On the Water: Big fish are moving in
Right on schedule, big fish such as tarpon, sharks, cobia, and others are making their Spring arrival around our coastal waters.
Tarpon were sighted or hooked on the bayside of the Sanibel Causeway, around Boca Grande Pass, in the Sound near the fish shacks, and Charlotte Harbor. Fish up to one hundred twenty pounds went for both live and dead baits including handpicked shrimp, thread herring, pinfish, mullet, and ladyfish. With very clear water, hook-ups were reported sight fishing with fly in Charlotte Harbor.
Sharks are roaming across the inshore waters on the hunt for their next meal. Find an area holding fish such as sea trout, mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, or jack crevalle and sharks are nearby. We have a wide range of species, and they can range from a couple feet to well over ten feet in length. The largest are often following tarpon schools. Bonnet head, sharp and black nose, plus hard fighting blacktips were caught and released around the Sanibel Causeway, Captiva Pass, off Bokeelia Shoals, and Matlacha Pass near marker 76.
Anglers fishing tarpon or sharks report hooking into cobia in Pine Island Sound and the Harbor north of Bokeelia. Cobia were also sight fished following large stingrays on the west side of Charlotte Harbor.
If you hit the right area, it was possible to get into fast action with Spanish mackerel, blue and ladyfish. A few areas included Captiva Pass, the west side of Red Light Shoals, east of Useppa Island, and northern Matlacha Pass. It could be one species, or all mixed together, but a lot of fun and action. This is also where you will find the sharks. Spanish mackerel and bluefish were also reported from the Matlacha Draw Bridge.
Snook, redfish, and large sea trout were found together along shorelines, island points, and oyster bars. Oversize snook to thirty-five inches, redfish to thirty-two inches, and sea trout to twenty-eight inches went for live and cut bait, plus spoons and paddle tails. These big sea trout, often called “gator” trout, are full of eggs and should be handled gently and safely released to keep those good genes going.
This Saturday is the 28th annual Bobby Holloway Jr. Memorial Fishing Tournament held at Jug Creek Marina in Bokeelia. Fishing or not, it’s worth checking out. There will be great food and atmosphere, lots of raffle prizes, and all proceeds help local children and families.
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. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish. If you enable your GPS, the Fish Rules app updates regulations to your location each time you open the app. 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; 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.