March Madness is on in Southwest Florida

This time of the year, I know I will not be disappointed. Yes, there are days in March that are not so good, but for all practical purposes it is the beginning “Spring Fever!”

In many areas, the revered snook becomes a target for harvest. Their strikes will be ferocious after a long winter’s nap. Tarpon might begin to make their annual migration to southwest Florida waters, accompanied by numerous sharks. It is all about the water temperature. A consistent 68 degrees will guarantee some sizeable numbers of tarpon off the beaches, in the passes and up the rivers.

Sheepshead should still be available in larger numbers. They got a late start this year in southwest Florida due to the higher-than-normal water temperatures during the early winter. Spanish mackerel, large jack crevalle, ladyfish and pompano will be eating everything in their paths. Large seatrout will become more numerous in the grass flats. They should also be plentiful around the sand holes and turtle grasses close to the spoil islands.

This is the month to use artificial baits for those who prefer the challenge. Some effective lures to use are topwater, twitch, crank, swimbaits, spoons and weedless presentations. They all work.

While artificial presentations are effective on tarpon, snook, seatrout, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and pompano alike, I submit that more fish will be caught on natural baits. I recommend certain types of live/cut baits for better results as follows:

  • Snook: Free-line Pilchards. Large snook will take threadfins. Pinfish and large shrimp are backup baits.
  • Tarpon: free-line large, live threadfins, pinfish, mullet and ladyfish. Catfish fillets are good dead bait.
  • Seatrout: shrimp on a jig head under a cork over the grass flats. Larger trout prefer pinfish (alive or cut) under a cork or free-lined along the spoil and mangrove islands.
  • Spanish mackerel: shrimp is cheap and easy. Suspend them under a cork with a long 30-lb. leader or light wire.
  • Pompano: tip a Silly Willy jig with shrimp, or fish shrimp under a cork. These fish are easy to catch when you find them.
  • Jack Crevalle: shrimp on a jig head, free-lined any way will catch these ferocious fish when they are in a feeding frenzy at the waters surface.

Light tackle is great for enjoyment of the catch. However, be sure the equipment is strong enough to not exhaust fish to be released. I suggest 3500 to 4000 series reels and medium heavy rods with 15-lb. test line and 30-lb. fluorocarbon leader for snook and redfish. Tarpon fishermen should use 6000 series reels mounted on heavy rods with 65-lb. test line and 100-lb. fluorocarbon leader. Other inshore species can be handled with 2500 to 3000 series spinning reels on light rods and 10-lb. line test.

Capt. Terry Fisher, of Fish Face Charters, can be contacted at 239-357-6829 or fishfacecharters@yahoo.com.