On the Water: Anglers enjoying cooler days on the water
Cooler days and cooler water temperatures made for enjoyable conditions and fishing. It was a little breezy at times but overall, a good week on the water.
Inshore, anglers are targeting snook and redfish with success. Both species were caught in and around the Gulf passes fishing shorelines and structure. Islands and keys throughout Pine Island Sound gave up snook to 32 inches and reds up to 28 inches. Most were hooked off island points, sand holes and around oyster bars fishing live and cut bait. Around Charlotte Harbor, snook and redfish were found along bar edges, shorelines and oyster bars along the eastern and western walls. A majority of snook are running under the 28-inch minimum with an occasional larger fish in the mix.
Seatrout running in size up to 21 inches took live and artificial baits across the Sound and around San Carlos Bay. They were caught in deeper sand holes on the lower tides west of Galt Islands and near Demere Key. Drifting 4 to 6-foot grass bottom provided trout hook-ups between Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa State Park, south of Rocky Channel and outside Tarpon Bay. Spanish mackerel ladyfish, and jack crevalle were hooked as well.
Its early, but there are reports of a few good size sheepshead. They were caught on shrimp and jig rigs fishing creeks, shorelines and structure around “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge, Blind Pass and St. James. Mangrove snapper, black drum and redfish were also caught.
Nearshore, bottom fishing turned up mangrove snapper, grunts and mostly undersize sheepshead in depths from 30-45 feet. A tasty hogfish was also caught west of Captiva Pass. Further offshore, despite rough conditions, red grouper up to 28 inches took live and cut bait in depths from 70-95 feet.
With hurricane season winding down, let’s hope this great weather continues through the month.
Keep up to date with current fishing regulations, go to www.myfwc.com or upload the Fish Rules app before hitting the water.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service; phone (239) 410-8576, email gcl2fish@live.com or you visit us on the Web 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 Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for over 20 years.