by Capt. Dave Stephens
Well, we have settled into our summer pattern here in South West Florida. The weather is pretty much the same daily, temperatures in 90’s and afternoon rain. Our water has been very warm lately, so getting out early seems to help with the bite. It also gives you an early start before the rain starts.
The snook fishing has been steady the last few weeks. We have not been catching a lot of fish over 30”, but the numbers have been very good. On our recent charters, we have been bringing an average of 50-60 snook to the boat on a half day. Most have been running in the 18-24” range. It will not be long before some nicer fish will be moving back to the north end of the harbor. Live bait has been the bait of choice. The sardines are running small this time of year, so you will need a weighted float or split shots. The barrier islands have been holding good numbers of fish on the high tides. On the lower tides potholes and bars have the best action.
I’ve started seeing some schools of ladyfish schooling up in the harbor. In the next couple weeks, we should see more of this. Keep your eye out for tarpon hanging around these areas. As we get closer to fall, the tarpon will be following around the ladyfish, so I recommend keeping a larger rod on the boat. I’ve been caught before unprepared and it’s not a good feeling. Also, the holes in the harbor have been seeing some tarpon action along with the river mouths. Thread herring and ladyfish have been getting hits. For you artificial guys, swim baits have also been doing very well.
The mangrove snapper fishing has been doing very well. We’ve been bringing in our limit daily the past couple weeks. The deeper troughs along the mangroves have been doing well. On the lower tides, look for fish in potholes and outside of bars. The smaller bait has been working very well. I recommend dropping down your leader and hook size. Also, drifting the passes have been doing well with some larger fish. This is a lot of fun with the junior anglers. If the snapper don’t keep you busy, the small grouper will!
With the warm water the redfish bite seems to be better on the high incoming tide. Look for shorelines with shade, sardines and pinfish seem to be the best bait. With all the ladyfish showing up, cut bait will also get their attention on these hot days. A little patience might be helpful on these guys.
If you are looking for a great day fishing on Charlotte Harbor, give me a call at 941-916-5769 or contact me through our website: http://www.backbayextremes. com and we will customize a private charter that best fits your party’s needs. Tight lines! Capt. Dave Stephens