Each has its own merits for spreading the word, and both have devotees that get a little creepy, but after exhaustive trial and error we’re going with Facebook.

Here’s a great article, with pictures that perfectly sum up the typical flats fishing experience, by Dr. Aaron Adams. Found by stumbling through Twitter.

(Shameless self-promotion: To follow me there, go to http://twitter.com/fishboatwrite.)

This news report from CNN could mean a whole new world is opening up for boaters and anglers.

I’ve been dying to go back since I went, legally as a journalist, to cover the 50th Anniversary of the Hemingway Open in 2000. I also did a little fly fishing for tarpon.

I’ll go again if anyone’s willing to send me.

The free jumper got away; the one in hand did not.

Nothing like having your hand in the water and seeing a fin come at you and fish in the vicinity free jumping in panic. This fin belonged to a dolphin, who practically took that fish a friend was about to release right out of his hand.

On the National Geographic Channel, ways to deal with the Asian carp invasion.

A welded-aluminum john boat may just be the perfect small-boat light tackle fishing platform. They are multi-faceted.

The reasons in favor:

1. The are lightweight and hard to break.

2. At slow speeds they bounce off rocks.

3. The engine and fuel tank are removable by hand.

4. Little kicker engines seem to require no maintenance.

5. If a kicker does fail, you can row home.

6. Should you choose to do so, a johnboat is easy to clean and maintain.

7. Should you choose not to do so, a johnboat seldom looks worse for the wear with dings and dirt.

8. They are easy to paint.

9. They are stable fishing platforms.

10. They float in inches of water and can be poled.

11. You can beach it.

12. Load it up with driftwood for a bonfire and it won’t get all scratched up.

13. Load it up with decoys in the fall.

14. You can trailer it with a mountain bike, practically.

The cons:

1. Lightning

Daughter on the water.

My daughter’s already got the disease. We spent the holiday at my family’s summer place, and after her first spin on the first day, the words she most often uttered henceforth were, “Boat ride.”

The key, we found, was to keep the boat expeditions short and sweet. Usually half an hour, never longer than an hour. We’d go slow and explore so she could see. She grew excited to see several herons, an osprey, a beaver dam, families of ducks and ducklings, even Canadian geese.

Her favorite thing? When we turned off the engine and glided into areas where you could see bottom. She’d see perch, sunfish, carp, and even a few trophy largemouth bass. Each time she would point and scream, “Fishy!”

The whole car ride home after the vacation, she’d see water out the window and ask for a boat ride. Right now she’s at the age where there’s not even a remote way of predicting what she’ll grow up to be. But if she decided to be a marine biologist or even the world’s best fishing guide, that would be all right with me. As long as she comped her Dad some trips.

The BP oil spill in the Gulf hasn’t come close to being contained. The company’s getting a slight reprieve from media scrutiny while LeBron James decides where he’s going to play basketball next year, but the oil is still flowing. We’re looking at mid-August for relief, according to this CNN report.

According to this USA Today report, BP will get more local boats involved, hiring them for cleanup duty. Right now the company has enlisted 8,500 boats from affected regions, presumably people who have lost their livelihood due to the contaminated seas.

The article goes into more detail on payment:

“…For example, vessels shorter than 30 feet get $1,200 for a 24-hour period, while those longer than 65 feet get $3,000. Crewmembers get $200 per eight-hour day for responding to the spill or receiving training.”

Meanwhile, the Boating Line tweeted an article stating that vessels are banned from coming within 65 feet of an oil boom.

Beyond that, tarpon, bluefin tuna, sea turtles, and other marine wildlife are pretty much screwed.

Beyond the oil, there’s no telling the long term effects from the daily doses of dispersant.

Where did LeBron say he’s signing again?

See Kevin's book to the left.

I hit Barnes & Noble to pick up another fishing book (The Longest Silence by Tom McGuane) when I noticed a “Staycation” display featuring local books. And it was great to see friend and former colleague Kevin’s book Falvey’s Guide to Fishing Long Island on the table.

Here’s a closeup:

The book is published by fellow blogger Lenny Rudow’s Geared-Up Publications. Lenny recently did a post about it here.

I’ll echo Lenny’s sentiments, having spent time on the water with Kevin chasing sharks, stripers, and bluefish under his direction. Plus, there’s an awesome photo of a certain angler holding up a false albacore on page 98.

I saw the news in Soundings Trade Only yesterday that Bob Hewes had passed. Hewes is credited with building the first modern flats boat in the 1950s, born out of a bonefishing trip with legendary fly angler Lefty Kreh. In doing so he influenced an entire genre of angling, specifically how people approach skinny water light tackle sight fishing from a boat. In February, Hewes received an Industry award at the 2010 Miami Boat Show in recognition of all his contributions.

Maverick Boat Company owns Hewes Light Tackle Boats now, and they are still relevant.

The fly fishing website Midcurrent posted a good remembrance of Bob Hewes today, which also links to this article on Hewes from the Sun-Sentinel featuring recollections of Hewes from longtime outdoor writer Bob Stearns.

Here’s some public response from the Florida Sportsman forums as well as the Hull Truth.