Tarpon and snook fishing at its best
Possibly some of the best snook fishing of the year occurred over the past week. Not too many years ago snook season was open until the end of May and it was always great fishing. Now that it’s catch-and- release fishing only, snook do not get as much attention but the fishing is still just as good and often without the pressure. Anglers chasing the big silver kings also faired well this week as big schools of tarpon were roaming Charlotte Harbor, the Sound and in the Gulf off Sanibel.
Exceptionally high tides brought lots of small baitfish on the flats and under the mangroves where snook set up ambush points over both the incoming and falling tides. Some anglers found the best bite over the incoming tide while others bragged about red-hot snook action during the late afternoon falling tide. From Charlotte Harbor through the Sound, the key to locating snook was fishing island points, oyster and sand bars where there was activity from birds and baitfish. Captain Shawn McQuade reports fishing several evenings where the bite was wide open. Once the tide turned out the fish began feeding heavily on baitfish flushed from shorelines in Charlotte Harbor. Along with snook up to 30 inches there was also big trout, redfish, snapper and flounder joining in on the action.
Snook action was also good in the upper Sound from Pineland to Bokeelia over potholes near Island points and near Buck Key in the southern Sound on oyster bars. Live pilchards and herrings were the odds on favored baits but those casting artificials did well with pilchard imitating top waters and soft plastics. Also, more snook are marching to the beaches daily as fish were caught from the Sanibel Pier all the way up the gulf side to Redfish Pass. Look for these fish hanging around any type of submerged structure or cruising the surf right at the beach edge.
The high tides also got the redfish feeding under the bushes. The only problem was the tides got so high you needed a chain saw to cut a path to them. Since we can’t do that the better option was to cut up some shrimp, ladyfish or small baitfish and toss some chum along the outer edges of trees. If you can’t get to the fish the next best thing is to bring the fish to you. This worked for anglers in Smokehouse Bay at the northwest end of Matlacha Pass and in the Sound south of Demere Key. After the chum settled for a few minutes redfish were caught on small live pinfish drifted under a bobber. The fish averaged 20-25 inches with up to six fish caught from one spot. Mangrove snapper are also making their summer appearance as fishermen chasing snook and redfish are catching an increasing number of mangs with some up to fourteen inches.
Tarpon fishing was really good if you were in the right place. On the days of calm seas it was hard to beat the Knapp’s Point area of Sanibel. The fish were active during the morning hours with live thread herring the bait of choice. Tarpon schools were also found in the Sound from Captiva down to Redfish Pass. Live baiters preferred the live herrings and dead baiters found mullet, ladyfish and fresh shad soaked on bottom productive. There has been an abnormally large amount of tarpon in Charlotte Harbor over the week. It appears all the tarpon that gang up in the depths of Boca Grande Pass have shifted to the shallows of the Harbor. They could be found anywhere from a short distance inside the Pass almost to Bokeelia and Bull Bay. Most boats preferred free lining live thread herring through the schools while others found success with live crabs under a f loat. There was also several hook ups on fly over the week. The tarpon are running anywhere from sixty to one hundred sixty pounds with about an eighty pound average.
If you like snook and tarpon fishing it just doesn’t get any better than right now. Both are schooling up for their summer mating ritual and both are in close proximity to each other. That means it’s easy to target both in a day’s trip without running all over the place. The hardest decision could be which one to catch first.
If you have a fishing story or photo that you would like to share or for charter information, please contact us at (239)283-7960 or visit us at www.fishpineisland.com. Have a safe week and good fishing’.