On the Water: Finally, cooler weather arrives in Southwest Florida
Unstable weather made for inconsistent fishing much of the past week. Many days brought thunderstorms and rain, and then as the weekend approached, we were greeted with our first cold front of the season.
Trout reports were scattered in northern Matlacha Pass, Charlotte Harbor’s eastern shore and throughout Pine Island Sound, from the power lines north. Fish are averaging 13 to 17 inches with a few larger fish mixed in. The best bet is to look for the clearest water you can find in 3 to 6-foot depths over grassy areas and a good tide flow. Drift fishing while casting a host of artificial lures or fishing live baits under popping corks is working well. Ladyfish, jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel were also reported over the trout grounds.
Spanish mackerel were also caught around the Sanibel Causeway and pier at the southern end and throughout Charlotte Harbor to the north, and in the sound near the passes. Most are averaging 16 to 22 inches and were often located by watching for birds.
Fishing from the beach on Sanibel and Captiva was productive for a wide variety of fish including trout, mackerel, jacks, bluefish, pompano, sheepshead, flounder, redfish and snook. Schools of small baitfish are working down the shore in the surf with a host of predators on their heels. Small, silver Diamond Spoons worked great for many of the fish while live shrimp and shrimp tipped pompano jigs was a better option for others.
Schooling redfish are still around in Pine Island Sound and also a large school was reported in south Matlacha Pass below the power lines. In the sound most schools are located as they are pushing water as they work parallel to long bars or shoals in 3 to 5 feet of water. In Matlacha Pass they were located on the upper stage of the incoming tides pushing water as they worked parallel to the shore. Wherever you find them, get in position to get a bait of any type in their path and hang on. Most are well oversized, but strong as an ox and a great fight.
With the water cooling down snook are on the move and it’s possible to catch one around any oyster bar, shoreline, sand hole, dock, pier, bridge or anywhere else that offers a good ambush point. There are a lot of bait fish in our waters so it’s pretty hard to fool them with an artificial – the best bet is long cast with top water lures either around dusk or dawn. Live baiters are catching snook with pilchards, herrings, pinfish, pigfish and ballyhoo.
Our first cool front was a welcome relief from a long, hot summer. After the rainy days cleared it was downright hot and humid for a day or two and miserably hot and sticky on the water. Then just like you flipped a switch, the temperature and humidity dropped, the skies turned blue and it finally felt like the fall weather we’ve been anticipating.
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 gck2-fish@live.com
Have a safe week and good fishin’.