By: Capt. Bart Marx
So far this year it has been hot and the waters in our area have been near ninety degrees. This makes it tough when you are fishing in the shallow waters Lemon Bay, Boca Bayou, Pine Island Sound, and to the Sanibel Causeway. It also makes it difficult to find fish as they tend to hide in the shade. Working the edges and mangroves you will find those pockets under the mangroves where it is a little bit deeper, and the water may be slightly cooler. This time of year, it is easy to find the white bait /green backs and make it easier for you to find fish. With the heat of the water and overcrowding, the oxygen in the water gets depleted quickly and this can kill your bait. If you use fresh bait, you will find reds, snook or trout hiding under the mangroves. And if you get some of the big threadfin baits you may have a chance to hook a tarpon. If you catch a snook, red, trout and a tarpon that would be an inshore Grand Slam and that is an accomplishment! Going offshore, there should be lane and mangrove snapper from the forty to seventy-foot range on the small ledges that are out in the Gulf. With newer electronics, it’s like cheating. Back in the day, I remember my friend Capt. Dan had a paper fed fish finder. And you could tell when it was working well you could smell the paper burning! Now everything is digital and there is 3D and pan optics, and side scan. I do have a side scan Garmin and I have found better spots within 100 ft. of some of my good numbers offshore. It is easier when it is hot to bottom fish offshore as it is a bit cooler down there and at the 100 ft. range there should be some red grouper and going to some of the artificial reefs, there should be some yellow tail snapper. You will need some good chum and be on your A game, the guys in the gray suits will come to collect taxes along with some cudas there too. In Southwest Florida, there is not much chance of getting a cuda that may be unfit to eat. The rule of thumb that I have lived by if it is longer than your arm it will do you harm. And over the years I have had plenty, you can prepare it any way that you like. If you are new to the area and need a training session, call Capt. Bart Marx at 941-979-6517 or e-mail me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com
This is my way of helping newer anglers learn where they can take their boats and how to use some of the gear you already have. This will shorten your learning curve and help preserve our grasses and oyster bars.