On the Water: Fishing was good before the cold front arrived
It was a warm fishy week right up to the weekend. Then it all changed. Warm air and a southern breeze brought excellent fishing ahead of a strong cold front that blew in Saturday.
Inshore, anglers found good numbers of snook and big seatrout aggressive and hungry. Water temperatures climbing into the mid to upper 70s was just the ticket for both species.
Snook up to 37 inches were caught and released throughout Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass and Charlotte Harbor. Often they were ganged up along shorelines, sand holes and oyster bars where 20 or more were often hooked from one spot. Most ran from 22 to 26 inches with larger fish mixed in. Baits included live pinfish, herring, pilchards, pigfish or grunts, shrimp, and a variety of soft plastic baits.
Fishermen enjoyed the largest seatrout of the year as fish up to 26 inches were boated with a good number over 20 inches. Many were caught from the same areas mentioned for snook plus 3 to 7-foot grass flats in Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. All baits mentioned for snook were a good choice plus DOA shrimp and shad tails under a rattle float. Many or most seatrout of legal size or larger are carrying eggs for their upcoming spawn. It’s important to handle all fish to be released with care and if you are keeping a few for the table, try to keep the ones without the large egg-laden bellies.
Redfish were caught over the afternoon high tides along shorelines and island points across eastern Pine Island Sound and north Matlacha Pass. Reds up to 34 inches went for live pinfish and shrimp, plus cut ladyfish, thread herring and mullet. Up to a half dozen fish were often hooked from the same spot.
Spanish mackerel and ladyfish were located feeding across grass bottom in 5 to 7-foot depths inside Captiva Pass, northern Pine Island Sound and southern Charlotte Harbor near Bokeelia. Fast retrieves with small silver spoons or mylar jigs worked well, plus live pilchards and shrimp. Blacktip and spinner sharks from 3 to 5 feet were roaming the same areas.
Tarpon are beginning to show as a few fish were hooked in Pine Island Sound while soaking cut ladyfish on bottom. Sharks and large stingrays also went for the cut baits. Despite the slight setback over the weekend, look for tarpon numbers to increase.
Those putting in the time are boxing decent sheepshead. Most were caught inside the gulf islands around structure. Shrimp was the favored bait, fished on a jig head, knocker rig or a split-shot a few inches above the hook. Sheepshead fishing should peak with the upcoming full moon on the 18th, then taper off as they complete their spawning duties.
Despite a fairly strong cold front that brought nasty conditions for the weekend, fishing should get back on track as warm weather is in the forecast. The bite was very good ahead of the front and it should pick right back up a few days after.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www.fishpineisland.com; or via email at 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 the past 23 years.