On the Water: Warming trend kickstarts fishing
With the exception of a little cool front over the weekend, the opening week of March brought us warm temperature and sunny skies. Inshore water temperatures quickly heated up to well over 70 degrees and fish are beginning to show a spring behavioral pattern.
Large trout reports are on the rise with fish to 24 inches reported from Pine Island Sound, Charlotte Harbor and Matlacha Pass. In the sound the larger fish were targeted over sandy areas near oyster bars, and in sand potholes along the shoreline. In Matlacha Pass, along the perimeter of oyster bars south of the bridge near the power lines, and in the Harbor along the long bars that parallel the east and west walls.
Anglers also found good fishing for slot-size trout (15-20 inches) throughout Pine Island Sound and around the Sanibel Causeway. Drifting deeps from 3 to 6 feet with a grass or grass/sand mix bottom turned up good action with both undersized and slot fish. For baits, live shrimp under a popping cork, 1/8 ounce Tsunami Jigs in chartreuse under a popping cork, and new penny colored Gulp Shrimp worked for trout plus a few pompano, Spanish mackerel and lady fish.
Some really low morning tides gave sight fishing anglers good opportunities to hunt tailing redfish. Many found the fish really spooky, with a stealthy approach a must. Often leaving the boat behind and quietly stalking them on foot is the best bet. Small schools of fish were reported off the east wall in mid-Pine Island Sound and inside the bar near Burnt Store Marina.
The snook bite is slowly gaining steam – each day the water warms the bite is getting better and with some good tides it should heat up. Snook to 36 inches were reported in Matlacha Pass with the bigger fish taking live pilchards. Snook were also hooked in the Pass on various top water lures. Potholes and island points from “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge to Blind Pass gave up a few snook as did various keys and Islands throughout the eastern side of Pine Island Sound.
Sharks to 6 feet were caught and released in mid-Pine Island Sound in 6 to 8-foot depths east of the Intracoastal Waterway. Mullet or ladyfish fished on bottom or under a balloon were the best baits. Also, a few early season tarpon were hooked inside the Sanibel Causeway between the C span and St. James while fishing cut bait on bottom.
Spanish mackerel made their presence inshore over the week, with good numbers reported in Charlotte Harbor just north of Bokeelia, inside Captiva Pass and outside the Sanibel Causeway. Most are running 20 inches or smaller, but look for the average size to grow each day. A few undersized cobia were also caught around the macks, and a few really big cobia followed hooked fish to the boat but would not take bait, anglers reported.
Offshore, a few boats found cobia schooling over structure and limited out with fish to 40 pounds. Red grouper to 15 pounds were brought in from 75 to 100-foot depths, plus a various mix of bottom fish.
For a good portion of the week it looked and felt like spring. With the water temperature on the rise fishing should get better each day. We are getting into that time when everything’s on the move and fish are migrating north, you never know what may bite next, but it could be big!
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at 239-283-7960, via the web at www.fishpineisland.com or email gcl2fish@live.com
Have a safe week and good fishin’.