Captain Terry says “I suggest going early morning for better chances”

(Ft. Myers Beach to Charlotte Harbor) Even though the New Year brought with it plenty of rain and gusty winds throughout our region, several ‘die hard’ anglers braved the elements in search of fish. I had the pleasure of fishing with many new clients shortly after the New Year and they were all successful in catching plenty of fish. Most impressive were youthful anglers determined to fish regardless of the conditions. Pictured here is ten (10) year old William Cawdrey of Cincinnati, Ohio proudly displaying just one of many Seatrout he caught over a two (2) day period of fishing the ‘flats’. His brother Timothy, only fourteen (14) and good friend Harrison Rodgers, only thirteen (13), proudly poses with Spanish Mackerel they caught. All three junior anglers showed exceptional abilities to handle whatever species decided to ‘take the bait’. They were all kept busy catching Crevalle Jacks, Ladyfish and lots of Seatrout on both charter days.

William-Cawdrey's-TroutTimothy-Cawdrey's-MackerelCawdrey-Charter-Harrison
Another exceptional junior angler is Matthew Izzo (13), of Downingtown, Pennslyvania. Matthew is shown with one of many big Seatrout he caught in Pine Island sound during a half day charter. His father, Chris Izzo is pictured alongside his son while holding a nice Seatrout he caught. The day made for a great experience for both father and son as they caught lots of big Seatrout and other species. I am looking forward to the opportunity to take all of them out next year in search of their ‘fish of a lifetime’.
Chris-Isso-TroutChris-and-Matthew-Izzo

Fishing should continue to be productive with the ‘full moon on the horizon’. However, the cool front will make some parts of the day less likely to produce. I suggest going early morning for the better chances of big Seatrout, as warmer parts of the day have recently proven ‘less’ productive. Snook and Redfish are still active but hard to find due to the ‘skinny’ waters. Proven locations will still produce so long as the tide levels provide sufficient depth for the fish to get close to and under the mangroves; otherwise the fish will be elsewhere. Sheepshead and Mangrove Snappers are active most any part of the day, but my pleasure is early morning. Small bait hooks, ‘tipped’ with a nice piece of shrimp should get one a meal.

This is Captain Terry Fisher offering these tips for better days on the water. Check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com for more fishing reports, articles and charter information. Email me at [email protected] or call me at 239-357-6829 with any questions or to book a charter.

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Fishing Reports Uncategorized

Charlotte County Fishing Report with Frank

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.

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Fishing Reports

Charlotte County Fishing Report with Frank

A good incoming tide today, with over cast skies can only mean one thing. Get out your top water lures. Today is a great example of when to use top water. Fish have a hard time looking into a bright sunny sky. With the over cast sky the fish can see their target.

I would go to the east side of the Harbor and start casting up against the Mangrove Trees “Bushes”. The big Snook and Red fish will be moving under the branches to feed while the tide is rising.

When you cast your lure, let’s say a torpedo, a tail drop lure (at rest the butt end of the lure sits lower in the water), cast it under the branches, the splash when it hits the water gets the attention of the fish. From a fishes point of view, is it a stick or is it food? Only movement will tell the fish that your lure is alive and ready to be eaten. So do not start jerking it out right away, just shake your rod tip, make the lure wiggle a bit. Just enough to show life, but not enough to move it away, it should be a live easy to catch prey. So it is splash, wiggle a bit, stop, wiggle a bit, then start working it out away from the trees.

After putting all of the effort into casting at that perfect spot, why? move it out right away, give the fish a chance to decide if it wants to eat it. Casting in and working the lure back quickly will produce fish but mostly smaller younger fish. The older larger fish, takes a minute more to decide do I want that? Is it worth the effort? The young ones will See it and smack it without thinking.

In a nut shell, when casting lures under the trees you want a lot of movement with as little forward motion as possible.

Good luck I hope you get to see a big ole Snook do a back flip, completely out of the water as it engulfs your lure, or the swell and push of the water as a Red fish swirls up with it’s back out of the water while taking your bait. The rush of seeing the fish hit that lure as well as the feel of the strike, knowing your movement of the lure, your ability to make that piece of plastic come alive is what did it.

How cool is that.

Frank

Posted by Scott Q Fishing Reports

Charlotte County Fishing Report with Frank

Had a good yesterday.  Went fishing with Mom, Dad and Steve.  The weather is great right now.  Just nice 70’s to 80’s breeze blowing. Fished the bridges caught some nice Snook.  Then headed to the east side.   Fishing out by the bar there are Sea Trout willing to eat shrimp under a poppin cork.  Back by the keys, there are Snook, Red fish, & Mangrove Snappers.  Most of the fish we found are on the back side or between the keys.  But the 2nd island north of Pirate Harbor we got broke off by a couple monsters on the front side.  So best bet, pick a “Key” island and toss some bait up by it.  We found the best results were keys which had a slightly deeper hole or trough in front of it.  The fish seemed to lay just outside of the hole and when the bait landed in the hole Bam!

Fish On.

Frank

Fishin Franks

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Fishing Reports

Charlotte County Fishing Report with Frank

Saturday was a great day if you were fishing the inside of the East Keys.   Captain Cayle wacked the Mangrove Snappers and Red fish.  Cayle said he had other fish, but it was unreal how big and steady the Snapper bite was.

Capt., Greg had a different kind of day.  Greg & Chris headed to the east side. Found a pothole against the side of an island. They started fishing then proceeded to catch every conceivable fish you could fish for in Charlotte harbor; grouper, lady fish, trout, redfish, snook, snappers.  Everything except flounder and sheeps-head.  The even ended up catching one catfish on what was to be his last cast.  After the cat-fish they decided they had had enough.

It was a great trip. End this one on a high note. Putting in the trolling motor, they headed out from the keys, to more open, deeper water. After reaching water deep enough to use the out board Chris went to hit the key nothing, dead battery.   Luckily there was a guy fishing on an aluminum boat not far away.  They trolling motored up to the guy.  Due to a little bit a bad financial luck he had to sell his flats boat and here he was fishing in an aluminum boat, but at least he finally got out on the water.   And all he wanted was to catch dinner for that night, but he had not caught a thing.

“Idea!!”  How about a trade?  A nice 24 inch six and three-quarter pound red fish for a jumpstart.   I know you’re not supposed to trade redfish for a jumpstart but this was an emergency.  He was able to have fish for dinner, and they were able to start the engine.   As it turned out, their lucky day, turned into his lucky day.   Not a bad way to and a fishing trip.  They did not have a fish dinner but they did not have to push the boat back to the ramp!

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Fishing Reports

Charlotte County Fishing Report with Frank

The heat is on here in Charlotte Harbor.  It is all about getting out early if you can. Red fish are thick throughout the Mayaka cut off and the Mayaka River. Question is, can you cast up under the trees? If you can get your bait 4 to 6 feet under the mangroves you will catch a lot of Red fish.

Spanish Mackerel and Pompano are doing well along the beaches. Casting small silver spoons and or Git-cha’s will produce good results.

Tarpon are still hanging out in the holes of the Harbor.  DOA bait busters & swimming mullet are the key to a good day of Tarpon fishing, Just keep casting.

Snook fishing in the canals and the Peace River is very good right now, big monster Snook Rapala X-rap 10 series or The 15 bombers darker colors.  Pitch right along the shore.

Get out there and enjoy yourself.

Fishin’ Frank

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Fishing Reports