Capt. Dave Stephens
The magic time is upon us, well we hope. We have dealt with what is supposed to be winter in SWFL. The roller coaster ride of cold fronts and drops of water temps and sunny days which warm it back to spring temps is hopefully behind us. A steady warming of our waters is what we need for our fishery to hit its peak. When I say peak, I mean for big snook to start feeding. April is generally the month that leads into spring time on Charlotte Harbor. Snook have been lying dormant for the past couple months waiting to come out of their winter haunts and put on the feed bags. Locating feeding fish can be a bit tricky. Areas that have deep water access will be great places to locate early spring fish looking to feed; areas such as residential canals and river mouths, deep water creeks that are off the beaten path will be holding hungry fish. I recommend using smaller baits to start, as fish begin to feed stronger, bigger baits will get the bigger fish’s attention. Often times bigger does not mean better. As the bigger snook start to feed a slower approach might be necessary. Take your time, be patient when it comes to catching big fish. I know, I just back peddled a bit on the bigger bait. It comes down to feeling the fish out. Our waters are going to begin a warming trend that will trigger a feeding trend. Warmer waters in SWFL only mean one thing – a stronger fishery.
This time of year, our pelagic fish should start making a push to the north; fish like cobia, Spanish mackerel and triple tail. Of these three, cobia being the most sought after and tripletail being the easiest to target. For anglers with the skill and ability, cobia is the species to target, it’s a fish that is a formidable foe that can be hard to target. Once hooked, it will test your skill as an angler. Locating these guys can be a bit tricky. Local sand bars are great places to locate large cobia, due to the fact they stick out over the sandy bottom. Other places are around large bait schools. While fishing large bait schools, you’re sure to encounter mackerel. If you find yourself losing tackle, it’s probably these toothy critters. These guys are often overlooked as a game fish. I promise, if you encounter a school they’ll make your day.
As water temps continue to rise, our fishery should also begin to prosper.
If you would like to experience some of SWFL’s finest fishing give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are customized to fit you and your party’s needs. Follow me on Facebook @BackBayXtremes and Instagram @capt.davestephens
