Week | Archive
May 17, 2013
Water quality good in the Halifax; not so much in Mosquito Lagoon - The big rain event we had the first week of May has not had a devastating effect on the water quality of the Halifax. Even though we had enough rainfall to normally pollute the river with run-off, the fact was the Halifax was in the best condition I had seen it in quite a while. I am a guy who keeps a close eye on water quality, and especially sa... Full Story
May 10, 2013
Big blues, big reds, manatees and a self-releasing trout - Dang it, the flounder so far have been a real disappointment. I had one good day and that has been it. As a follow up to my recent column about bluefish, readers Phyllis and Ed DaSilva of Ormond Beach sent along a photo of a 32-inch bluefish they caught in Strickland Creek. Now that is a big blue for these parts, but the surprising part of that s... Full Story
May 3, 2013
A trip to Cedar Key on Florida's west coast - Last week was our 39th wedding anniversary, so I took my wife Lana fishing. What? No good? Well, the precedent for that was set long ago. You see on our very first date back in 1973 I also took her fishing. My girl Lana is a trooper and by now knows what to expect. In my defense, I picked the cute little fishing village of Cedar Key as our destin... Full Story
April 26, 2013
Early morning fishing in Sleepy Hollow Park - Sleepy Hollow on the northern edge of New Smyrna Beach, and just off U.S. 1, is one of my favorite places to kayak. In fact, it was the very first place I went to try out my new Green Peanut for fishing. Quiet waters with seldom an outboard present, it makes for easy paddling. On this great spring morning, the conditions were right for a good tim... Full Story
April 19, 2013
Those aggressive bluefish -- the Atlantic's wolf pack - Back when I first arrived in Florida I was almost strictly a fresh water fisherman and when it came to the briny side of angling I was surely a pure rube. Riding south on A1A in 1968, I came upon Sebastian Inlet south of Melbourne and encountered maybe 50 fishermen lining the beach. That caused me to pull over and inquire as to what the attractio... Full Story
April 12, 2013
It is time to flounder around once more - Okay here we go -- flounder season is back. If you have been with me for a while, you know that for the past three or four years my flounder take has been nothing short of phenomenal. I can't imagine I will repeat that success in 2013, but like every fisherman I am forever optimistic. In 2011, I caught 104 and last year, from spring to fall, I to... Full Story
April 5, 2013
A bad start and a happy ending at Tomoka Basin - Have you ever gone on a fishing trip and nothing happened? Come on now be straight with me. Sure, we all have. No matter what your level of skill, there are days when you just can't catch a thing. Not long ago I had one of those mornings. Usually I don't write about a big goose egg for that does not make entertaining reading, but there is no deny... Full Story
March 29, 2013
So long to my old friend -the Orange Avenue Bridge - A few days ago, I drove down to Orange Avenue in Daytona Beach for a little pre-dawn fishing just as I have off and on for the past 40 years or so. Throughout all that time I have stored many great memories while fishing from the old bridge there. It was always a constant I get there well before daylight when the auto traffic is less and the boat... Full Story
March 22, 2013
Hot action on a cool morning in the mangroves of Spruce Creek - From the day I began fishing these waters nearly 45 years ago, the maze of oysters and mangroves at Spruce Creek has tantalized me. That area between U.S. 1 and the Halifax River provided a constant draw. In the early days, I would take either my outboard or rowboat and dead shrimp bait into that puzzle. There I could always turn the shrimp into ... Full Story
March 15, 2013
A visit with The Fisher-Man and a bit of old Florida - Recently I made the drive to DeLand to spend a little time with Mike and Kathleen Arthur, who run The Fisher-Man tackle shop. This business is a bit hard to find, but well worth the effort. In the DeLand Airport business complex at 813 Flightline Blvd. No. 6, you will know when you are close when you see the big PT boat that is being restored nea... Full Story
March 8, 2013
Swamp encounters make for great memories - In a sport known for lies, one of the biggest fibs is put forth by fishermen who have caught nothing. "Oh, it's great just to be out in nature," they say. Of course there is some truth to that statement, but when we fish, all of us want to catch something. You can certainly put me in that latter category, but every now and then the beauty and won... Full Story
March 1, 2013
A half -hearted attempt with half of a fishing rod - I struck out across the Halifax in my kayak right at dawn on a calm but chilly morning. I had a particular destination in mind and was concentrating on my paddling when I noticed that a breeze was kicking up. Before I left home that morning I had checked with several expert meteorologists on the tube and they were all predicting a light wind. By ... Full Story
February 22, 2013
A Tomoka Grandslam -- caught with a Grandslam bait - On a dreary overcast morning that included the occasional rain sprinkle, I awoke with a list of household chores to take care of. Only problem is that kind of day means fishing to me. After piddling around for a while in a half-hearted effort at home repair, I finally faced the reality of the situation and shoved my kayak on top of my old Ford Ex... Full Story
February 15, 2013
A saltwater fisherman's worst enemy -- saltwater! - A few years ago, during a dreary winter, I wrote a column suggesting tips for maintaining your boat trailer. One of the products I recommended was rust treatment paint named POR 15. It seems a lot of you were paying attention, but not too many were taking notes or keeping the piece for later reference. In fact, since I wrote that, reader requests... Full Story
February 8, 2013
Turning your catch into tasty table fare - OK, a few weeks ago we talked about the types of inshore creatures we are seeking. Now let's talk about what to do with them once you have them in your cooler. That is, how do we turn those slimy, smelly, denizens of the deep into taste-tempting delights? To properly clean a fish you must have a sharp knife. These days we are able to buy some pre... Full Story
February 1, 2013
Trolling for a fight with a big red in Haulover Canal - On the kind of chilly morning that passes for winter here in Volusia County, I towed my 16-foot Carolina Skiff down to Haulover Canal. It's a long way from Ormond-by-the-Sea where I live to the canal near the Brevard County line and I don't make the trip very often. In Florida, there are many places bearing the name "haulover." That arose from th... Full Story
January 25, 2013
Fishing lures that glow in the dark and the Flagler Home Show - Recently, I drove down to Edgewater to spend some time with Rick Kayholm and the good folks of Grandslam Baits. Upon arrival, I was happy to see Rick and the ladies working away to turn out the soft baits needed to keep the local tackle shops stocked. Of course, that in turn, keeps us the dedicated anglers, smiling. Grandslam Baits has proven to ... Full Story
January 18, 2013
Like shooting fish in a toilet bowl - The High Bridge area has been a popular fishing spot for all of the 40-plus years I have been plying the waters of Volusia County. It draws anglers from Flagler and Palm Coast as well as points south. The bridge itself has long been known as a great snook and trout hole. From time to time the bite there turns on and it becomes so crowded it is di... Full Story
January 11, 2013
It's fun grappling with game fish or bottom feeders - Now that we are all armed with spiffy new fishing equipment courtesy of Old Saint Nick, let's talk about some of our favorite quarry. For starters, I will list the fish that inshore fishermen love to battle. At the top of the list locally has to be the snook and large mouth bass. No one will ever forget his or her first hookup with a big snook. L... Full Story
January 4, 2013
Cold weather fishing may be the best - A good place to begin fishing in 2013 would be the surf or the ocean piers. At this time of year fishing near the beach can be steady and the blue fish will usually provide lots of entertainment. Fresh cut bait or shrimp will be your best choice there but the big sheepshead around the pier pilings may be more interested in playing if you bait the... Full Story
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