It was a devastating week for our saltwater fisheries in Southwest Florida as an unprecedented stretch of very cold weather dropped our water temperature to unsustainable levels for many of our fish species. Dead fish littered the bottom of the bays and canals and thousands of snook (our prized game fish) were reported dead throughout Pine Island, Charlotte Harbor, Matlacha Pass and around the outer Islands.

It was a very grim and disturbing site for all who witnessed the massive kill first hand. Snook of all sizes littered the bottom of canals with many estimated to weigh 30 pounds or more. As the mercury finally began to rise those fish that survived were battle scarred as they were very slow moving while absorbing as much sunlight as possible. With the snook, mullet, sand bream, pompano, ladyfish, catfish and a variety of other fish also succumbed to the cold. The water temperature in my canal on the coldest morning was 41 degrees, that’s just unheard of for Southwest Florida.

As the dead fish begin to surface we will get a better count of the actual loss, but you can be sure it will be very high. It wasn’t just our area, fish kills were reported from the cold throughout Florida and as far south as the Florida Keys. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission executed an executive order suspending the spring snook season. Season will remain closed until September when it will be reevaluated. You can go to their Web site at www.myfwc.com/ for updates (the FWC also enacted measures to remove dead fish to dispose off, information is also on their site). With Mother Nature we have no control, just like hurricanes, if it was an event man created it would be easy to carry a grudge, but it’s not. I have talked to a lot of people over the past week and those that have not lived here long enough to experience a kill like this think the snook are doomed. No doubt the population has been reduced, but they will rebound, just like it has so many other times. I was lucky to grow up and learn a lot about how nature works from commercial fishing families on the Island. They taught me Mother Nature has checks and balances and fishing is cyclical, we might not understand why, but these events happen for a reason to keep nature in balance. Our snook population will rebound as it has many times in the past, if we all do our part it will be sooner rather than later.

Not much to report for fishing this week as most anglers just didn’t feel much like harassing the fish after such a sight. Plus the water really needed a few days to warm up. I did get out and do a little scouting and fishing should get back on course in a few days as the water warms. With the clear water I located really good numbers of big trout absorbing sun over grass flats adjacent to deep water in northern Pine island Sound and on oyster bar drops in Matlacha Pass. I ran across one of the largest sheepsheads schools I have seen in a long time. The school easily numbered over two hundred and most looked to be two pounds or larger. Large schools of ladyfish were slow moving but they appeared to be doing well throughout Charlotte Harbor and in the Sound. I also saw small pods of redfish scattered across the grass flats in the Sound.

If you have a fishing story or photo that you would like to share or for charter information, please contact us at 283-7960 or www.fishpineisland.com. “Catch the Action” with Captain Bill Russell. Have a safe week and good fishin’.