There are lots of choices out on the water
With a week of great weather, anglers had a full spectrum of fishing opportunities. Calm seas and the absence of thunderstorms allowed boats to venture far offshore, patrol the beaches for tarpon and snook or fish the inshore waters for a variety of species. If there was a down side, it was midsummer like hot and the tides were not the best.
Offshore there is a lot of talk about red snapper. Long-time local fishermen are reporting more red snapper than they have seen in many years and good sized fish. They are a good distance offshore with most fish coming from 90 to 150 feet of water over live bottom.
Also offshore, plenty of amberjacks and barracudas are hanging around the deep-water artificial reefs. Both were reported in good supply at the Stoney Point and Fantiastico reefs. For baits, either a live pinfish or butterfly jigs worked well when dropped over the structures. Red grouper up to 12 pounds were also caught closer to land in waters as shallow as 50 feet. Squid hooked to a large jig and dropped over patch reefs and Swiss cheese bottom took the grouper. A few nice lane snapper and porgies also came from the same bottom.
The beaches from Sanibel up past Boca Grande Pass are loaded with snook. Just because they are there doesn’t always mean they will bite. There were a few good reports of snook fishing but overall the combination of slow tides and flat, calm days made for an off-bite. I know the days we worked the outer Islands the snook we did hook we had to work for. Not only are they gathering around any type of structure along the surf, they are also cruising the open areas in small pods. While live pilchards or shiners are the number one choice for bait, fish were also caught on DOA Glow Shrimp in a pearl color and Mirrolures Soft Sardine in a pinfish pattern. A few trout up to 19 inches were also caught with the snook near the Sanibel Rocks and the northern end of Cayo Costa.
Other trout reports came from the western side of the sound over grass flats in 5 to 7 feet of water near Redfish and Captiva passes and in Matlacha Pass around oyster bars. Live pilchards, pinfish and shad tail jerk baits in a chartreuse color worked at the mid-water column worked for the specks. Also over grass flats in the same depths in these same areas and along Charlotte Harbor there was a mix of bluefish, mackerel and small sharks.
Where are all the redfish? That’s a question many including myself are asking. No doubt they are around but they have been difficult to pattern. With tarpon season in full swing, I have not spent a lot of time chasing reds, but when I have it has been difficult. Those catching them with regularity are doing better with dead shrimp and cut bait than live bait. With the warm water and sunny days the redfish bite should get good under the shadows of the mangrove shorelines anytime.
This week it felt like every tarpon and every tarpon angler concentrated in and around Boca Grande Pass. What a sight, on any given day 80 to 120 boats or more all trying to position themselves for a chance to hook a silver king. Most of the week the large schools of fish moved out of the hole in the pass and east into the harbor where the boats could get a little separation but not much. Most hook-ups were on Atlantic thread herring or large pilchards. All fish we hooked were on larger herring. It’s quite a mix of anglers, some very courteous while others act as if they own the waters – a mix of both charter boats and recreational anglers, a few with short tempers and lacking common sense, a definite melting pot of anglers. Overall, however, even though this is not my type of tarpon fishing, it can be fun and entertaining at the same time. Just try to watch and learn the Boca Grande tarpon etiquette.
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 fishin’.