by Matt Fueyo
The year has come to an end! As we look forward to new state and regional laws, it’s important that we continue to push the good word on conservation and preservation of our natural resources. Snook, redfish and sea trout have been off the menu for a full year and the rebound that they’ve had is extraordinary, to say the least. The number of fish, turtles, birds and manatees that perished in the 2018 Red Tide/Blue Green Algae/Lake O epidemic was devastating. As anglers, hunters, and small business owners we are still feeling the effects of this. State reps and government officials have ensured us that change was happening and things would hopefully go back to “normal.” For our region it seems to be improving and we couldn’t be happier. The fish populations aren’t what they used to be in comparison to back in the day, but we are still catching fish on every charter and making our guests smile. Two years ago, catching 30 snook in a day would be considered an excellent day on the water. Now, catching 15 on a charter is considered an excellent result for several hours of fishing. We have redfish and mangrove snappers to add to the mix, but as far as targeted species, the snook are still around to be caught and released! Our guests were spoiled before the red tide, some days catching over 100 fish between 4-5 people. Now, we are catching 40-60 fish per trip. These numbers are great considering what our estuaries have gone through. As we look forward we hope that our elected officials will continue to make conscious efforts to sustain our fishery and manage those who make the laws. The offshore world has seen extended seasons for certain fish, which is amazing considering this has not been the case in years past.
The charter boat industry once boasted to be being a billion dollar a year industry (in Florida) and hopefully we can stand tall and reach that goal once again. Please continue to do the right thing while out on the water. Take what you’ll need for dinner and leave the rest to live another day. If we continue to be conscious about what we take from the ocean, it will be better for our children and grandchildren. At Reel Tight Fishing Charters, we hope that the county and state lawmakers continue to make laws stricter and keep some of our game fish protected for another year. This will allow them to rebound even more and have a better chance of survival for the future populations.
The inshore fishing for the next few months will continue to be awesome as we change gears from drag pulling snook-redfish-jacks to shrimp eating sheepshead, flounder, blue fish and sea bass! These cold-water critters are here just in time for our tourist season. Small jig heads tipped with shrimp will do the job, or try a Carolina rig while bouncing weights off the bottom, you’ll have less snags and if you add a circle hook to your set-up it will work even better! Light tackle is the way to go while using shrimp. I prefer 20-pound leader with a small 2/0 Mustad circle hook. The size of lead you’ll use will be dependent on how much tide you have. If the water is moving fast, you’ll need a little more weight. If it’s calm, stick to the lighter gear. It won’t spook the fish and you won’t have to worry about spending more money on lead. 7’0 spinning rods with a 3000-4000 sized reel is all you need. Keep it light and you’ll be tight… Reel Tight!
www.reeltightfishingcharters.com
