Well the TV says that we are in for a week of thunderstorms each day, not all day but possible storms each day, which leaves us 1 of 2 possibilities.
1- The first is that a front moves across the Harbor and the fish move and quit feeding, or we get a couple inches of rain, and it lower the salt level of the Harbor, which would move many of the fish back into the gulf. Not good at all as we have been in the magic zone, every thing from Black fin tuna, Bonita, Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Shark, Cobia, Tarpon, Snook, red fish, & more all biting. What can I say but WOW what a week.
2- The second possible out come, is that these afternoon rains and cloud cover will hold the water temperature steady, providing we get less than an inch of rain so the salt level remain constant in the Harbor, and if the clouds keep the water from heating up, this magic week could turn into a magic month. & HOW cool would that be!!
So here hoping for door number 2 and the magic remains
Everything is coming together nicely. The red tide is gone, the water temperature is up and the harbor is full of bait. Our summertime fish, tarpon, shark, cobia, mackerel are all starting to show up in the harbor in good numbers and it’s only going to get better. Now is the time to get out there and get catching. Not fishing, catching!
The 20 foot hole (the upper hole) in the harbor seems to be the hot spot. Good reports of tarpon, shark, cobia and spanish mackerel. There was even a king fish caught in the 20 foot hole! I’m also hearing reports of cobia on the markers and on both the east and west sandbars. Tarpon are also starting to show up at the 41 bridge at night.
And don’t forget the usual suspects either. Snook, redfish and trout are all doing extremely well and so are flounder. There is plenty of bait to be found at the markers, in the middle of the harbor, the skating rink and even in the mouth of the Myaka River.
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
Winter time on the waters in SW Florida may be ‘the right place, the right time’ for anglers to realize their dream of a ‘trophy’ fish. ‘Winter- fishing’ is only more difficult because we must deal with the elements such as wind, cooler temperatures. Additionally, the lower tides discourage or prevent many from navigating through ‘skinny’ waters to get to the ‘holding’ and ‘feeding’ areas of the fish. The fish are still out there, one ‘simply’ has to locate them and then ‘slow down’ the presentation, be it artificial, live or cut baits.
Winter time on SW Florida waters does not reduce the opportunities for ‘flats’ or ‘back country’ anglers. I will argue that there is more opportunity when considering the migratory patterns of Pompano, Spanish, King, Ceros Mackerels, Cobia and Grouper and other species as they relocate into shallower domains (I caught a couple of nice groupers off the backside of Chino Island a few weeks ago in about 12 ft. of water). These fish would not normally be found there during the warmer months. It is true however, that the huge Redfish have moved ‘off-shore’ (up to about 20 miles or so) but there are still plenty up to about 34 inches when you find them.
Additionally, species such as big Seatrout, Flounder and Sheepshead are more accessible and provide more opportunity this time of year. The Crevalle Jacks always provide a lot of excitement and like Snook are always found in the canals. I am including a picture of a nice Crevalle Jack caught by my friend’s son, Matt Volski of Cape Coral while home from college on Christmas break. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the 26 inch Snook caught by his friend on the same outing who was on leave from the Navy and currently stationed at Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. As a ‘Jar Head’, I thank him for his service to our country.
Recently on a beautiful ‘winter’ day, my 1st Mate Vicki and I took to the Sanibel Lighthouse and a little offshore to spin cast and fly fish for Spanish Mackerel. The birds showed us the way, just as they will all up and down Pine Island Sound. We could not get them released fast enough to satisfy our ‘hunger’. During the ‘chaos’, Vicki (using a spin-cast) mentioned seeing and feeling a big ‘King Mackerel’ slap her ‘jig’ with terrific force. Unfortunately a few minutes later when my guard was down, one ‘slammed’ my ‘Clauser’ fly with unexpected force. My fingers burned when trying to slow the run. I dropped my hand to slow the spool, but without gloves the burning friction forced me to try and stop the reel only to have the handle bruise my hand. I lost that battle, as I was not thinking of such a ‘giant’ taking such a small presentation (I should have known better).
The coming week could provide some opportunities mentioned above. If the wind forecasts are accurate, there should be plenty of opportunity to get out there and give it a go. If you have any questions or want to book a charter, give me a call at 239-357-6829 or email me at [email protected]. This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters wishing you a great time on the water. Check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com for additional information.
Confused? I bet! The fish are feeling the same way. Hot, cold, warm, cool, is this any way to run a planet? I know, no one like these cold snaps, this is Florida, and it is supposed to be warm & sunny,
The great thing about the cold is that when the gulf starts getting in the 60’s this cooler temp is uncomfortable to the fish, so they head into the Harbors bays and creeks/ canals. The back water has a brown color and most of the bottom is black with muck or grass. Brown water + black bottom = solar collector. The water warms very quickly and the fish know this. So into the back waters they travel, much in the same way People do, If you live in Ohio and it is 10 degrees, You know it is in the 70’s or 80’s in Florida So where you gonna go?
People or fish all like to be comfortable, and cold weather means fish in the harbor and the fishin’, is very good. Trout have moved into the harbor, thick around Pirate Harbor, Alligator creek, Cape Haze the mouth of bull bay, and along Bay shore.
Red fish are biting from 16 inches to 38 inches, the outside of the bar in front of Turtle & Bull bay, the Jug creek shoals , to the mouth of the Peace River. Both the east & west sidebars have Reds on them, not as much under the trees as out on top of the bars. Look for patches of grass/weeds in a little deeper hole / pocket there are Reds laying there. You can’t really see them as their backs blend nicely with the color of the grass, but cast a spoon or jig past the hole and slowly bring it back through it, hang on the hit is hard and the fish are active and ready to fight.
Cobia are also here in the Harbor and near shore reefs. The cool to cold weather should have moved them, but here they are. The one thing, they are close to the surface baking in the sun, so watch for the dorsal fin of a Cobia while you are fishing, a Johnson gold minnow slowly reeled right in front of it’s nose will do the trick and the fight is on.
Another truth is; we need these cold spells to knock down the algae and fungus, and general funk which builds up in hot water. When it warms up a bit and you get out onto the water you will see clearer, cleaner water. Bacteria and algae are levels are much lower. Without the cold, we would end up with massive fish kills. What you say? Massive fish kills? No, not like you see on the T.V. news. Those are B.S. only bigger larger fish. Oh how terrible? Well not really. To tell the truth, they are not that important. They have already spawned many times and the fish, like me, are looking more at the end of their life not the beginning. They make great film footage and everyone exclaims how terrible, but the real the bad and the awful is what I am talking about.
The fish less than 6 inches long. The forgotten ones. The next generation. Funny, if someone kills an old dog or cat, well they lived a good life, sad but still maybe a kind thing for the animal. But kill a puppy or a kitten and you will be lynched from the nearest street light, and sent to a special place in hell. With fish, not so much. Kill a tiny/baby fish no one cares. Kill an old, ready to die, barnacled up fish and you will be lynched. Who started thinking this was good or normal? The young breed better, they do not pass along genetic defects and they are just more into it.
No matter, fish, people, or animals, us older ones, well we like the thought but are much less likely to do anything about it. And according to the most recent study’s maybe we should not let older creatures pass more defective genes to their offspring. On the other hand maybe a fish with fingers would be a good thing, or a tail like a monkey they could hold onto a rock with their tail while you tried to land them. This however is what people want fish to do? I don’t get it.
The cold weather kills a lot of the algae and bacteria which builds up in the water and then lowers the oxygen to the point that smaller fish cannot survive. So this has been a long winded way of saying the cold is good, even though me, I could do without it. I live in Florida because I like it warm. I like seeing snow on T.V. it is pretty there.
But to save the next generation of fish, I will put up with it for a few days.
Robert & I were talking this morning about the Cobia & Triple tail reports. Every day more and more people talking about them, and today is going to be glass calm out there. We think the Cobia have been pretty thick here for the last month but the water is just now getting clear enough where you can see them.
The one trait in common with Cobia & Triple Tail is you hunt for them. Get your boat on plane, then back off until you are on plane but just barely, and start looking (Big brim hat & good polarized Sunglasses). This is your basic equipment. My trick is, during the morning I look on the west side sand bars, and then switch to the east side. You cannot see into the sun. By starting on the west side the sun is at your back. The Cobia like to cruise the sand bars.
When do you look for the triple tail? When you are crossing the harbor, look for anything floating, a crab trap buoy, a bag, Palm frond. I caught a 12 pound Triple tail who was “hiding” under a small silver and blue potato chip bag (not the big family bag, a 99 cent size bag). So keep a sharp eye out, When you go by the Crab trap buoys keep the sun behind you look at the ball. You are looking for is something which looks like a dirty rag tied to the line. Believe it or not, that is what a triple tail looks like.
Winter time on the waters in SW Florida may be ‘the right place, the right time’ for anglers to realize their dream of a ‘trophy’ fish. ‘Winter- fishing’ is only more difficult because we must deal with the elements such as wind, cooler temperatures. Additionally, the lower tides discourage or prevent many from navigating through ‘skinny’ waters to get to the ‘holding’ and ‘feeding’ areas of the fish. The fish are still out there, one ‘simply’ has to locate them and then ‘slow down’ the presentation, be it artificial, live or cut baits.