FISHING REPORT: Ian spared the bait shops, but some others have taken a hit

Something you might’ve noticed about bait shops.

Not a lot of shag carpet, hook-and-loom rugs or fine upholstery. Not much to mess up with your wet shoes and nasty bait bucket.

So when a major storm passes by, assuming the bones held up and cover stayed put, it’s generally just a matter of mopping up and waiting for the fishermen to come running back.

“We were up and running fairly quickly,” Craig Patterson said from his perch at Donald’s Bait & Tackle in Port Orange.

Not that it was all pretty. From his house in southeast Volusia, Craig can keep an eye on things through his shop’s ceiling-mounted camera. At one point, he noticed the shop’s power was gone, and unless it miraculously re-fired soon, he knew what he’d walk into the next day.

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“The smell was really bad,” he said.

A huge tub of dead shrimp is no bed of roses.

The bulk of his bait shrimp come from farther upstate, above the worst of Ian’s path. So he’s having no problem getting more shrimp, as well as mud minnows.

“The jury is still out on sandfleas,” he says, but that’s been the case since last fall. “Our local frozen bait company is fine, so supplies won’t suffer.”

Also, the nearby dock and boat ramps are OK, and on another happy note, Craig says, “folks are catching fish, especially in deep pockets of the river.”

It was a bigger cleanup needed in downtown Daytona Beach, where Gene and Lisa Lytwyn have run The Fishin’ Hole for 33 years.

“We’re back to normal,” Gene says. “We had water about 10 inches deep inside the store. Minor water damage to fixtures. Three days of cleanup and we were back up and running.”

In the earliest period after the storm passed, Gene says he had people wading through water to come get bait.

“I sure wouldn't do it, but you have to admire their dedication,” he says.

It’s a similar story several miles north at Ike Leary’s bait shop at the Granada Pier. The “closed” sign was hanging from Wednesday through Friday last week, but quickly flipped around by Saturday. Call it a freak of nature or just plain luck, given how the shop sits on the bank of the Halifax River.

“No damage, never lost power, back in full service,” Ike says.

In another stroke of good fortune, the 1,500-foot fishing pier out back held up great. The only issue is a broken water supply to the cleaning tables. Good thing, because that pier will be put to serious use Saturday (more on that below).

Further good news: “The bite is on,” Ike says. “Reds, black drum and sheepshead off the pier.”

Flagler County: Fishing is "fair to good"

Up the way in Palm Coast, still more positives, with Hammock Beach Bait & Tackle hardly missing a beat.

“Open regular hours and fully stocked,” says Capt. Mike Vickers, who goes on to talk business.

“The fishing has been fair to good, with the outgoing tide being the best time to fish,” he says. “The water is still high and ranging from tannic to muddy, with tannic water producing the best.

“We’ve been getting reports of reds, mangrove snapper, flounder, drum, and snook from the main river and creeks.”

The Matanzas Inlet, he says, has been producing its usual array of desired local catches, including a few snook and some tarpon.

“Mostly on the falling tide and low tide,” Capt. Mike says.

Not so good: Tougher Times for the surf and St. Johns

Hate to leave on a downer, but you don’t have to look far around here to know it can’t all be decent news.

“I have zero business. All of my fishing locations are completely trashed,” says Dustin Smith, of NSB Shark Hunters.

Hard to think of a worse time to be a surf fisherman.

“Hopefully, by November things will be getting close to back to normal,” Smith says. “But then again, if people don’t have a place to stay because of all the damage to hotels and resorts, they’re not going to come down.”

And as you’ve probably heard, it’s even worse for the area’s ocean-pier fishermen. At least the surf-fishing crowd will soon have a playground to return to.

And with marine conditions continuing with their sour mood, it’s no time for the offshore folks, either, private or commercial.

The Sea Spirit in Ponce Inlet, the area’s lone remaining head boat, was already in dry-dock for annual maintenance when Ian came along and did some damage. They hope to be back in the water by early November.

To the west side of the county, it’s tough times for those near the St. Johns River, which has been through a cycle of cresting, peaking and (hopefully) ebbing.

“It’s a mess but we will recover,” says Capt. Bryn Adams, whose family has operated Highland Park Fish Camp for over 60 years. “The water is the highest I’ve ever seen it. We are very lucky. We had minimal damage. We’re working on clearing our canal to allow boat access.”

This & That: Take the kids fishing; learn to build a rod

• Back to Ike Leary and his Granada Pier.

Saturday, he’ll be sponsoring a fishing tournament for kids off his planks, from 9-11 a.m. Free, too.

Afterward, Ike will be serving free hot dogs.

And yes, that’s right, his pier. The city named it in his honor a few years ago.

• Down around the Port Orange-South Daytona line on U.S. 1, the Halifax Sports Fishing Club is dealing with some leaks, but had no flooding, and the show goes on.

This month’s members meeting (Oct. 20) will feature guest speaker Todd Vivan, from Oviedo’s Mudhole Tackle. He’ll teach you how to make your own custom fishing rod.

The HSFC would love for you to join, but you don’t have to be a member to enjoy the monthly seminars.

More info: HSFC.com.

Hook, Line & Clicker: Send us your fish pics

We want to see your most recent catch. Email your fish photos to ken.willis@news-jrnl.com.

Please include first and last name of angler(s), as well as type of fish (we're occasionally stumped). All are included with our online fishing report, and some occasionally make the print edition.

Do I need a fishing license?

You can find all the license info, including exemptions, on Florida's Fish and Wildlife Commission website: MyFWC.com. But the basics are:

No: If you're 65 or older, 15 or younger, you don't need a license.

No: If you're fishing with a licensed guide or charter boat, both of which purchase commercial licenses that cover their customers.

Yes: Most everyone else, including visitors from other states. 

Yes: Even if you're a shore-based angler (shoreline, dock, pier, bridge, etc.). However: The shore-based license is free . . . But: You still need to register for that free license.

Where do I get a license, and what does it cost?

Many bait shops sell licenses, as do the bigger retailers (Bass, Dick's, Walmart, etc.). 

Florida's FWC uses a third-party site for buying or renewing fishing licenses: GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. 

The cost: $17 for an annual license. 

Don't forget: Whether you're fishing fresh or saltwater, you need the specific license. Freshwater and saltwater licenses are both $17 annually.

I'm here on vacation, do I need a fishing license?

 Yes you do, and they're also available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or certain bait shops and big retailers. 

Cost: $17 for three days, $30 for seven days, $47 for a year.

Also: Non-residents need to purchase that license even if they're just fishing from shoreline or shore-based structures. (Florida residents need that license, too, but they're free.)

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Hurricane Ian did no favors for fishing business, but some are fine