On the Water: Things are heating up out on the water
It’s beginning to feel like summer as temperatures heat up and thunderstorms are becoming common. Anglers over the week report that despite some warm days, fishing was often good both inshore and offshore in gulf waters.
Catch-and-release snook fishing was steady around the beaches and gulf passes during the stronger tides. Most were caught around structure inside the passes and right up in the surf near the shore on outside beaches. Snook were also caught around the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and in Charlotte Harbor near Burnt Store Marina.
Anglers also hooked into redfish around structure fishing inside the gulf islands. Redfish from 21 inches up tom 30 inches took both live and cut bait under mangrove overhangs and shorelines in Pine Island Sound over the higher stages of tides. In Matlacha Pass, kayak anglers report catching snook, jack crevalle and a few redfish north of the bridge near Pine Island Creek casting white or chartreuse paddle tails.
Spotted seatrout was plentiful around the Sound and Charlotte Harbor; however, a high percentage are running under size. Better reports of larger or keeper-size trout came from areas near the gulf passes. Four to 6-foot-deep grass flats inside Redfish and Captiva passes held trout up to 20 inches. Trout up to 19 inches were found in the same depths between Sanibel Causeways B and C span on the gulf side. Ladyfish and Spanish mackerel were hooked as well.
Mangrove snapper up to 14 inches took small baits including shrimp, pinfish and herring in the gulf passes bounced across ledges, fished under docks and around mangrove points.
Boats returned from offshore runs with limits of red grouper and American red snapper. Decent size grouper were found in depths beginning around 100 feet and snapper beginning around 140. With both species, fishing in deeper water resulted in larger fish. Between 80 to 100 feet, large mangrove snappers were caught over ledges and structure.
Schools of tarpon were sighted west of Boca Grande Pass in 30 to 80-foot depths and in Boca Grande Pass over afternoon hill tides. Tarpon anglers found a good bite over several afternoons and evenings with hungry tarpon slurping small crabs riding the falling tide through the pass.
Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at: www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish. If you turn on your GPS location the Fish Rules app updates to your location. In my opinion, it is more accurate and up to date than FWC’s website.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service — call or text 239-410-8576; website at www.fishpine island.com; or email gcl2fish@live.com
Have a safe week and good fishin’
As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for over 20 years.