On the Water: Fishing was good despite some rainy weather
Despite off-and-on rainstorms over the week, fishing was good. Strong tides and overcast skies made for a good bite for anglers willing to work around storms.
Fishing grass flats and sand bar drop-offs in 4-6 feet of water yielded sea-trout with a good number of slot fish up to 19 inches. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and sharks were also hooked from the same areas between Red Light Shoals and Captiva Rocks, east of Useppa Island, and off Bokeelia Shoals. Trout, mackerel and pompano were reported near the Sanibel Causeway along bar edges as well.
Redfish numbers are on the rise with schooling fish around Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. A few anglers caught double digit numbers over the incoming tide around shorelines and oyster bars on a variety of baits including pinfish, pilchards, shrimp, cut ladyfish and a host of artificials. Most fish are running from 22-27 inches in length.
For the next month, red fishing will be at its peak.
Catching a limit of tasty mangrove snapper is still a good possibility inshore and nearshore. About any structure is a good bet to hold fish and if you time it right, slack tide in the Gulf passes is very productive when fishing over hard bottom and ledges. As always, small bait and tackle is key for consistent success.
If you want to play tug with a shark, there are plenty of bull sharks inshore this month, and often in only a few feet of water. If you see schooling mullet, chances are good sharks are nearby. Sharks up to 6 feet took chunks of cut bait near the powerlines in the lower Sound, further north in the Sound around Rocky Channel, and in north Matlacha Pass.
With gag grouper season open, a few keeper-size fish were boated west of Captiva Pass in 40 to 50-foot depths. With daily storms in Gulf waters, it wasn’t the best week to venture deep. Hopefully better weather this week will open better offshore opportunities.
To keep up on fishing rules and regulations visit www.myfwc,com or upload the Fish Rules app of your phone.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service; phone (239) 410-8576, email gcl2fish@live.com or you visit us on the Web at www.fishpineisland.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.