On the Water: Good weather and fishing for the Easter holiday
It was a good week of weather, tides and fishing right through Easter weekend. Finally, winds were tolerable, allowing boats to venture beyond inshore waters.
For catch-and-release action, snook took the prize, as fish up to 39 inches were hooked around the islands and beaches. Smaller fish from 18 to 26 inches provided most of the action with larger ones mixed in. Snook were hooked on a variety of baits including top- and sub-surface lures, soft plastics, spoons and various live baits.
Redfish up to 32 inches were often hooked with the snook plus caught around oyster bars and creek mouths. Baits included the mentioned snook baits plus cut pinfish, herring and ladyfish.
Anglers report lots of big seatrout across the area, including Matlacha Pass, Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. Fish up to 25 inches with a good number over 20 inches were caught over the incoming tide around oyster bars, sand holes and bar drop-offs. Fish with a smaller average size from 13 to 18 inches were found over 3 to 6-foot grass flats across Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. Baits included top-water lures early in the morning and soft plastics, shrimp and live bait at other times.
Anglers drifting grass flats for trout also hooked into Spanish mackerel, big ladyfish, small sharks and cobia. Speaking of cobia, anglers continue to see an increasing number. Many were sight-casted inshore along sand bars and nearshore over artificial reefs. They like to ride the back of big rays, manatees and even sharks. With then clear water keep your eyes open.
Tarpon did a disappearing act after the last cold front but after a few warm days they reappeared across Pine Island Sound and the gulf passes. With water temperature climbing into the upper 70s, tarpon hook-ups should climb moving forward.
A drop in wind allowed boats to fish nearshore reefs where they found a mix of Spanish mackerel, snapper, grunts, undersize grouper and cobia.
As fish are migrating up the coast for summer it’s a good time to fish within sight of land with the possibility of hooking into a variety of species.
Keep up to date with fishing rules and seasons in the area you fish, as they change often. You can visit www.myfwc.com for all current state and federal regulations.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please 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.