C 08-28-05 17C SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL • sun-sentinel.com SPORTS C•SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2005 17C RADIO SHOW IS EXPANDING Many anglers think about snook this time of year because the season opens Thursday, but not Tim Mullin. Mullin thinks about snook all year long. And thanks to Florida’s most popular inshore gamefish, Mullin will have a new and expanded radio fishing show Saturday. STEVE WATERS Mullin, of Plantation, is co- ON OUTDOORS host of Strictly Florida Fishing, which will air from 6-8 on was the immediate thump a.m. Saturdays on 790 The [when the snook ate the Ticket 790 (WAXY-AM). shrimp] and then the line just He was the host of Strictly zinging on out of there.” Snook From Florida, which At the time, Mullin worked aired from 7-8 a.m. Saturdays in radio, but he never thought on The Ticket. The additional about doing a show devoted to hour became available when snook. It wasn’t until later, the Florida Sportsman after getting out of radio — Magazine Radio Show moved Mullin now works for Jeld- to another station. Wen Millwork in Coral Instead of just snook, the Springs, which makes doors, new show will cover offshore, moldings and window inshore and freshwater fishing. products — and while Mullin’s co-host will be bass watching fishing shows on guide Todd Kersey of Fort television, that he considered THIS ONE’S A KEEPER: Capt. Brian Sanders shows a snook caught on live bait in the Ten Thousand Islands. “The water’s definitely Lauderdale. Every now and the possibility. going to be cooler, in the 80s instead of the 90s,” he said, “so I think the fish will bite like crazy.” Staff photo/Steve Waters then, Capt. Ron Hueston of “They’d catch a snook and Naples will co-host the show then move on to something with Mullin. else,” Mullin said. “I’d say, “We’re very, very excited ‘Wait tell me more about the Storm surge — for snook about it,” Mullin said. “We had snook.’ an open line forum [on a recent “I just had the idea to put on show] and people said, ‘I listen a show about snook and snook to the show because it’s a great only. That’s how it kind of What’s hurricane finished spawning, Sanders SPECIFICS ON SNOOK SEASON show, but I’m an offshore evolved.” said those fish will be on the fisherman.’ The bass guys said Strictly Snook From good for? At least move. In the Ten Thousand Snook season opens at 12:01 Miami-Dade-Monroe County line, basically the same thing. When Florida, which debuted May Islands, snook will move to a.m. Thursday. except in waters of Everglades Florida Sportsman left, we 16, 2004, featured lots of it has fish hungry. and from offshore and National Park; Feb. 1-April 30 in all jumped on it. Having the where-to and how-to state waters of the Atlantic Ocean inshore areas. SIZE LIMIT south and west of the Miami-Dade- opportunity to have the second information on fishing for BY STEVE WATERS “I generally do well inshore Snook cannot be less than 26 inches Monroe County line, in all state hour is really a godsend to us. snook, as well as enlightening STAFF WRITER around the islands and the long or more than 34 inches long waters of the Gulf of Mexico and in “The station has really interviews with Florida Fish If there’s a silver lining to mouths of the rivers and (as measured from the most waters of Everglades National Park. worked with us. They’ve given and Wildlife Conservation the storm clouds that dumped offshore on wrecks and rock forward point of the lower jaw to OTHER us a lot of opportunities. We’re Commission fisheries on South Florida during and piles,” Sanders said. “The the tip of the tail). going to have a fishing trip with biologists such as Ron Taylor after Hurricane Katrina, it’s snook won’t move into the It is unlawful to take snook by any Desmond Howard and O.J. and Lisa Ockelmann-LoBello BAG LIMIT means other than hook and line; that snook fishing should be backcountry until the first Two snook per person per day in all also with live or dead natural bait in McDuffie hosted by the station and local fishing celebrities good when the season opens cold fronts in November.” state waters of the Atlantic Ocean conjunction with a treble hook. and Strictly Florida Fishing is such as Tom Greene of Custom at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. The key to catching those north and east of the Miami-Dade- Snook cannot be bought or sold. going to take them fishing. Plus Rod and Reel in Lighthouse “The water’s definitely snook is to find bait. Monroe County line, except in LICENSES we’ll be giving away fishing Point and Mark Sosin of Boca going to be cooler, in the 80s “Hopefully this storm waters of Everglades National Park. packages in conjunction with Raton, the host of Mark instead of the 90s,” Capt. didn’t blow all the bait over to One snook per person per day in all Any angler needing a saltwater 790. I can’t thank them Sosin’s Saltwater Journal on state waters of the Atlantic Ocean fishing license must also have a $2 Brian Sanders said, “so I Mexico,” Sanders said. “If south and west of the Miami-Dade- snook stamp to possess snook. No enough.” The Outdoor Channel and Sun think the fish will bite like you can find some bait, like if Monroe County line, in all state saltwater fishing license is needed Mullin also is grateful to the Sports. crazy.” you find it around the mouth waters of the Gulf of Mexico and in for anglers under 16, Florida snook, a hard-fighting, good- The new show will have that Sanders, of Davie, guides of a river, then you want to waters of Everglades National Park. residents 65 and older, Florida tasting fish that is pursued by and more with its two-hour out of Chokoloskee Island for fish in that area. On charter trips, the captain and residents fishing in saltwater from anglers throughout South format. Strictly Florida snook, redfish and tarpon as “Fish off the edges of the mate are not allowed to possess a land or from a structure fixed to the Florida. The Miami native got Fishing will cover freshwater limit. land, anglers fishing from a licensed well as for permit and cobia. river mouths or anywhere boat or pier and Florida residents hooked on snook about 20 fishing from Lake Toho and Before Katrina, he had to around the outside islands. SEASON fishing for snook in fresh water from years ago, while fishing from a Lake Okeechobee to the work extra hard to get fish for Fish any of the bars, any of Sept. 1-Dec. 14 statewide; Feb. land or from a structure fixed to the bridge for snapper by North Everglades and local canals. his customers because of the the dropoffs, any of the 1-May 31 in all state waters of the land. Bay Village in Miami. There will be offshore extreme water temperatures. mangrove points. And look Atlantic Ocean north and east of the “I was using shrimp, I got reports and inshore reports, Sanders blamed the lack of for eddies.” this huge tug and this big fight interviews with guests, a afternoon rainstorms, which All those places are good and I said, ‘This can’t be a sponsor spotlight, open phone are usually a daily occurrence ambush spots where snook anglers will find snook in caught most of his inlet fish snapper.’ I pulled up a snook,” lines, a look at upcoming in summer. The rain keeps can hide out of the current local inlets, around bridges in using plugs. Mullin said. “I didn’t know events and a look at old lures the water temp comfortable, and pick off a baitfish as it the Intracoastal Waterway One of his best snook, a what it was. I had heard about that still catch fish. which keeps the fish happy. drifts past. and around fishing piers. 36-pounder that measured 48 them, but I’d never seen one. “We’ve seen the need for a The snook season is closed Sanders prefers to fish As a boy, Sanders, 38, inches (one that would have When I caught that one, it set two-hour radio show,” Mullin during the summer — since with live bait because it fished for snook at Port to be released under current my world on fire.” said. May 1 in Everglades National produces lots of fish for his Everglades Inlet in Fort regulations), was caught at Another angler who was “I personally love the new Park and along the Gulf anglers, but he said anglers Lauderdale and Hillsboro Port Everglades on a giant, fishing nearby came over and format. There’s an awful lot to coast, since June 1 in Atlantic can also catch snook using Inlet in Pompano Beach with slow-sinking MirrO-Lure. identified the fish, which was a it. It’s an opportunity to touch waters — because snook lures such as Rat-L-Traps, his father, his uncles and his “My favorite time was on a small keeper, and Mullin gave base with everybody.” congregate near inlets and Zara Spooks, jigs and Trout grandfather. Although live falling tide right at dark,” him the snook. (He hasn’t passes as they prepare to Touts tipped with shrimp.