by: Capt. Bart Marx
Hello fellow anglers! In Southwest Florida this time of year you may be able to catch an inshore Grand Slam which is a snook, red, trout, and a tarpon. Or if you don’t get the tarpon, it still is an inshore slam, snook, red, and trout. The first step in trying to accomplish this feat is having the proper bait. Last month we talked about the greenbacks and catching plenty of these baits and keeping them alive. The snook should be allover they are on the move for the spawning process. Yes, they migrate from their home waters to areas that are higher in salinity so they can reproduce. Those that live in the rivers migrate out to places in the harbors and estuaries. Those that live in those areas migrate to the beaches and nearshore reefs. Then you can find reds along the edges of the rivers and estuaries around docks and small creeks. And out on the grass flats in anywhere from two to four feet of water you may find those speckled trout looking to ambush an unsuspecting bait. When you get that accomplished, it would be time to decide if you want to start your hunt for the silver king. You may find them along the beaches or near the passes in search for food. They come to our area to feed and then go offshore to spawn. You may even find them up into the estuaries searching for anything to feed on. And please, check the FWC regulations before you try to harvest one of these species, the rules change often so don’t get caught with illegal fish. And make sure you get pix of your catch for your brag book! If you don’t have a boat, give me a call or email me, and I’ll take you out and get hooked up. Also, if you are new to our area and have your own boat and some fishing gear, we can take your boat and I’ll show you how to use some of the gear you already have and some great locations to fish in. I call these training sessions where we go on your boat with one of your fishing buddies, this way we can share information about our area and where your boat will work. After 50 years of navigating these waters, I am a wealth of information that I’m willing to share on your next fishing adventure. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile!