Canespace

Beaver Knows Bass

There are so many great bass fishing lakes and fishing guides in Florida that it is almost mind boggling to comprehend. The sheer number, size, location and scope of these lakes is overwhleming for the average angler to understand much less know how to target and fish these bodies of water.

But there is one guide and one lake that we recently found and fished that may separate them from the rest of the pack.

Captain Mark Beaver is a renowned bass fishing guide who lives and fishes only one lake in the Sunshine State: Lake Istokpoga. We booked a 4-hour morning trip with Capt. Beaver and set out from the dock on a recent foggy morning just before sunrise around 6:45 AM.

Located five miles northeast of Lake Placid, Highlands County, this 27,692-acre lake has quality fishing for black crappie (specks) and one of the highest largemouth bass catch rates in the state. 

The lake gets its name from the Tribe of Seminole Indians. According to legend a group of Seminoles attempted to cross the lake and were bogged in the mire and swallowed by whirlpools. The name Istokpoga literraly translated means: "Our People Died there." 

Long-time Canespace blogger Old Skool and I hooked up with Mark Beaver Guide Services perhaps by chance or maybe by our good fortune. Skool, although he does not post often on the blog, has been on all of our Canespace adventure trips from Florida to Georgia and South Carolina and cooks some mean scallops with linguini if you get my drift.  

It was Old Skool that set up this trip on Lake Istokpoga with Captain Mark Beaver. It was a dark and foggy morning when we drove to Sebring to go fishing for large mouth bass and try not to get eaten by alligators.

Hopefully we would catch some fish and even have some fun along the way.

Once at the ramp we met Capt. Beaver, who was friendly and pleasent, but all about the business of catching fish. Mark is not about sunrise sight-seeing trips (we saw a beautiful one) or gator adventures (we saw a legitimate 10 footer) he is all about fishing. And we like that, yeah we like that a lot.

Once on the lake, we caught fish almost immediately, Old Skool was the first to land a 3 pounder on his second cast. It was fun for me to watch so I will let you watch it too: 

Then we set up some more live shiners and Judson, or Old Skool as he is known on the blog, nailed  the biggest fish of the day. It was estimated at just over 7 pounds and put up one heck of a fight before being boated.

Below is the photo I took of the proud Canespacer with his trophy fish.

Then it was my turn. I was getting a little rattled and upset because when some guy named "Old Skool" or even "Judson" out-fishes you, well it is just a tad embarassing. So I dug deep, got serious and went to work. That was when I landed several BIG bass one after another during the next two hours.

That one was easy. She was big, about 6 pounds, but swam right towards the boat just as just easy as you please. I lost a few others that may have been bigger in the bull rushes that surround the North side of the big, calm, beautiful lake. One even broke my hook and not the 30 lb. braided line we were using to haul the big bass in.

This one was hard (above). She didn't like me or the boat and ran into the weeds and then dove deep before I yanked her out of the water and into the boat. So I decided to throw up "The (half) U" with her before letting her back down gently into the tannin-stained, brackish looking water.

This fatty (above) almost broke my left wrist before I boated her. She was fat as could be with roe after mating and then bedding on the hard, sandy-rocky bottom just away from the weed line and in about 4 feet of water in the Northeast corner of the lake.

As you can see, the bottom line is: Beaver knows bass. And, he knows where they live, what they eat and exactly how to catch them.

We encourage you to book your trip now by contacting Capt. Mark Beaver at (863) 214-9991 or at: markbeaverguidesvc@wildblue.net .

He can also be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mark.beaver or at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Beavers-Guide-Service .

Miami Hurricanes Do The Hokie Pokey

After a stunning loss to an un-ranked underdog in Wake Forest on the road last Saturday, Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga gave his team a stern lecture and pulled all media access to his players in an effort to motivate his team and get them back on track in what could be a very special and even historic season for the UM basketball team. 

Some apparently foolish and incredibly self-centered media types like Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post then tweeted something to the effect of: "The UM SID has said that all UM basketball players are off limits to the media this week. No explanation was given as to why."

Surely you can't be serious Jorge? You have covered sports for almost 30 years and the Miami Hurricanes since 1995 and you can't figure out why a coach would make his players unavailable to the media after a huge and unexpected late-season loss to a major underdog?

Well Mr. Milian, in case you still haven't figured it out just yet, maybe you should take a look at the results of Wednesday night's game against Virginia Tech as to why coach Larranaga would pull back on the reigns of his big-headed, headline reading and "believing their own press clippings" team.

The 5th ranked Miami Hurricanes shook a 10-day scoring slump and pulled away from Virginia Tech for a 76-58 victory at the Bank United Center on Wednesday night. Miami's Shane Larkin had 22 points and six assists to lead the Hurricanes, who were coming off a loss at Wake Forest that ended their 14-game winning streak and their bid to go unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Despite a slow start, Miami (23-4, 14-1) never trailed and improved to 13-0 at home. The Hurricanes hold a 2 1/2-game edge over second-place Duke in the ACC and can clinch their first conference basketball championship by beating the Blue Devils on Saturday.

Virginia Tech (12-16, 3-12) fell deeper into last place in the league. Erick Green, the nation's leading scorer at 25.2 points per game, took a painful spill in the first half and scored only 16 - just the third time this season he has been held below 20.

The Hurricanes had averaged only 54.7 points over their past three games and again sputtered at the outset, but led 15-14 despite committing five consecutive turnovers and missing seven straight shots.

Then the onslaught began against the Hokies, who were 18-point underdogs. Larkin led the way, and not only because of his smothering defense against Green. On consecutive possessions early in the second half, the point guard hit a one-handed runner, sank a 3-pointer and fed Durand Scott for a fast-break layup and a 49-28 lead.

Kenny Kadji had 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Trey McKinney Jones added 11 points and three steals. Scott, a senior, was held out of the starting lineup for disciplinary reasons. He missed the first 4 minutes and scored nine points. Larkin shot 8 for 12, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range. The Hurricanes made 50 percent and went 8 for 21 beyond the arc.

So Mr. Milian I hope you have learned a valuable lesson from these events.

One that even a University of Florida graduate should find strikingly obvious.

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Kicking Bass And Taking Names

Over the years, since Canespace began way back in June of 2006, we have steadily become more than just your typical college sports blog.

We have been kicking bass and taking names for a long, long time now. As we have gone through the years we have learned that "community" matters as much as the score of the game, the season record or anything else.

We have traveled long and far to North Carolina and Fort Myers, Tampa, Jacksonville, deep into the heart of Gator Country in Gainesville and even to Tallahassee to see our Miami Hurricanes take on the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium (football), Dick Howser Stadium (baseball) and The Civic Center (basketball) in the State's Capitol.

In fact, Canespace has become a family, a social club and group of people who do things together well beyond the scope of University of Miami athletic events. Sure hanging by your computer for 24 hours around National Signing Day is fun and all but believe me, there is life outside of those four walls surrounding you as you read this.

We strongly recommend that at least every once in a while that you get up, put down the texting device and go outside and play. Try it, you'll like it!

Since we started this blog a little over six years ago we have been white water rafting, scalloping, dining, partying, camping, fishing, traveling and site-seeing.

We have also participated in many other activities that most people who read the blog on a casual or even a regular basis have no idea is going on.

On Monday, February 25th long-time blogger Old Skool and myself went on another Canespace fishing trip in Central Florida on Lake Istokpoga near Sebring. And needless to say, we kicked bass!

So, again as usual, and as you can clearly see, a good time was had by all.

It is the Canespace way.

UM 2013 Football Schedule Released

The University of Miami’s 2013 football schedule will feature seven home games and the Hurricanes will play nine of their 12 games in the Sunshine State. Year three of the Al Golden era will open with open with six consecutive games in the state of Florida and will not play a non-Florida road game until Oct. 17 at North Carolina.  

The Canes, who are coming off a 7-5 season in 2012, will open their 2013 slate on Fri., Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic, followed by a Sept. 7 matchup with in-state rival Florida. 

To renew your 2013 season tickets or to put down a deposit on season tickets, call the UM Ticket Office at 305-284-2263 or visit the BankUnited Center (M-F, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Click here to request more information on 2013 ticket plans.

2013 MIAMI HURRICANES FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 30 (Fri.) FLORIDA ATLANTIC                             Miami Gardens, Fla.

Sept. 7           FLORIDA                                             Miami Gardens, Fla.

Sept. 14                 -OPEN DATE-

Sept. 21         SAVANNAH STATE                               Miami Gardens, Fla.

Sept. 28           at USF                                                Tampa, Fla.

Oct. 5            GEORGIA TECH*                                   Miami Gardens, Fla.

Oct. 12                   -OPEN DATE-

Oct. 17 (Thu.)        at North Carolina*                         Chapel Hill, N.C.

Oct. 26                  WAKE FOREST*                            Miami Gardens, Fla.

Nov. 2                     at Florida State*                          Tallahassee, Fla.

Nov. 9                    VIRGINIA TECH*                           Miami Gardens, Fla.

Nov. 16                  at Duke*                                       Durham, N.C.

Nov. 23                  VIRGINIA*                                    Miami Gardens, Fla.

Nov. 29 (Fri.)         at Pittsburgh*                               Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Home games in BOLD CAPS played at Sun Life Stadium

Scott Helps To Solidify Miami's Staff

Miami has hired Larry Scott as tight ends coach, a move that comes with the Hurricanes opening spring practice this coming weekend. Scott has been an offensive assistant at South Florida since 2005, including four seasons as the Bulls' tight ends coach. Scott also played for the Bulls, and was part of the program's first recruiting class in 1996.

At Miami, Scott will replace Mario Cristobal, who was to have coached the Hurricanes' tight ends in 2013 before getting hired to be the offensive line coach at Alabama. Cristobal would have also held the title of associate head coach with the Hurricanes, before leaving six weeks into the job.

A member of USF's original recruiting class in February 1996, Larry Scott returned to USF in 2005 as director of high school operations, before first moving into coaching as a graduate assistant in 2006 and later as the tight ends coach, a position he accepted on Jan. 23, 2007.

Scott coached the tight ends in 2008 before switching to the offensive line in 2009. Scott returned to the tight ends in his sixth year with the program in 2010 and took over as running backs coach in 2012. In his return to the tight end position, Scott and his group helped USF to its fifth-straight eight-win season, making it one of only 15 programs nationally and one of just 10 in BCS leagues that had accomplished the feat.

The offense saw tremendous improvement in 2011 as USF improved its national ranking in total offense 75 spots from 2010 to 2011, the largest jump of any school in the country. The most dramatic improvement came in the passing game, where USF improved by 85 yards per game. Only two teams saw a greater jump in the passing offense national rankings, as the Bulls improved 59 spots. In addition, the Bulls finished first in the BIG EAST in rushing and sacks allowed.

As the offensive line coach, Scott helped mentor center Sampson Genus to a second-team All-BIG EAST honor in 2009 as voted on by the coaches. Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews called Genus the best center they had seen all season.

In addition, redshirt freshman tackle Mark Popek was named Freshman All-America by both Sporting News and ESPN, while guard Zach Hermann earned third-team honors by Phil Steele. A unit that had to replace a lot of experience lost from the 2008 team, the 2009 offensive line turned out to be one of the team's strengths after facing question marks across the line coming into fall practice.

In his first full season, USF saw the development of Cedric Hill into one of the most feared tight ends in the BIG EAST. He continued to help the offense and his position group excel in 2008. Hill earned second-team All-BIG EAST honors, while Ben Busbee stepped into a prominent role alongside Hill.

Where Scott has made arguably the biggest impact on USF is in recruiting. His work in Miami and throughout Dade and Broward counties has helped USF reel in a string of highly-regarded classes. In fact, many considered the 2008 class among the best in program history. Then, Scott and the entire coaching staff went out and signed a 2009 class that was ranked as high as No. 21 nationally and was praised again as the best in program history.

It's Hard To Be Humble

"Oh Lord it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way.

I can't wait to look in the mirror, because I get better looking each day."

When you think you are perfect, it is so hard to see your faults.

The Demon Deacons' C.J. Harris scored 23 points and Wake Forest beat No. 2 Miami 80-65 on Saturday to snap the Hurricanes' 14-game winning streak. Codi Miler-McIntyre added 15 points while Harris was 5 for 5 from 3-point range to lead the Demon Deacons (12-14, 5-9 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Wake Forest shot 54 percent, led by double figures for the entire second half and reeled off 12 straight points to pull away for their biggest victory under third-year coach Jeff Bzdelik.

Durand Scott had all 17 of his points in the second half for the Hurricanes (22-4, 13-1), the last of the schools in the six BCS conferences to get its first league loss. Shane Larkin added 13 points, Trey McKinney Jones had 11 and Kenny Kadji finished with 10, but Miami was outrebounded 36-35 by the younger, smaller Demon Deacons.

With your Miami Hurricanes basketball team sitting at 13-0 in the ACC it was almost too easy for them to think that they were invincible. They looked like a team on a mission and a team that could not be beaten. That was true for the UM basketball team until today against Wake Forest.

The same Miami team that had a history of beating down Duke and UNC got a taste of their own medicine when the home town Demon Deacons humiliated them on their home court.

It went from bad to worse for the Jim Larranaga's Hurricanes against Wake as the Deacons dominated play throughout the game in front of their downright giddy audience.

In the end, it was a failure of coaching and execution that led to the first ACC loss for Miami. We will see what happens next time these teams meet.

Hurricane Hardballers Remain Perfect

The No. 20 University of Miami baseball team continued its hot start to the season Friday, capturing the series opener with visiting Milwaukee by a final score of 6-1.  

A four-run first inning gave the Hurricanes an early lead they would not relinquish, as sophomore lefthander Chris Diaz (1-0) provided the hosts another strong start. With the win, Miami improved its season record to a perfect 5-0, including a 4-0 mark at Alex Rodriguez Park. 

Leadoff hitter Tyler Palmer got the offense started early with a bunt laid perfectly down the third-base line. After junior Alex Hernandez was plunked by an offering from Milwaukee righthander Cale Tassi (0-1), senior Chantz Mack laid down another good bunt to load the bases. 

Freshman David Thompson, who provided late-game heroics in Miami’s win over FAU Wednesday, then connected on a two-RBI double to give the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead. A hard-hit ball from junior Brad Fieger would add to the Panthers’ early struggles, as third baseman Sam Koenig’s error plated Mack from third. 

Thompson would eventually score on an overthrow from catcher Will Fadness that found its way into centerfield. By the time Diaz returned to the mound to start the second inning, his team was already sporting a 4-0 advantage. 

The Florida City, Fla., native did well to protect the lead, allowing only one run in his six innings of work. Despite scattering six hits, Diaz benefitted from a season-high four double plays turned by the Miami infield. Newcomers Brandon Lopez and Alex Hernandez, who have helped the Hurricanes soar to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference in fielding percentage, were impressive up the middle once again for head coach Jim Morris’ club. 

Hernandez helped Miami add two insurance runs in the inning, as his one-out single extended his personal hitting streak to five straight. After Hernandez advanced two bases on separate wild pitches, Thompson drove the junior in with his second double of the night, giving the Hurricanes a 5-1 advantage. Back-to-back, opposite-field singles from Fieger and Alex San Juan upped Miami’s lead to five runs. 

Freshman Frank Grandinette was impressive once again in relief, throwing two scoreless innings. Senior Vince Kossak tossed a final scoreless frame, needing only eight pitches to get through the ninth inning. 

The Hurricanes return to the diamond Saturday for the “Remembering Ron Fraser” Game at Alex Rodriguez Park. First pitch against Milwaukee is set for 7 p.m.

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Paying Our Respect

Paying Our Respect

Legendary Miami Hurricanes football coach Howard Schnellenberger and long-time ESPN and South Florida broadcaster Hank Goldberg have been added as speakers to the Celebration of Life ceremony for former baseball coach Ron Fraser, the University announced Monday.

Schnellenberger, who retired after the 2011 season with 158 victories across 27 seasons at four different programs, coached the Hurricanes from 1979-83. He turned a struggling Miami football program around, compiling a 41-16 record in his five seasons that culminated with an 11-1 record and a 31-30 victory over top-ranked Nebraska in the 50th annual Orange Bowl Classic on Jan. 2, 1984.

Goldberg, nicknamed “The Hammer,” has been a popular and regular presence on the South Florida media scene for decades, having worked on-air in radio and television, as well as for newspapers and as a magazine columnist. Goldberg, who was a longtime friend of Fraser, also has extensive xperience as an ESPN broadcaster and commentator.

The Celebration of Life ceremony for Ron Fraser will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sat., Feb 23, in the Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and guests are encouraged to arrive early. Doors will open at 3 p.m.

Schnellenberger and Goldberg join featured speaker and Los Angeles Dodger legend Tommy Lasorda on an all-star program that will speak on the impact Ron Fraser had on the University of Miami, on South Florida, on college baseball and on the players he coached and fans he made.

Following the Celebration of Life, the University of Miami will take on University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a 7 p.m. game at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. The game has been designated as the "Remembering Ron Fraser" game, with special activities planned and all ticket proceeds being donated to the Ron Fraser Wizard Fund, established by UM to raise funding for a bronze statue of Coach Fraser to be located at the ballpark.

Tickets to the game are available for as low as $8, with chairback sections available for $14. Specially-priced $6 tickets are available for groups of 15 or more. To purchase tickets to the “Remembering Ron Fraser” game, visit CanesTix.com or call (305) 284-2263.

Headed In The Right Direction

I am honored and humbled to write to you as the University of Miami’s 13th Director of Athletics.  President Shalala and the Board of Trustees have entrusted me with this responsibility and I will return that belief through passion, hard work and an unyielding commitment to excellence.

We are The U.  We are driven to succeed — it is in our nature. 

The future of our athletics program is extremely bright and our more than 400 student-athletes represent the best in collegiate athletics on the field and in the classroom. Their experiences at Miami are enhanced by the passionate support from the entire Hurricane Family, and I thank you for your continued support of UM Athletics.

In the coming months, I will work with our senior staff and coaches to create a road map for our sustained athletic success, and we will share those plans with the community.

As always, our dedicated staff and I are available to assist you, and I look forward to the many victories and celebrations that we will share together in the days ahead. We are Building Champions at “The U” and we are happy to have you with us. Go Canes!

Blake James
Director of Athletics

The 305 Beats The 561

The No. 20 Miami Hurricanes won their first midweek match-up of the season in extra innings Wednesday, taking down the homestanding Owls of Florida Atlantic by a final score of 5-4.

With the help of a late offensive surge, Miami (4-0) was able to pull off its first road victory of the year. Freshman David Thompson's first career homerun in the top of the eighth helped force extras, while Brad Fieger’s RBI single in the top of the 11th inning proved to be the gamewinner.

Thompson's homerun, crushed over the leftfield wall off Owls' closer Hugh Adams, was the first of the Hurricanes' season. The Miami, Fla., native reached base three times on the night, including the decisive 11th inning, when he led off the frame with a walk. Freshman pinch-runner Chris Barr advanced to third on two groundouts, and eventually scored on Fieger's single through the right side of the infield.

The game moved deeper into extras thanks in large part to junior outfielder Tyler Palmer, who saved the night with an impressive diving grab. With a man on second base and two outs, FAU's Levi Meyer flared a ball into left field that had a chance to plate the winning run. But Palmer extended for the catch, snaring the ball just before it hit the ground.

Making his first career start, freshman Thomas Woodrey delivered a solid outing on the mound at FAU Baseball Stadium. The Lighthouse Point, Fla., native scattered seven hits through his 4.2 innings of work, walking one and striking out five.

It was the hosts who struck first, notching a run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single from senior Nathan Pittman. With a runner on second and two outs, Woodrey allowed a walk to junior infielder Sean Murrell. After making an impressive diving catch in the first inning, Pittman then drove in the game's first run on a single to the leftfield gap. Woodrey escaped any further damage by inducing a flyout from catcher Levi Meyer to end the inning.

The Hurricane offense struggled early, as Owls' freshman Nathan Rhodes set down eight of the first ten Miami batters. Fieger broke the streak with a one-out single in the third inning, one of only six hits allowed by Rhodes in his first collegiate start.

Miami threatened in the fifth, as Alex San Juan (single) and Michael Broad (single) gave the Hurricanes two runners on with two outs. But a flyout from Brandon Lopez to shallow rightfield ended the threat. A two-run homerun from FAU's Tyler Rocklein in the bottom half of the inning would signal the end of Woodrey's night, as the southpaw departed with his team facing a 3-0 deficit.

The Canes finally broke through in the sixth, as Tyler Palmer opened the frame with a double and junior Alex Hernandez followed up with a single. With runners on the corners, Mack hit a ball that landed just fair in right field. Palmer scored easily, but Hernandez was tagged out at home on a nice defensive relay from FAU. Mack, who took third on the throw, would later score on a wild pitch from reliever Michael Sylvestri, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

After Thompson's eighth-inning blast, the Hurricanes' bullpen bent but did not break to force extra innings. Junior closer AJ Salcines loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but senior Eric Nedeljkovic (1-0) induced a groundout of Rocklein to end the threat. The Folsom, Calif., native pitched two more scoreless innings, clinching Miami's fourth-straight win to open the season.

The Hurricanes return to the diamond Friday when they take on visiting Milwaukee in a weekend series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. from Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.