On the Water: Week end’s weather disrupts fishing
The weather was good over the first half of the week, then a disturbance in the Gulf brought stormy weather heading into the weekend. Fishing was good at times, slow at times and unpredictable from day to day, but that’s normal for summer fishing.
On days that weather conditions allowed, American red snapper were caught in depths starting at 150 feet. Anglers report that the deeper the water the bigger the snapper. Red snapper season is winding down as season is closed through month of August. Red grouper and porgy were also caught.
Public or man-made wrecks and reefs in the 50 to 100-foot depths yielded hard fighters including amberjack, goliath grouper, bonito, barracuda and some large sharks. Around nearshore artificial reefs at depths from 25-50 feet , anglers report a variety including snook, snapper, Spanish mackerel, barracuda, sharks, goliath grouper plus a few cobia.
The Spanish mackerel bite was off and on around the Gulf passes and the Gulf side of the Sanibel Causeway. Small silver spoons or mylar jigs with a fast retrieve were the top method while on the drift. Ladyfish were often numerous to pick up the slack if the mackerel bite was off. Spanish mackerel were hooked in Charlotte Harbor near Bokeelia, between Useppa and Part islands, and along bar edges inside Redfish Pass.
With snook in their summer spawn pattern, the best action came from areas near and around the Gulf passes. Fish up to 35 inches were caught and released from docks around Punta Rassa, Redfish Pass and north of Boca Grande Pass. Best baits include live pinfish, pigfish or grunts, and pilchards, sardines or herring.
Schools of male snook from 20-26 inches were sight fished along the surf off Sanibel, Captiva and Cayo Costa Islands. Small white jigs and flies, plus live shrimp, pilchards and small pinfish were top baits.
The inshore mangrove snapper bite remained consistent over the week. Some days are better than others, but with a little time and effort most anglers are returning with a limit. Fish up to 14 inches were boxed in and around the gulf passes and nearby mangrove shorelines and docks. Shore-bound anglers hooked snapper from the Matlacha Drawbridge. Baits of choice include live and dead shrimp, pilchard’s, dead or alive, and frozen sardines. There are a lot of catfish around. At times it’s hard to get the bait past the cats to hook a snapper. Sometimes it’s best to just move on and fish another spot.
Spotted seatrout were caught across grass flats in 4 to 7-foot depths around north Matlacha Pass, off the eastern and western walls of Charlotte Harbor, and Pine Island Sound west of Bokeelia, between Cabbage Key and Captiva Pass, and between Rocky Channel and Hemp Key. Either working channel edges or drifting worked for trout to 19 inches. Most trout are running undersize, but many anglers caught a limit. Mackerel, ladyfish, jack crevalle, and sharks were caught as well.
Summer gives us the potential for nasty thunderstorms that can develop quickly. Stay alert to building storms and have a plan when on the water. If you cannot get back to port before the lightning starts popping, get to a sheltered or protected area. Pulling up against a mangrove island or shoreline is far safer than remaining over open water. Make you and your boat as low profile as possible. Get the fishing rods or graphite lightning sticks out of the rod holders and down low. While rain is just an inconvenience, lightning is deadly, please take it seriously.
Keep up to date with fishing regulations and seasons in the area you fish, as they change often. You can visit www.myfwc.com for all current state and federal regulations. Also, you can upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish.
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 can 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.