Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
Pristis pectinata, the Smalltooth Sawfish Bloody Bill A big part of my job entails spending a lot of time Indian and Banana Rivers. Occasionally I get the opportunity to talk to some of the old-timers about how the river used to be. Discussions like these are often helpful in determining how the river is currently doing in terms of fish and crab numbers. But I also can’t help but ask recreational and commercial fishermen alike about one particular species that has interested me for some time,... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alopezarenas/ Pelagia noctiluca, the Purple Nettle Jellyfish, aka “The Mauve Stinger” First of all, this one goes out to Grandma Betty. Ya’ll think I’m a crazy handful, but you should meet this badass grandma. You made me what I am today, Grandma, and without your faith in me, I wouldn’t be the nice upstanding member of society I am today. Happy Birthday, Grandma. I love ya! Now there aren’t many sea critters that I haven’t seen... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
Farfantepenaeus and Litopenaeus spp., our local shrimp species It’s that time of year again — bikinis on the beach, A/C in the house, afternoon thunderstorms… and bridges loaded with long aluminum poles in the evening. I’m talking about shrimping season, one of my favorite times of year. We live in a great area, one that folks from other areas can’t understand readily. “You catch shrimp in the river?” they ask. It’s a way of life for us, but a crazy... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
The Merman, Homo aquaticus Bloody Bill I got a very unusual report last month and I’m not exactly sure how to tell ya’ll about it, But I’ll try the best I can. After speaking with Tim Hawk about his experience with this creature, I decided to do a bit of research to find out some more information. I don’t know what really happened to Tim out there, but I believe that this creature may have been acting in his best interests… and definitely not that other thing he thought... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
Pterois volitans, the Red Lionfish By Bloody Bill This is a very weird world we live in my friends. I don’t think I will ever quite understand it. We all go through many things in this life we live, but after getting pinched by a crab at the beach last night I know what it means to be alive. Thanks Eric and Scoot… Now to the fish. I had to set the mood for the unusual nature of this species. For some reason it has only made the news recently, and I am one of the few people to have seen... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill
Lutjanus griseus, the Mangrove Snapper Central Florida people are unique; it takes a certain breed to make it here. That’s one thing I’ve learned over the years. Most of us come from other areas, but we’ve chosen to make this place home. We take what we’ve been given and work with it. Cockroaches the size of houses, mosquitoes bleed you dry, fish and lizards that can kill and eat you — that’s Central Florida, baby, and we love it. As I was out on the water the... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill, Shark Report
Trachinotus carolinus, the Florida Pompano After nearly six years, Bloody Bill has run his course on sharks, so it’s about time he uses his knowledge of the many other amazing species you might see out there. I started this thing educate readers and to learn to love what I’ve grown to love about the ocean and the creatures that inhabit the waters in our area. Peoples like the Bussens, the Fishes, and the Myers know more about these fish than I ever could, but I’ll do my best to... [Read more...]
