The seasonal closure for vermillion snapper in the waters of the South Atlantic comes to an end Saturday, March 31. Beginning Sunday, April1, anglers fishing in federal waters may keep up to five vermillion snapper in addition to the daily aggregate bag limit of 10 snappers.

Whoever said “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb,” never spent a day in Florida. More appropriately, “March comes in like a wind tunnel and goes out like a jet stream,” and that’s so Typhoon April can throw a little rain into the mix.

The red grouper bag limit was increased in Gulf of Mexico state waters from two fish per person to four fish per person within the four grouper aggregate bag limit during a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting in November 2011.

This is the year of the big bass on Lake Okeechobee, where big bass are being caught on a daily basis. There aren’t a lot of 10-12 pounders, but 4-8 pound fish are all over the place as was evident in the Bassmaster Elite Series event held on the big lake this past weekend. Ish Monroe of Hughson, California won the event by bringing in a five fish limit each of the four days weighing a total 104-p

Inshore— Panama City’s backwater bays are yielding redfish on the lea shorelines for anglers using Copper Juice colored Assassins with a 1/8 ounce jighead. Most of the fish are 24-30 inches. Work the baits right in front of the fish, and when you get it to the fish, drop the bait on its head, and the red will spin around and eat it. It’s been a windy week, but the winds have been letting off duri