On the Water: Fish become more active as water cools down
Summer is over, but it’s still hot. However, you can feel the change of season. It may be ever so slightly early in the mornings, but cooler days are on the way. As the water gradually cools down, fish will become more active throughout the day. As we exit summer and roll into the first full week of fall, anglers should find good fishing opportunities inshore and offshore in the Gulf waters.
Sea trout, with a few over 20 inches, were caught in various areas around Pine Island, including the north Matlacha Pass, the perimeter of Charlotte Harbor and in the Pine Island Sound around the Rocky Channel. Larger fish were busting top water lures, including Zara Spooks and Mirrolures around oyster bars over the early morning hours and later in the day in potholes using pinfish under a rattling cork. A few redfish were also caught with the same baits from these locations.
School-sized trout running from 14-16 inches were caught over three- to six-foot grass flats between Useppa Island and the fish shacks, off the east side of Bokeelia and east of marker 74 in the Matlacha Pass. Ladyfish and small blacktip sharks were also caught. Live shrimp, pilchards, pinfish and pigfish under popping corks, plus Gulp shad and DOA shrimp were the reported baits of choice.
The mangrove snapper bite was great throughout inshore waters with fish up to 14 inches. They were caught around structure, mangrove shorelines, oyster bars and sand holes throughout the Pine Island Sound, Charlotte Harbor and Matlacha Pass. Live shrimp and shrimp tipped jigs were the best bait. Also, snapper were caught in the Gulf passes and around the Sanibel Causeway over slack and slower tides
Snook to 36 inches were caught and released south of Pineland on various live baits and good action, with mostly undersized snook reported from anglers wade fishing along the east and west walls of the Charlotte Harbor.
Big redfish were located along the Charlotte Harbors’ eastern shore and the eastern side of Pine Island Sound. Most of the fish are running from 26-30 inches and were found in schools from a dozen to 50 or more.
From land, snook, snapper, small sharks, stingrays, snapper and mackerel were reported from the Matlacha Draw Bridge.
Offshore, red grouper catches were reported anywhere from 80-150 feet out from Captiva and the Boca Grande Passes. Live pinfish, thread herring and heavy jigs tipped with whole Spanish sardines took fish to 30 inches. Mangrove and lane snapper were also caught. Gag grouper were boxed in the Gulf waters in depths from 40-120 feet. Gag grouper season closes at the end of September.
Finally, summer is over, at least on paper. It’s been a quiet tropical storm season, and with luck it continues as the temperatures drop. With cooler water temperatures, it’s possible to catch fish the entire day and often the best bite is right smack in the middle of the day.
Keep up to date with fishing regulations and seasons 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, contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service by calling 239-410-8576 or emailing gcl2fish@live.com. Or you can visit us online 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 the Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for over 20 years.