On the Water: Some bad weather but good fishing
Southwest Florida experienced unsettled weather for much of the week, including many rainy days. Despite less than desirable conditions, the overcast rainy days cooled the inshore waters resulting in good fishing.
Good snook fishing was reported around the barrier islands, throughout Pine Island Sound, near the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and Matlacha Pass. Over-sized snook were caught and released in and near the gulf passes while drifting live baits on the falling tides. Throughout the inshore waters, the best chance for success was locating shorelines, points and potholes with the tide and wind pushing the same direction. Many anglers fished live pinfish, pilchards and pigfish, either free lined or fished under a bobber for live baits, and Berkley Gulp Swimming Mullet was a good choice for artificial. Often the bite was at its best as the wind increased as a storm or rain ban approached.
Plenty of redfish were hooked over the week on the same areas as mentioned for snook. We had a few days where we really could not say we were targeting redfish or snook, you would catch a snook on one cast then a red on the next. The redfish are taking the same baits as snook. Many anglers strictly targeting reds found fish under the mangroves in north Matlacha Pass around Indian Fields and islands south of Demere Key in the sound. These fish were caught either soaking cut pinfish on bottom or drifting a pinfish or pilchard under a bobber. Chumming the mangroves improved your odds.
Trout fishing again was hit or miss – plenty of small fish, but the larger ones are often difficult to locate. The 3 to 5-foot grass flats off of shorelines and sand bars between St. James and Sanibel was an area that held fish with some pushing 20 inches. Baits included live shrimp, pinfish and pilchards under a popping cork, and white Redfish Magic plastics. Spanish mackerel, bluefish and ladyfish were also caught with the trout.
Trout, with most running undersized, were also reported outside west mouth of Jug Creek at Bokeelia and between the fish shacks and Captiva Pass in the sound.
Mangrove snapper were caught in all the areas mentioned above if you were targeting them or not, plus Captiva Pass on slack tide. If you want snapper, keep your bait and hook small and your leader light.
Offshore the weather was not very cooperative. Twenty-one miles out of Redfish Pass, grouper and snapper, including mangrove and lanes, were boated while dropping live pinfish, pilchards and cut mullet on a nylon jig. Spanish mackerel were caught closer to the beaches and a few tripletail were reported.
It’s always nice to see our blue skies and bright Florida sunshine, but I gotta say, fishing can be pretty darn good when it disappears for a few days. The water temperature dropped several degrees and the fish responded. This should be the start of good for the next couple months.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at 239-293-7960, www.fishpineisland.com or email gcl2-fish@live.com
Have a safe week and good fishin’.