The 46th Annual Fort Myers Boat Show will be hitting the streets and waters of the River District from November 15-18, 2018. The event will run Thursday through Sunday, bringing all the top marine industry brands, products and services together in one place. Although construction on the Harborside Event Center is underway, it’s not stopping us from putting on the biggest and best boat show yet!
by Pam Sikes & Sue Longman
After washing out last year due to Hurricane Irma, Pam & Armond Sikes finally accomplished their objective this year. With perfect weather, calm seas and no major boat problems, 8 boats arrived to enjoy the beautiful Naples Boat Club on Naples Bay September 18 – 21.
Read more “Cape Coral Cruise Club returns to Naples Boat Club”
Southwest Florida Yacht Club, “The Cruisingest Yacht Club in the USA©”, in partnership with the four United States Power Squadrons in SW Florida (Cape Coral, Fort Myers, San Carlos Bay, and Sanibel Captiva), is continuing its popular Local Waters Seminar in October & November 2018. The seminar, developed as a service to the local boating community, discusses local water tips “beyond the charts” and our many nearby boating destinations based on SFYC member experiences and insights.
By Captain Terry Fisher
I consider September a transitional month, especially after Labor Day Week when things normally slow down. Children and college students all returning back to school and non-vacation routines. Some good news for those living here or visiting in September is that water traffic and fishing pressure is less than most other months of the tourist season. I have noticed improvement in the water quality for most all areas ranging from Ft. Myers Beach to and including Charlotte Harbor. I applaud the temporary restrictions on the harvesting of Snook and Redfish until the FWC can assess any level of impact from Red Tide and Algae Bloom on fish populations. This does not mean that we cannot catch Snook or Redfish, we just need to release them unharmed. After all, most anglers enjoy the time on the water catching fish, as much as, if not more, than eating them.
By Captain Terry Fisher
Fishing was tough going during most of August. Fortunately, however, I was able to find areas not affected by the red ride and algae blooms, or at least not as affected. Most of the areas that I fished during the month of August included the northern end of Matlacha Pass, Cape Haze (Charlotte Harbor) and mangrove islands along the western side of Pine Island and as far off the Inter-Coastal as possible. Early in the month, Snook and Redfish proved to be the more reliable targets. They were holding in their normal locations prior to red ride and negative impacts from the algae blooms.
If you spend a lot of time out on the water, you’ve experienced the intense Florida sun. And while it’s common practice to lather up with sunscreen before you go out on the boat, have you thought about how important it is to protect your eyes? It may be time to invest in some specialty sunglasses, so here are some points to consider.
Read more “GBF’s Guide to Sunglasses”
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 spoil island on the Caloosahatchee River east of the Franklin Lock near Alva. Over the years a covered pavilion has been built where the members enjoy elaborate monthly picnics, bocce, horseshoes and other relaxing activities.
A great way to beat the dead-of-summer boredom is to take your boat to spots you’ve never explored! If you usually keep to the waterways instead of the roadways, make sure you’re not the one committing these common mistakes when towing your boat.
By Captain Terry Fisher
Regardless of the negative publicity about the ongoing saga of excessive water releases from Lake O and red tide reports, my charters have been very successful recently. The only fish that have been hard to locate over the past number of days are Seatrout. I believe the heat and 90° water temps have moved the fish from their traditional haunts to deeper water. Nonetheless, I am finding them. Other species such as Spanish Mackerel and Redfish are very active.
Law enforcement is beginning to hand out warnings and tickets to boaters who do not have proper discharge systems or are not properly securing them. Make sure you’re in full compliance by reviewing these important regulations courtesy of “The Florida Boaters Guide: A Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities”: