I ran a few charters last week and had a lot of success catching, Spanish Mackerel, Pompano and larger than normal Seatrout. The Spanish Mackerel and Pompano provided lots of action around Point Ybel, Punta Rassa, St. James City and all the way to Jug Creek Shoal on the northern end of Pine Island. They prefer bays, points of islands and passes that provide ‘rip’ and strong currents with lots of bait fish to eat. I was using anything from live shrimp to ‘Silly Willies’ to catch these aggressive fish. Watch for the feeding birds and the surface action. The Seatrout have been larger than normal, with many caught in the 19 inch to 21 inch range. I have had most of the big trout success in 3ft.-5ft. depths around Wulfert Keys, Chino Island and other grass flats that are close to a sand bar protecting an adjacent estuary.
Offshore, there are Triple Tail, Cobia, Mackerel and Pompano along the beaches of the outer islands. Using the sun to my back, I have witnessed a lot of bird and feeding activities while cruising for these species. It has been an exciting week with the fish anticipating the coming cold front. In this regard, I suggest that after the cold front passes and the winds subside (around Christmas Day), the fishing should be fairly good.
This is Captain Terry Fisher and 1st Mate Vicki wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday! If you have any questions or want to get in on the ‘action’, contact me at 239-357-6829 or email to [email protected].