$3.99 US

The Fishing, Diving and Boating Magazine of the Florida Keys

FishMonsterM A G A Z I N E

july/august 2016 Volume 6 Issue 5

LobsterSeason Regulations

Inside

XiphiasGladius

the gladiatorof the deep

howard livingston: A Florida Keys Icon

SUMMER FUN IN THE KEYS BY CAPT. MIKE BARTLETT

14128

27 36

30 HUMMIN’THE BIMINI BLUES BY CAPT. JORGE PIÑERO

SUMMERTIME TIPS FOR KAYAK FISHING KEYS FLATSBY CAPT. RANDY MORROW

SUMMER!BY CAPT. JOHN SAHAGIAN

SCUBA EQUIPMENT 101 BY CAPT. ERIC BILLIPS

THE DREADED HANGING CHUM BAGBY CAPT. BEAU WOODS

XIPHIAS GLADIUS: GLADIATOR OF THE DEEPBY CAPT. NICK STANCZYK

FishMonsterM A G A Z I N E

July/August 2016 Contents

16

18

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?BY CAPT. GRIF HELWIG

SMILE :)

24

38

42

44

COVER PHOTOHoward Livingston, an iconic Florida Keys character, took some time out after his Castaway’s annual Meet Me in the Keys KOA Care Camp Benefit to fish offshore aboard the Premium Time out of Key West with his grandson Michael to celebrate his 13th birthday. A floating tree held full-sized dolphin and tripletail allowing a lasting memory for the crew. The SMILE says it all.Purely Howard that’s for sure :)

EDITOR’S NOTE

READER PHOTOS

ARTIFICIAL WRECK & REEF COORDINATES

LOBSTER REGULATIONS

FLORIDA KEYS FISHING REGULATIONS

Advertising Inquiries 305-432-0046 Sales@FishMonster.comPO Box 970 Key West, FL 33041 www.FishMonster.com 305-432-0046

ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHTED

Summertime is easy in the Florida Keys

The private reserve has been tapped. Hidden over the years by the overstated hurricane coverage and locals who kept the secret, our summertime perfection has been discovered.

These are the days of dramatic skyscapes, calm seas and TOTAL ACCESS. There’s nothing to hold you back from saltwater discovery above and below the water.

FishMonster contributor, Captain Mike Bartlett has had a busy tarpon season and is ready to bust loose on the guppy hatches early in the morning and late at night. The tarpon make feeding noises similar to bowling balls dropped into the water which makes them easy to locate by the light of the moon.

Captain Nick Stanczyk is known as the top swordfishing captain in the Florida Keys and puts together a solid swordfishing trip that will make those broadbill butterflies flutter.

Captain Eric Billips out of the Islamorada Dive Center has great advice when it comes to buying dive gear -- just ask your Florida Keys divemaster or dive captain! Time invested in education is well spent. The same goes for booking a charter or buying boats and fishing gear. All of our contributors here in FishMonster Magazine have the Florida Keys adventure coordinating credentials that will improve your game. They are the cream of the crop.

Thank you for supporting FishMonster Magazine!

4 FishMonster.com

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the FishHead of the Month send us your

picture! Tell us when and where you were and why you think you measure up. you could win a

FishMonster tSHIRT! email us atcontest@fishmonster.com!

FishHead of the Month

Junior Fishmonsterof the Month

If you know someone who should be featured here send a photo and the

reason why to photos@fishmonster.com.

Eleven year old Ryan Yablon out of Big Pine Key holds his FULL SIZED RED GROUPER

caught while out fishing with dad Justin.

Ryan Yablon

Jeff Dupre caught this 25 inch jumbo yellowtail on a live pilchard off Islamorada.

They were catching smaller ones when this flag ate a pilchard clipped in the outrigger intended for a sailfish.