The inshore bite has been as good this year as any I recall. Snook are in the passes, under docks and in the back areas of Pine Island Sound. Plenty of white bait, Pinfish and other offerings will entice these fish. Snook season opens September 1st, so I suggest one takes the opportunity to practice up on angling skills so as to land and harvest a slot-size fish when the opportunity arrives next month.
The Redfish bite remains good, but one must have patience in locating them. This may include returning to locations that failed to produce during a previous encounter, be it an hour later or a day later. Small dollar crabs, jumbo shrimps, white bait and cut Pinfish will round out live or dead presentations. Artificial presentations will work, but usually, not as effective for me.
The Mangrove Snapper bite is on and some of these fish are of good size. Plenty of keepers may be found inshore, around the mangroves and in the passes such as, Redfish, Captiva and Boca Grande. Look for them around docks as well. They require circle hooks, as they are considered a reef species. Small baitfish and shrimps will catch them.
Spanish Mackerel, Flounder, Ladyfish will be some of the by-catches when targeting Seatrout. The Seatrout bite has been fairly consistent, with a few of good size. Shrimp will do the job as well as scented-soft baits and other artificial.
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Pictured here are Andy Minge and his son, Drew (11) of Franklin, Tennessee, each holding a Redfish caught while fishing back areas of Pine Island Sound. I was impressed by Drew’s ability as a young angler to handle his first 30” Redfish on light tackle. They recently vacationed on N. Captiva. Good job on catching these fish! I enjoyed two days on the water with Andy and his family.
Joe Simone of Ft. Myers also had a great day on the water. He and his two fishing buddies are pictured with Joe’s 34” Redfish. So far, this is the largest Redfish of 2017 for my charters. Several other catches have come close. Joe’s charter also produced the second most Redfish catches of this year, with 5 landed, not to mention the two that got away. The anglers have all vowed to return for revenge of those two fish! Two nice Snook were released. Fun day men and thanks for the memories.
The tides are high due to the time of year. Lots of rain adds to the water levels giving boaters and anglers access to more fishing locations with extended time allowed to work the areas. (Go earlier and stay later than tide level predictions dictate!)
Other than the extreme heat, fishing should remain good. Be safe, drink lots of water and be cognizant of the storms with lightning.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters wishing everyone tight lines. Call me at 239-357-6829 for charter reservations or email [email protected] to reserve your future trip. Check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com. I am also available as Captain for Hire (by the hour) on your vessel for navigational and safety assistance, fishing instructions and locating fishing spots to insure your boating and fishing excursions are safe, fun and productive! Pick up your FREE copy of Coastal Angler Magazine for everything you need to know about equipment and fishing SW Florida.