By: Capt. Dave Stephens
As we get into the heart of Spring there is now a lot of activity happening in the Charlotte Harbor area. With the cold fronts no longer pushing through and we transition into warmer weather, the water temperatures also begin warming up. This is the time of the year that we can see some good snook fishing. And for the anglers that like to take a few fish home for dinner, the mangrove snapper have been moving into the Harbor. My suggestion is to fish areas with deeper water with that good current flow, a little cover always helps. Spanish mackerel, which is often overlooked, will be migrating through the area, and they are an excellent fish to place on the grill, however, if you do bring them in cook them up right away as they do not freeze well. This is the time of the year I will typically just get what I am looking for dinner that evening. And if you are looking for a real battle, there will be large schools of jacks running through eating anything and everything in their path. Pound for pound jacks can be the toughest to catch. The local sand bars that have oysters or grass will be holding sea trout, as well as other areas that have good current flow. Get ready, the warmer waters will start ushering in some tarpon also. Normally the river mouths and the holes in the harbor are some of the first areas these fish show themselves. Typically, early calm mornings are the best time to locate tarpon. The biggest challenge during the spring in this area is figuring out what to fish for, therefore, we all just might have to just make multiple trips out on the water!