The boating industry would like to thank Governor Scott for signing HB 4001. While our industry supports the progress of those seeking alternative energy sources, the effort needs to better address the variety of users and impact that alternative energies has on the machinery that uses it.
Lots of reports about the river, “Peace River” that is. It’s funny that when it gets too rough to be on the Harbor that river fishing is “rediscovered”. Try a full sized glitter Zara spook and hold on tight – the Snook are pulling the hooks straight! Cast close to the shore and try to find deeper
bends. When you cast let it sit still for about 20 seconds, then start walkin’ it back. Yes, the big ole Snook are thick in both rivers!
On the subject of harbor snappers . . . well, there are NO dog snappers in Charlotte Harbor, only Lane, Mangrove/Grey, and once in a blue moon some Yellow Tail, Mutton, or Bee liners (small vermilion snappers). So the whole Dog snapper thing is a myth / mistake/ wrong. As I have maintained for years, if you caught a small fish that looks kind of like a smallmouth bass with teeth like an ally cat, it’s a Mangrove Snapper. These are a tricky snapper with a red belly and dark back . . . how could they possibly be called a Grey Snapper? Well if you catch them out in the gulf they are completely Grey with no other color. You will not know that it is a mangrove Snapper until you put it in the ice chest and all the colors come out. This does stand to reason as a dark color fish would stand out in the clear waters of the gulf of Mexico, and would be eaten by larger fish. So, the snappers change colors to match the water they are in. Clear water they turn grey, dark waters reds, browns and black. So anyway, what I wrote before was wrong, and now I am eating Crow. I should never type anything until I check into it first. But then why should typing be different than talking? I am usually somewhat surprised by what I say, most of the time!
Fishin Frank
Like many things about fish, I continue to learn, after all the more you know about what you are trying to catch, the more successful you will be. When I think about it there are really only a couple of months in which you can catch really nice size Snapper in Charlotte Harbor over 14 inches. by far the most common are smaller fish, & the larger sizes are much more common in the deeper waters of the gulf. Maybe they should be thought of like Red fish, Tarpon, Shrimp, or Goliath & Gag grouper, only using the Harbor to get big enough to brave the adult world of the Gulf. Yes the more I look into it the more this seems true, the larger Snapper only come into the Harbor to spawn then head back out,
A really weird thing is that Snapper seem to get a secret message and all over the world they spawn, Yes from what I am learning all the Snappers in the world seem to get a signal and start spawning at nearly the same time. How weird is that?
Right now in the Harbor we are in the 2 to 3 week window of big snapper. They are being caught at the 41 bridge, the concert reef, cape haze reef and even larger sizes in the passes.
so get some shrimp and some white bait, because one day they will eat one and the next the other, and Snappers are some of the tastiest eating you will ever have, fresh snapper can be cooked any way and will come out great. Keep in mind they like to hug the bottom but you can raise them off the bottom by taking advantage of their greedy natures, yes they will follow at chum line right to the surface.
As a foot note to this, I have heard that many of the Snapper in Charlotte Harbor are mis-identified as Mangrove or Grey snapper, Same fish two names and are really Dog snappers which the only real difference is they have thicker teeth. I may have been wrong all these years, I am going to be checking this out this year.
Well have fun out there the weather is great the fishing could not be any better. Why are you sitting reading this, grab a pole and get your butt out there.
Frank
(Ft. Myers Beach to Charlotte Harbor) The last couple of weeks have been really good for all of the ‘back country’ species (Redfish, Snook, Seatrout, Pompano, Spanish Mackerel, Shark, Mangroves Snappers). The Tarpon have been a little scarce this year (compared to last year) off of the outer side of Sanibel with reports of more activity and catches outside of Cayo Costa. Reports of large numbers of Tarpon are now in Boca Grande Pass and Charlotte Harbor, to which I am heading this week to practice for some Memorial Day Weekend charters.
Nonetheless, while on a ‘Combo/Shark’ charter, I had the opportunity to check out the crab buoys and spotted the nice Tripletail (pictured here). Another ‘Combo Shark/Tarpon Charter’ produced a number of small sharks for lots of ‘reel’ excitement. Mr. David Nycz II from Detroit, Michigan, is pictured holding his first small Sand Shark on light tackle. David’s fiancée, Lisa caught her own 4 ft. shark on very light tackle, showing off her angling abilities as well. Between David and Lisa, 9 sharks were caught and released, including a 6 foot Hammerhead.
My ‘First Mate’ (Vicki) and I had a wonderful day of both shark/Tarpon and ‘back-country’ fishing with these dedicated anglers (pictured together). Tarpon fishing should be good in numerous areas of the Caloosahatche River, Pine Island Sound, the passes and especially; Charlotte Harbor. All other species, both ‘in and offshore’, should be no exception and I suggest one works the incoming or outgoing tides for best results, as ‘slack tide’ is usually less productive.
If you have any questions or want help with make your fishing trips more productive, contact me at 239-357-6829 or email me at [email protected]. Check out my monthly and weekly saltwater sports articles at www.fishfacecharters.com. 
(Ft. Myers Beach to Charlotte Harbor) The good spring weather together with stronger and higher tides should prove to be the biggest asset to any fishing trip. The location that one chooses to fish should depend on the height, strength and time of tide movements for best results; especially when they work together with the early morning hours. Most all species should be very active and receptive to a variety of live or cut baits, both ‘in’ and ‘off’ shore. They are all here and virtually all of my charters have been successful finding and catching the ‘target’ species when working during good tide movement, be it ‘flood’ or ‘ebb’. The only exception to this has been the lack of a lot of Tarpon action.
Nonetheless, reports of Tarpon catches around Mile Marker 4 (off of ‘C’ Span by Sanibel) and other areas up and down Pine Island Sound are becoming more common. A few Tarpon are being taken off of the ‘Outer’ Islands as well. If one belongs to an organization such as; Cape Coral Tarpon Hunters Club, access to catches, locations, techniques and baits are easily obtained on a daily basis. Mackerel, Catfish, Mullet, big Greenbacks and Pinfish should do the trick for those looking for these fighting game fish.
There are lots of Seatrout in the grass and ‘potholes’ from James City all the way to Cayo Costa. I am finding that some ‘schools’ are producing numbers of big trout over 20” on a regular basis, but one needs to move around to find them (I am having most of my success for bigger fish in the northern corridor of Pine Island Sound, above Redfish Pass).
In the ‘back country’, big Snook and Redfish are both up and down Pine Island Sound on both the east and west sides. Other species, such as Crevalle Jacks, Bar Jacks, Spanish Mackerel, Pompano, may be found anywhere along the above corridor on the flats with the Seatrout.
The gulf is loaded with species such as; Kings, Snapper, Permit, Grouper and Cobia. Keep a lookout and a ‘rig’ loaded for Cobia. I keep a lead head with an 8”-12” eel ready to cast. The fish have been very active and I forecast more of the same over the next week with the added benefit of more Tarpon opportunity.
In closing, I want to acknowledge the casting and catching abilities of 15 year old Andy Batchelder of Carmel, Indiana (grandson of Lee Longstretch of Indianapolis). He is pictured here with two of the fish caught during his first ‘back country’ excursion using only artificial lures. I am looking forward to our next ‘outing’ together for more and bigger fish. Great going Andy! Practice your casting liked we discussed before next year and you may catch your ‘fish of a lifetime’!
If anyone has any questions or would like more information on your favorite type of fishing, feel free to contact me at 239-357-6829 or email me at [email protected]. Check out my websites and my article ‘links’ at www.fishfacecharters.com or www.captainterryfisher.com
Summer is finally upon us. It is a great time to be in Southwest Florida, especially if you own a boat! The tarpon are rolling in, Grouper seasons are opening and the wind is actually calming down. So whether you’re a charter captain, an avid fisherman, or a recreational boater, now is the time to be out there. Before you launch your boat though, there are several things you need to remember. The usual checklist: life jackets, fire extinguisher, air horn, throwable PFD, spot light, tackle box, fishing poles, cooler, sun screen, oh, THE PLUG!… and the list goes on. But what about the one thing that actually allows you to get where you want to go? Unless you plan on paddling your way, your motor is a vital component to your boating experience. I’m not suggesting that you might forget you motor, but don’t forget to take care of it.
Many people take their motor for granted. Besides just changing your oil or cleaning your carburetor, you have to think about what products you’re putting in your motor. Everyone is familiar with ethanol fuel, but do you really know what it is and the effects it has on a motor? In a nut shell, it’s moonshine. Ethanol is highly refined (grain) alcohol, approximately 200 proof, that can be produced from natural products like corn or sugar cane. Although ethanol fuel is widely used because it is less costly up front, there are three main problems with using it in your boat: phase separation, deterioration of fuel system components, and the overall cost of keeping your boat operational.
Phase separation is the separation of water and ethanol from fuel within a tank. When water is present in a tank, it bonds to the ethanol molecules in the fuel. Once the three-part mixture of water, ethanol and fuel reaches a certain point, the ethanol and water will drop to the bottom of the tank and separate from the fuel. Once this occurs, you are in danger of severely damaging your motor. Depending where your fuel inlet is located, your motor might receive the fuel portion of what is in the tank or the ethanol/water mixture. Both will cause problems with your motor. While the water/ethanol mixture will obviously cause damages, the fuel portion will be about three octane less than what it should be and therefore result in damages to your motor. Both these scenarios start with the presence of water in your fuel tank. With the humidity we have, the rains that we get, and the inherent nature of boats being on the water, let’s face it, water will get in your tank over time.
While on the topic of tanks, this is where your fuel system begins and the first point where ethanol has a chance to deteriorate your equipment. Most boat manufactures do not use fiberglass tanks anymore, however there are still several in use today. Ethanol will break down certain resins that hold the glass fibers together, allowing that debris to potentially reach your motor. Fiberglass is just one of the materials that ethanol will deteriorate. What about rubber, plastic, even some types of metal? It is true, it can deteriorate all these materials, all of which are a part of your fuel system. Many people mix additives to try to counteract the effects of ethanol, but that is a difficult and uncertain way of dealing with the problem.
Additives have been around for years, mostly to boost octane and preserve stagnant fuel for extended periods of time. More recently, additive manufactures have developed products designed specifically for ethanol treatment. The problem is, there are many different types of fuels throughout the country. They go through different refining processes, have different Reid Vapor Pressures (RVP), and they all have their own blend packages added by the major oil companies already. The chance that additive manufacturers have tested their products on all these different fuel types is highly unlikely. I wouldn’t trust my multi-thousand dollar investment on chemicals that are untested and may not be compatible with my fuel.
Furthermore, additives are expensive. Whether you are mixing in additives for ethanol compensation or to boost octane, that all has to be factored in to the overall cost of running your boat. If you add an octane booster to your fuel to make up for the efficiency you loose by running ethanol enhanced fuel, you are chasing your tail. Then factor in the cost of repairs to your fuel system and potentially your entire motor, you will be spending hundreds if not thousands more simply because you ran ethanol enhanced fuel.
In all fairness, most boat and motor manufacturers claim to have made adjustments to there manufacturing process that allow their watercrafts to accept up to 10% ethanol blended fuel. Still, the jury is out as to the long-term effects of what this fuel will do, to even the newer motors. Play it safe, protect your investment, run non-ethanol (also known as 90 Rec) fuel, and enjoy the summer waters without worrying if your motor will get you back to dry land. For more information about the advantages of non-ethanol fuel, contact your local marina mechanic or email [email protected].
Written by John Siefert, Edison Oil Company
Well the TV says that we are in for a week of thunderstorms each day, not all day but possible storms each day, which leaves us 1 of 2 possibilities.
1- The first is that a front moves across the Harbor and the fish move and quit feeding, or we get a couple inches of rain, and it lower the salt level of the Harbor, which would move many of the fish back into the gulf. Not good at all as we have been in the magic zone, every thing from Black fin tuna, Bonita, Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Shark, Cobia, Tarpon, Snook, red fish, & more all biting. What can I say but WOW what a week.
2- The second possible out come, is that these afternoon rains and cloud cover will hold the water temperature steady, providing we get less than an inch of rain so the salt level remain constant in the Harbor, and if the clouds keep the water from heating up, this magic week could turn into a magic month. & HOW cool would that be!!
So here hoping for door number 2 and the magic remains
Fishin’ Frank