BOATER ALERT: The USCG is surveying the boating community to see what impact a change in bridge opening schedules will have on boaters. This is being driven by All Aboard Florida which is a public/private passenger rail project (Florida East Coast Industries) that connects Miami with Orlando in three hours. Several waterways are impacted, including New River in Ft. Lauderdale, Loxahatchee River in Jupiter and St. Lucie River in Stuart. Trains are stated to be less than 1,000 feet long and capable of crossing each waterway in less than 60 seconds, but it will result in the train bridges being closed over ten hours a day, with most of the rail traffic taking place when boating is also at its peak traffic hours. This does not include the existing commercial rail traffic.
The Cape Coral Cruise Club, founded in 1963, is unique among S.W. Florida boat clubs in that it owns a portion of a private island on the Caloosahatchee River east of the Franklin Lock. Over the years a covered pavilion has been built where the members enjoy monthly picnics. The facility also has four docks with both 50amp and 30amp power that can accommodate up to sixteen member boats for a weekend.
CCCC is a group of active cruisers. Monthly cruises are planned for September through June each season. If you have a boat with overnight accommodations, reside in the Cape Coral – Ft. Myers area, and would like to get out on your boat with fellow boating enthusiasts, take a look at the destinations of past CCCC organized cruises.
We visit South Seas Resort and ‘Tween Waters resort on Captiva Island; Pink Shell Resort and Snook Bight Marina on Ft. Myers Beach; Boca Grande Marina, Uncle Henry’s Marina, Burnt Store Marina, and Fisherman’s Village in Charlotte harbor.
Going further north on the GICW we’ve visited both Palm Island Marina and Gasparilla Marina, as well as attractive locations in Sarasota and Longboat Key. There is a 2015 trip in the works for a cruise further north to Tarpon Springs.
Local short cruises include Tarpon Point and Cape Harbour in Cape Coral, and Legacy Harbor in downtown Ft. Myers. Naples is an annual tradition with the Naples Boat Club, City Dock at Crayton Cove, or Pelican Isle Marina as destinations.
Venturing further south the Club has visited Marco Island, Everglades City, Marathon, Key Biscayne and Key West.
Each year an extended cruise is planned. In 2014 that destination was first to the South Georgia Isles and beaches with stops in Stuart, New Smyrna, St Augustine and Fernandina Beach. Other members elected to do the second extended cruise to the Bahamas with stops in Clewiston, West Palm Beach and the Club owned Hidden Island on the Caloosahatchee Waterway.
For those interested in extending their local boating distances, or who may be new to the area and are looking for an active boating group, the Cape Coral Cruise Club will have a booth at the Ft. Myers Boat Show November 13 -16 at the Harborside Event Center & City Yacht Basin. We look forward to talking with you about local boating!
Stop by and meet Club members and a view short video of Club cruise activities, and obtain membership information. Or contact Larry Mitchell, CCCC membership chairman at 239-560-2823. Additional information is posted on the Club website, www.c-c-c-c.org. Also “Like” us on our Facebook page.
GoBoaters, please take a few minutes out of your day to watch this. Incredibly moving story about the heroic efforts of boaters on 9/11.
The Great Boat Lift of 9/11 became the largest sea evacuation . . . in history! Larger than the evacuation of Dunkirk in WWII, where 339,000 British and French soldiers were rescued over the course of 9 days. On 9/11, nearly half a million civilians were rescued from Manhattan by boat. It took less than 9 hours.
(Ft. Myers Beach to Charlotte Harbor) This time of the month should produce great action as the full moon cycle takes its course. Migratory species, such as King Fish and Spanish Mackerel will only add to the grouper and snapper action for off-shore anglers. Inshore should produce plenty of Snook, Redfish, Seatrouts and Mangrove Snappers to round out the flats and back country opportunities. Pictured here is Mr. Werner Baumgartner of Germany holding a 28″ Redfish that he caught in the back water areas of Punta Rassa Bay. Prior to that he landed a nice 17″ Permit on a shrimp under a cork in Pine Island Sound.
During this month, my 1st Mate and I are headed to Europe to fly-fish the Italian rivers of Tuscany and experience salt water fishing on the northern Mediterranean Sea around southern France. We are hoping to catch trout and Grayling in the rivers and salt water game fish in France. I am looking forward to writing about these experiences to share with our fishing friends so as to compare those experiences with our own back here in beautiful SW Florida.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters saying Bon Voyage and ‘tight lines’ to all of my weekly readers. Additional articles and charter information may be obtained by checking out my website; www.fishfacecharters.com or by emailing me at [email protected].
(Ft. Myers Beach to Charlotte Harbor) Last week’s southerly winds, good weather and high tides provided ‘prime-time’ for catching numerous species for off-shore and in-shore fishing alike. Reports of Spanish Mackerels, Triple Tails, Cobia, Snapper and Grouper catches were good. Inshore provided some of the best action of the summer as we came off the backside of a new moon.
One of my better and most experience Junior Anglers, Jack Robert of Blaine, Minnesota, is pictured with his first Redfish. Jack has a natural ability to catch almost any fish that takes his presentation. Watching this 9 year old handle a fish is quite impressive. Every year, Jack’s grandparents, Vicki and Charlie Lundgren of Minnesota, go all out to make sure Jack gets the opportunity to nurture his youthful skills, since he loves to fish. Jack has fished with me now for over two years and I was thrilled when he proved that he was ready to fish with the adults in the back country by landing the 23″ Redfish mentioned above. I have also included a picture of Jack and I together as he proudly displays another of the day’s fine catches, a 23″ Seatrout.
A full moon is ‘on the horizon’ and subject to weather should bring with it strong tides and more opportunity. Snook season is open. Early morning or late evenings are good times to target these nocturnal feeders. However, during tide movements, they will prey on live or cut baits properly placed along or into the mangroves. Redfish, Seatrouts, Spanish Mackerels and Mangrove Snappers are all too eager to eat as well.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters wishing everyone great success and ‘tight lines’! Charter information may be obtained by emailing me at [email protected] or via the website www.fishfacecharters.com or call me at 239-357-6829.