Author Archives: BROM

Lake Okechobee Fishing with Mark Shepard

Lake Okeechobee

This week Bob is with long-time friend Mark Shepard fishing in Lake Okeechobee. If you’ve ever wanted to have a blast on the water, but not sure where to go – give Mark Shepard a call!

About Mark:

Captain Mark Shepard born in Hamilton, Ohio lived on family farm in Fairfeld, Ohio tell the age of 9. We had a farm pond, where my brother and I loved to fish more than anything else. We fished every pond and creek we could find, my grand father fished with us all the time. We went to Florida every year for vacation, we hope to sell the farm some day and buy a place in Ft. Peirce, Florida.

We eventuality sold the farm, my family moved to Ft Pierce and the family bought a small fishing resort on South Hutchinson Island in 1975. I grew up around fishing both tourist and commercial fishing industry, living in Ft Pierce I had the best salt water fishing at my finger tips. But, as you can probably imagine I loved bass fishing the best, as kid I love going to Lake Okeechobee the best!

I had small boats as a kid, but when I got about 16 years old I purchase my first bass boat. I bass fished all over South Florida until the age of 26, when I went up North with my boat in tow learning to fish Northern lakes and rivers. This helped my professional fishing career a lot, I then went on to start fishing with FLW Outdoors in 1996.

Captain Mark Shepard has become a skillful professional angler, sensational fishing guide, promoter and top competitor on the BASS Master & FLW Outdoors tournament trails. In addition, Mark is the creator of his very own hand carved crank baits.

In his career he has qualified for the:
Bassmaster tour, B.A.S.S. Elite Qualifier, 4-time FLW Stren Championship, BFL Regionals, many team championships and the winner of the Stren Tournament on Lake Eufala in Alabama.

Mark guides many celebrities including professional ball players, NASCAR drivers like Ryan Newman, musicians, actors along with many pro anglers. He is very active working kids and conservation minded in his daily task.

He has appeared on several TV and video shows including: FLW Outdoors, Outdoor World, Outdoor Channel and more…..

Along with performing seminars across the state of Florida, Mark has been a guest speaker on various radio shows including: Strictly Florida Fishing Radio weekly on ESPN Radio and others local stations.

Mark is one of the Nations most highly respected pros traveling the country and competing at all levels. Mark is also one of fishing’s most popular personalities. He has won tournaments at all levels, including the prestigious tournament trails.

Mark is very dedicated to the Conservation of this sport. Mark works extremely hard at bringing awareness to the conservation of our resources. He is very committed to the promotion of our sport to further enhance the great outdoors for future generations. It is this dedication to his sponsors that makes Mark the one to have on board for extreme promotions and to catch big Florida bass. Mark is active in the Florida Freshwater Fishing Coalition when not guiding and tournament fishing.

To read more on Mark’s professional profile and results go to FLW Outdoors and BASS Master.

https://lakeokeechobeeguide.com/

New York Smallmouth

1024px-Detailed_underwater_photo_of_smallmouth_bass_fish_micropterus_dolomieuThis week Bob heads to Buffalo, New York for some smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Erie. If you’re ever in the Buffalo area and love to fish, you’ll have a blast fishing smallmouth on Lake Erie!

Lake Erie Facts:

Lake Erie’s fish populations are the most abundant of the Great Lakes, partially because of the lake’s relatively mild temperatures and plentiful supply of plankton, which is the basic building block of the food chain. The lake’s fish population accounts for an estimated 50% of all fish inhabiting the Great Lakes. The lake is “loaded with superstars” such as steelhead, walleye, smallmouth bass, perch, as well as bass, trout, salmon, whitefesh, smelt, and many others. The lake consists of a long list of well established introduced species. Common non-indigenous fish species include the rainbow smelt, alewife, white perch and common carp. Non-native sport fish such as rainbow trout and brown trout are stocked specifically for anglers to catch. Attempts failed to stock coho salmon and its numbers are once again dwindling. Commercial landings are dominated by yellow perch and walleye, with substantial quantities of rainbow smelt and white bass also taken. Anglers target walleye and yellow perch, with some effort directed at rainbow trout. A variety of other species are taken in smaller quantities by both commercial and sport fleets.

Wateree Shooting Complex

watereerange1lgThis week we’re in South Carolina at the Wateree Range. A newly renovated skeet and sporting clays range in South Carolina!

The Wateree Range is a supervised range in Richland County that is owned and operated by SCDNR. The range currently only offers shotgun sports: including skeet, trap, five-stand, and sporting clays. There is a minimal charge of $5 per 25 clays (credit or debit card only). The sporting clays course offers eight stations, which wrap around a 100-foot tower providing unique target presentations. The cost to shoot the sporting clay course is $10. Visitors under the age of 16 must be under the direct supervision of an adult.

SC Certified Shrimp & Grits Recipe

Be sure to print out this recipe:

Adulla Mills yellow stone ground Grits – 1 cup
Unsalted Butter – 1/4 cup
Heavy Cream – 1/2 cup
Water – 2 cups
Chef’s House seasoning salt – 3 tsp
1/2 cup of homemade pimento cheese
Boil water and butter together then add Grits. Slowly stir and turn stove down to simmer for about 15 minutes while stirring periodically. Add heavy cream and chef’s salt to taste. When the grits get to a creamy smooth consistency stir in your pimento cheese. Hold on the stove with a lid

1 dz medium 26/30 local shrimp
1 cup of julienne red onion
1 cup of assorted julienne bell peppers ( red, green, yellow )
3/4 cup of sliced Andouille sausage
1Tbs of soft unsalted butter
3/4 Tbs of Cajun spice
2 tsp of chef’s house seasoning
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
Place butter in skillet until melted and hot
Add peppers,onions,and sausage then cook until the peppers are still a little crunchy
Add local Shrimp and cook until the shrimp have been seared properly on both sides
Add heavy cream, Cajun spice, and let the cream reduce until its shiny and thicker ( or as the chef’s like to say, Nape )
Add Chef’s seasoning to taste.
Pour your finished Grits into a large pasta bowl or plate
Pour your finished shrimp and pepper mixture with cream sauce over the Grits
Garnish with Parsley

This dish will excite anyone’s taste buds and will help you understand and learn how to love Grits, if you haven’t already.

Hilton Head Fishing

HHI_Space_03We’re in Hilton Head this week and the fishing is fantastic!

Did you know: Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles southwest of Charleston. The island is named after Captain William Hilton, who in 1663 identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound, which he named “Hilton’s Head” after himself. The island features 12 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination.

Hog Snapper with Carolina rice – Certified SC Fresh

Hog Snapper with Carolina rice

Chef Nick Huckabee: Hog Snapper w/Carolina rice and grilled squash.

Restaurant: Bliss in Murrells Inlet, SC

Website: true-bliss.com (closed)

Hog snapper with carolina plantation pecan rice pilaf grilled squash finished with a blueberry compote and grilled peaches.

The recipe consists of a 6 oz portion of hog fish,
1/2 cup of rice 1 cup of chicken stock,
1/4 cup of chopped and toasted pecans,
1 yellow crocked neck squash,
1/2 pint of blueberries,
1 tbsp cayenne pepper,
1 tbsp of brown sugar,
1 tsp of fresh chopped basil,
1 beautiful carolina peach.

How to: To cook the rice bring the chicken stock to a rolling boil and add the rice. reduce the heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let rest.

The next thing is to get begin cooking the blueberry compote.
In a small sauce pan add the blueberries, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Bring these ingredients to a low simmer and stir occasionally for a cooking time of about 25 minutes. Add in the fresh chopped basil and season lightly with a little salt.

For the hog fish and squash you will need a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cut the squash into rings and lightly coat them with your seasonings. The hog fish should also be lightly coated with oil and your seasonings.

Cut the peach into wedges and season very lightly with just a pinch of salt and sugar. Grill the fish, squash and peaches over medium heat for approximately 8 to 10 minutes depending on the grill.

Last you will need to add your chopped pecans to the rice. Serve the fish over the rice with the grilled squash on the side, a tsp of blueberry compote over the fish and grilled peaches for the garnish. ENJOY!