Cobia, Mackerel & Redfish galore. This is what has happened over the week while I have been under the weather. I try to update at least weekly. Not sure if I got sick or just ran out of get up and go, but either way the fishin has been smokin out in the Harbor and near gulf.
Cobia are doing the spawn thing and have been thick near Hog Island & marker 1. Schools of Cobia about a mile off the beaches. Jigs with a bass worm tip or Rat-L-Trap 3/4 once
seem to be the lures of choice.
Spanish are moving in, I have heard a lot this year about how thin the fish were and it occurred to me that maybe the barrier of Red tide across the passes this year had a lot to do with so few fish like Trout. Since the Red tide has backed off the fish are pouring into the harbor.
Maverick lures are the trolling lure of choice for Spanish, just hold the rod and keep the boat moving about 2 to 3 miles per hour,
Red fish are feeding back around the Mangroves, crabs or I should say the baby blue crabs and spider crabs are what they are feeding on. So when the tide is higher a 1.3 or better cast under the branches or shrimp or crabs if you can catch them. Hang onto the rod. When that red hits it is a hit.
Good luck, have fun and be safe
Frank
Award-winning Doc Ford murder-mystery series novelist White has already signed on for fishing the tournament, in which 100 percent of the entry fee will be distributed as tournament awards.
“I’m really looking forward to the tournament,” said White, a former area fishing guide. “It’s for such a great cause, and a good excuse to get out and meet people and find out if I can still tie a Bimini.”
Mark your calendars for tournament day May 4, 2013.
Doc Ford’s, with locations on both Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach, sponsors the tournament to support the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge through the “Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS).
“This is so exciting!” said Marty Harrity, Doc Ford’s co-owner. “There’s not another tarpon tournament like it in the area. We’re expecting fishermen from all over Florida.”
“Doc Ford’s has been a faithful supporter of our efforts at “Ding” Darling, helping greatly to bolster refuge programs and research to balance federal budget shortfalls,” said Birgie Vertesch, DDWS executive director. “We’re so grateful to them for this huge effort in our behalf.”
The ‘back country’ fishing is alive and good as spring has arrived. I am attaching a picture of a 35” Snook caught by one of my better anglers, Mr. Gino Mascarins of Canada. Gino and I have a lot in common. We like to go after a variety of species for lots of action and we are always prepared when the ‘fish of a lifetime’ takes the presentation. Gino was calm and collective from start to finish insuring landing this exciting game fish. Pictured with him is his lady friend Jennifer, a proven angler in her own right.
The water temperature is rapidly rising and the Tarpon have been reported about 6 miles off of the outer islands. Winds and weather permitting will allow Shark/Tarpon charters to begin soon.
Additionally, the Redfish are showing up and I have been on some really nice size Seatrout in upper Pine Island Sound. The Spanish Mackerel have been on a big feed and I have taken as many as 25 fish on half day charters. My ‘Dream Team’ pictured from Michigan (Mike, Lea, Joseph and Jordan), completed a half day charter this week catching more than 75 fish, including Spanish Mackerel, Seatrout, Lady Fish and Pompano. They take ‘top’ honors so far this year landing more fish than any other group. Congratulations to them.
The fishing will continue to be good with the higher and stronger tides. Give me a call at 239-357-6829 or email me at [email protected] to set up a charter. Be sure and check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com for monthly and weekly reports.
Come out to the West Marine Nautical Expo at Regatta Pointe Marina an MCS Band Slam to enjoy Manatee County’s BIGGEST boating and nautical event this year.
Here are just some of the FREE events and activities to enjoy:
– Fishing Stations: learn how to fish by the best Charter Captains in the area sign up your son/daughter by 10 a.m. both days and learn how to fish from 12-2 pm and from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. each participant will go home with a rod and reel while supplies last.(16 & under). Parent must be present when registering.
– Boating demo rides
– Powerboat/Sailboat show (more than 50 boats in the water)
– Wide variety of marine outfitters, suppliers, services and other exhibitors
Ed Massey, one of fourteen members of the Regatta Pointe Marina Association, would like the general public to be aware that this expo is about more than sales, it’s an effort to give our boating community the most valuable tool of all – knowledge. “Our association is dedicated to providing a quality, free event built around meaningful seminars,” Massey said. “Our seminar speakers are better than ever with a wide range of topics that will appeal to both power and sailing enthusiasts.”
Seminars will be held in the Eagle’s Nest on the third floor of the River House Reef & Grill building, overlooking the historic Green Bridge and the Manatee River. Forlocation information, please visit RegattaPointeMarina.com.
I did not take time to write my weekly fishing report last week as I was busy between charters and working the Lee County Spring Boat Show at the Convention Center (my apologies to my weekly readers). Getting out this month has been fairly tough to schedule due to the previous two cold fronts and high winds that recently passed though the area. It appears that we have a few windy days ahead, but with warmer weather.
Nonetheless, many of my charter clients have continued to enjoy my ‘back country’, ‘flats’ and mangrove island locations hooking, catching and yes, ‘losing’ some fish. I am attaching one of my favorite pictures of Mr. Dick Sharrer and his grandsons, Josh and Luke (from Pennsylvania). Luke (9 years old) caught this ‘winter’ Sheepshead on a fiddler crab. I am confident his late ‘great’ grandfather is proud. Nice going guys!
‘Spring is in the air’ and as the water temps continue to climb and stabilize, most all species will become more active and aggressive. In fact, I am hopeful of being able to do some successful Shark/Tarpon charters off of the islands of Sanibel and Captiva by the end of the month. Fishing should be good next week so long as the winds do not conflict.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters wishing every fishing success. If you have any questions or need additional information please read my website at www.fishfacecharters.com. To book a charter, feel free to contact me at 239-357-6829 or email [email protected]
Show and sell your boat and extra boat gear at Cape Haze Marina’s Used Boat Show and Nautical Flea Market this Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th. Spaces are available for $10 on a first come, first served basis. Email info@capehazemarina or call 941-698-1110 to reserve your spot.
Follow the amazing adventure that stand up paddler Justin Riney is taking to create awareness about our precious water resources: www.facebook.com/XF500. Jason will be stopping at Cape Haze Marina on March 12 and 13th, so don’t miss his visit! For more information about Justin’s stop, follow Cape Haze Marina and Hooked on SUP for updates on plans during his visit.
The Fort Myers Boat Show is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for the event which takes place at the Lee County Civic Center from Thursday, March 7th until Sunday, March 10th. The show will be open from 10am – 6pm Thursday through Saturday and 10am – 5 pm on Sunday. Admission is $7 per person, with children under 12 free. Tickets can be purchased at the door. You will find a wide range of different makes and models of boats up to 35′. You will also loads of accessory displays with electronic equipment, motors, fishing equipment, boat lifts, and more. Plus you will find a wide variety of service companies, insurance, marine financing and educational information to help you get the most out of your time on the water. And, lots of nautical clothing and gift items as well. For more information on the Fort Myers Spring Boat Show, click here.
Over 100 boats are going to descend on Cape Haze Marina for the Water Tribe Everglades Challenge on Saturday, March 2nd. Depending on weather conditions, boats should begin arriving on Saturday afternoon after departing Fort Desoto Park in the morning. These races are open to boats propelled by human and/or wind power only! Full details can be found at www.watertribe.com.
Holding a fish. Should you hold it supporting the belly, putting the weight of the fish horizontal? Or, holding by the lower jaw and let it hang? Well a lot of thoughts about that. Horizontal holding, while it is a good idea, should be tempered with just a bit of real. I have watched 1000′s of bass fisherman holding fish by the jaw. It seems that when a fish is smaller and not huge around the belly while it is not great for them, it is not going to unhinge the jaw. And when a fish is smaller using your hands on it’s belly you are removing the slime coating of the fish and making is susceptible to Bactria sores, and a slow death.
The other side of that is when the fish is heavier and the weight of the fish is much greater, large Belly. Then it’s a serious problem. The weight of the fish will then unhinge the jaw and the fish will most likely starve to death, not good use your judgement when handling a fish.
Do not be taken in, like no stainless steel hooks. Every study ever done has found no difference between stainless hooks and other types of materials, stainless does not rot or corrode so no poisons in the blood like when a bronze type or cadmium. If stainless killed, every kid in the mall would be dead.
People swing and around at the end of ropes by their teeth, spin around on their heads dancing. Would I like or want to do that? No! Tarpon fisherman break off lines while the fish is in the water, and the hook is in the Tarpons Jaw. We are talking about 50 to 60 pound of jerking to break that line and no one is complaining about that. Why? Because no Eco not thought to tell you it was bad. We all do things which are not great, the truth usually lies between the far end of the topic. Let’s use our best judgment. Let’s talk to each other not point fingers and say you are a bad person, or good person, because they did not get the latest memo about going to hell for the latest do gooder cause.
We pull the fish to us by its jaw with a hook. Really there is no 100% good way to do this. 5% of all fish caught & released die! So yes we are working to be better people. Let’s start being better people by the way we talk to each other instead of the blame game. Tell the next person your ideas about what they are doing and why it may be bad. We are all guessing here and trying to keep what we love doing (fishing) alive and keep the fish from as much harm as possible. So we need to stick together not pick each other apart.
Just a thought from the middle of this twisting turning highway of life.
Southwest Florida, be safe, have fun and be nice to each other.
Frank
