Early in the week strong tides made for good fishing conditions then after mid week weaker tides challenged inshore anglers. Offshore fishing was decent again over the week with a good mix of fish.

Redfish reports were sparse with only a couple, one coming from the eastern side of Pine Island Sound where up to a dozen reds were caught per day over several days. The fish were running twenty-two to twenty-eight inches and were caught on the rising water under the mangroves from Regla Island north to Demere Key. The other report comes from the eastern wall of Charlotte Harbor where reds up to twenty-six inches were caught at the beginning of the falling tide near creek mouths from Two-Pines to Burnt Store Marina.

Sea trout were biting best over the rising water in depths from four to eight feet. The most productive areas were adjacent to deeper cooler water. In case you haven’t noticed inshore waters are over run with small baitfish (pilchards, herring, sardines, etc..,) in huge schools, that’s what most of the fish are feeding on. You can either cast net a well full (if you have a small enough mesh net not to gill them all and have a real mess) or throw small artificials that imitate the shiny little baits. Either will work and often casting the artificials will allow you to cover more area and uncover the larger fish. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish and sharks continue to lurk in the same areas as trout. A couple productive areas over the week included the south side of the spoil Island between the B & C Span off the Sanibel Causeway and outside Tarpon Bay on Sanibel to our South. In the Sound between the channel and Buck Key, near Captiva Rocks and between Part and Useppa Islands. West of marker eleven and outside Bull and Turtle Bays off the bar drop offs held fish in Charlotte Harbor.

So far the summer inshore snapper fishing has not been up to par, fish are being caught but not in the numbers we come to expect over the last few years. It seems like about every other fish species in our waters was running about a month behind schedule after a harsh winter and I wouldn’t expect snapper to be no different. A few up to twelve inches were caught in the mentioned areas for redfish and up to fourteen inches in Captiva Pass and under the docks inside the Pass as well as inside Redfish Pass. On a brighter note an above average number of summer tripletail were reported in Pine Island Sound and just of the beaches. Fish up to twelve pounds were caught around crab pot buoys, markers and idle buoys.

Offshore the catch of the week wasn’t actually caught but shot. While diving depths over one hundred feet west of Captiva Pass Captain Sean McQuade nailed a huge cubera snapper spearfishing, the fish tipped the scales at seventy-five pounds. He and his crew also added large grouper and mangrove snapper to the box over several dives.

Also offshore red grouper were caught in depths from fifty-five to seventy-five feet over live coral bottom. Drifting while bouncing live hand-sized pinfish on bottom worked for fish to ten pounds. King mackerel continue to be a reliable catch beginning in depths of about forty feet. Fish averaging eight to fifteen pounds were caught while trolling spoons or drifting live baits. Several boats reported large schools of sharks taking over a fishing spot offshore. The sharks weren’t huge averaging three to four feet but made it near impossible to get bait down to anything else. Often the best bet was just to move on to a new spot.

We have a great fishing event coming up this Saturday, July 24, the David Lee Root Jr. Memorial held at D &D Bait and tackle in Matlacha. This is a popular annual fishing tournament to raise money for the trauma center at Lee Memorial Hospital. David was fatally injured in an auto accident on Pine Island in 2001 and this will be the eighth annual tournament held in his name to raise money to improve emergency care. This is a redfish and trout photo release tournament and it’s only fifty dollars per angler to fish, a very low entry fee for a great event. There is food and prizes for both anglers and public, even if you don’t fish come check it out. For more information call D&D Bait and Tackle at 239-282-9122 or visit www.davidleerootmemorial.com .

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us by calling 239-283-7960 or visit www.fishpineisland.com. Have a safe week and good fishin’.