FWC Takes Action Regarding Catch-and-Release Status of Tarpon and Bonefish
by Capt. Tommy Thompson on Jun.17, 2013, under FLORIDA'S BIG BEND AND EMERALD COAST, TAMPA BAY AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
From Frank Sargeant, Editor, The Fishing Wire:
Florida’s FWC agreed to make tarpon and bonefish gamefish, allowing no harvest of bones and only one tarpon per year in pursuit of records, with a state permit. The commission also presented a draft rule that would ban the break-away jig that has been at the heart of so much controversy in tarpon fishing at Boca Grande Pass for the last 20 years-the proposal will be acted upon at the next commission meeting in Sept. 4-6 in Pensacola. Meantime, jig fishermen say they have already crafted a new lure that will get around the ruling-so the dockside arguments are likely to continue.