Read more about the article Reel Time: ‘The Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’
Capt. Bryon Chamberlin makes a presentation to a school of tarpon on Passage Key, one of the country's first National Wildlife Refuges. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time: ‘The Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’

This article originally appeared in Reel Time in 2018. It’s republished here, with revisions, because I think the message it imparts has never been more relevant. Respect and action to…

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Read more about the article Reel Time: Former county commissioner challenges wetlands decision
At a time when water quality should be at the forefront because of harmful algae blooms like this Lyngbya bloom in Anna Maria Sound, the current Manatee County Commission is going backward. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time: Former county commissioner challenges wetlands decision

By Rusty Chinnis The decision by the Manatee County Commission to reduce local wetland buffers to Florida's state minimum standards has been challenged by former county commissioner Joe McClash. The…

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Read more about the article Reel Time on the Road: Andros North Bight
Anna Maria’s Bill Partridge with an average Andros bonefish he caught fishing the Dressing Room with Harry Neymour. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time on the Road: Andros North Bight

By Rusty Chinnis “Strip, long strip, stop, short strip, stop, strip,” Harry Neymour called out as I watched the bonefish home in on my fly. Neymour had spotted three fish…

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Read more about the article Reel Time: Cleaning up the Sister Keys
Ronda Ryan of Sarasota Bay Watch and Abbey Tyrna of Suncoast Waterkeeper sort and record trash and recycling during Saturday's event. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time: Cleaning up the Sister Keys

By Rusty Chinnis Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch last weekend when they conducted their 2023 Annual Sister Keys Cleanup. The event was a collaboration of the two…

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Read more about the article Reel Time: Giving back
Hudson Fisher caught his first redfish in Longboat Pass with his grandfather, Michael Riter, also known as Pickle. Will his children have the same opportunity? – Submitted | Michael Riter

Reel Time: Giving back

By Rusty Chinnis I consider myself extremely lucky to have spent the last 40-plus years on an island in an area celebrated as the Suncoast. As an ardent angler, I’ve explored…

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Read more about the article Suncoast Waterkeeper urges protection of wetlands
Dr. Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper and a wetland scientist, addresses the Manatee County planning board. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Suncoast Waterkeeper urges protection of wetlands

In a recent column, I reported how state rules and regulations passed during the DeSantis legislative session limited the protection of local waters at a time when the threat to…

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Read more about the article Legislation Imperils Local Waters
Unless we elect lawmakers and other officials who work for the public good rather than corporate interests, expect more algae blooms like these that have plagued Anna Maria Sound since 2020. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Legislation Imperils Local Waters

By Rusty Chinnis At a time when the need to move water quality issues in a positive direction should be crystal clear, decision-makers (and, by default, the citizens who elected…

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