On the Water: It was another warm week of fishing across Southwest Florida
Early in the week winds were light allowing for comfortable offshore fishing, then it picked up mid-week and into the weekend. Weather remained warm with water temperature climbing into the upper 70s.
Boats are returning with limits of red grouper bottom fishing depths from 90-115 feet in gulf waters west of Sanibel. A mix of snapper, including mangrove, vermilion and yellowtail, also went in the fish box. A few African pompano were hooked dropping over wrecks in the same depths, plus hard-fighting amberjack and goliath grouper.
Some anglers are catching good sized sheepshead and others aren’t. From what I have seen, they are not in numbers as previous years. The best reports came fishing around structure along the outer islands from Punta Rassa to Captiva. Deeper creeks around St. James City and “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge gave up some as well.
Redfish on occasion were mixed with sheepshead, plus they were hooked fishing sand bottom along island points over the incoming tides in mid- to south Pine Island Sound.
Like sheepshead, seatrout is hit or miss. Plenty of 14-inch fish, and if you’re lucky enough to hit the right spots, larger fish to 20 inches. Over the low tides fish were caught around sand holes throughout Pine Island Sound and along bar edges in Charlotte Harbor. Over the higher water, trout were caught over grass flats in 3 to 5-foot depths. A few pompano and permit were caught in the northern Sound and Charlotte Harbor.
One fish around here that there is no shortage of is ladyfish. Not much to eat, but a lot of fun to catch. Large schools were common in north Matlacha Pass into Charlotte Harbor, and throughout the Sound, and around the gulf passes. Several mackerel were caught around the ladyfish, and a few tarpon were sighted rolling in Charlotte Harbor.
After a stretch of above normal temperatures, it looks like we may get some cooler weather. While the warmer days are great, water temperatures were rising too fast too early. A little drop in temperature may be a good thing.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service — call or text 239-410-8576; website at www.fishpine island.com; or email 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.