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Sports & Outdoors


Backcountry fishing, scattered snook on our higher tides

January 12, 2024
BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE The backcountry fishing has been off to a great start this new year! We have been targeting pretty much everything from snook, redfish, and trout along with some po…

Pompano is the hit this past week in Boca Grande

January 5, 2024
BY CAPT. SANDY MELVIN With the cool weather we had over the holiday’s, targeting snook had to take a back seat to some great pompano, speckled trout and ladyfish fishing in our area. Cloudy, co…

The Forbes sea star Asterias forbesi

January 5, 2024
In December, there have been several occasions where I came across Asterias forbesi, the Forbes sea star. Forbes sea stars are known as the common “sea star” and are found in the littoral zones…

New New Zealand mallets a hit for Gasparilla Inn’s croquet program

January 4, 2024
Croquet is a game for the ages, and this current age is seeing a surge of interest. The Croquet Club at The Gasparilla Inn is a major player in the sport, so to speak, and recently upped its game …

FWC reminds anglers of changes for snook beginning Jan. 1 

December 29, 2023
New regulations for snook in state and adjacent federal waters will go into effect beginning Jan. 1, 2024. These regulation changes will: Establish nine snook management regions. Establi…

Riverwood Golf Club attracts players of all abilities

December 22, 2023
By Scott Cotherman Situated thirteen miles from the Boca Grande Causeway, a mere 17 minutes by car, Riverwood Golf Club offers a wonderful experience for visitors and vacationers coming to the …

EcoWatch: Memories of those who fought to preserve Boca Grande

December 22, 2023
When Hurricane Ian struck Boca Grande on Setember 28, 2022 with its 150 mph winds, it proved to be a catastrophic storm, causing major damage to Island life and erasing many sites.     &…

Gasparilla Island State Park gets regrade, sand

December 21, 2023
Gasparilla Island State Park is finishing a regrade at the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse. Bulldozers and sand trucks were on hand this week to grade the potholes in the park and in the entrance driv…

December storm was no match for white pelican visitors

December 21, 2023
By MICHELLE STARR On a morning drive over the Boca Causeway, I get a true bird’s eye view of Little Gasparilla Pass, the sandbar and local water clarity and condition. The high winds over th…

A one-legged ibis visit, and his wedge near the waterworks

December 15, 2023
Last week, a subscriber came into the Beacon office to ask for help with a one-legged ibis. The ibis was stranded by his flock (or in bird lingo, a wedge, or congregation or stand of birds). Peopl…