On the Water: A windy start to the month of October
Anglers dealt with windy days over much of the week with a strong easterly breeze. Conditions kept most offshore boats in port and hampered inshore efforts.
Most redfish action came from shallow protected waters around Matlacha Pass, the eastern sides of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor.
Reds up to 28 inches and often in schools took a variety of baits including pinfish, pilchards, herring, shrimp, cut mulletand ladyfish, plus gold spoons. They were found along bar drop-offs on the lower tides then moving to shorelines and around oyster bars on higher water.
Early in the week, ahead of the winds, a school of large reds up to 40 inches was reported in Charlotte Harbor, plus reds over 30 inches around the Gulf passes.
With the opening of snook season, they are the focus for many anglers. Snook were caught around island points, creek mouths and oyster bars in areas with the wind and current moving the same direction. All baits mentioned for redfish also work for snook; this time of year it’s very common to catch a good number of snook and reds together.
A high percentage of snook are undersized, release them unharmed, and if flipper comes in, it’s best to move on and not give them an easy meal.
Nighttime anglers report a few keeper-size snook from theMatlacha Drawbridge while casting diving lures or freelining live shrimp.
Limits of seatrout were caught around Charlotte Harbor, the Sound and San Carlos Bay. Bar edges and grass flats in 4 to 6-foot depths produced trout to 20 inches plus ladyfish, jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel.
Mackerel and large ladyfish also came from areas around the Sanibel Causeway and off the beach between Blind and Redfish passes.
Sharks including bulls, lemons and blacktip are common catches inshore. Most are running 3-6 feet and eat a variety of fresh cut baits with mullet, ladyfish and jack crevalle favorites. They can be found roaming anywhere for their next meal but if you are in an area catching fish with a lot of activity, odds are sharks are nearby.
Keep up to date with rules and regulations by visiting www.myfwc.com or upload the Fish Rules app.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service; phone (239) 410-8576, Website: www.fishpineisland.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.