By: Capt. Terry Fisher
My frequent trips during the spring, summer and fall months to the Florida Keys have become quite common. I spent two weeks in Marathon in June catching mahi, wahoo and yellowtail snapper just to mention a few.
1st Mate Vicki and I spent the first week at Key Colony Beach to relax and occasionally fish for mahi and yellowtail when the weather permitted.
Unfortunately, on the days the weather finally allowed us to fish, the broken up sargassum grass was very bad and required a lot of work to constantly clean it off of the baits and the lines when trolling. Likewise, the sargassum created problems for fishing the reefs and patch reefs for yellowtail snapper. I like to periodically feed light 12lb. test lines with small, baited jigs out and down in the water column with the current for the larger yellowtail, but due to the grasses wrapping around the lighter lines at the surface, it made it difficult. Nonetheless, with persistence, we prevailed. The mutton snapper bite was good as well, as they were spawning.
During the second week of the June Key’s trip, the Ingram family from Saint Louis, Missouri joined me for a few days of fishing for mahi, yellowtail and tarpon. The whole family of five, including three ladies joined the men to catch mahi. Except for some snorkeling trips, the two men, Kyle and Landon, went their separate ways throughout the week to fish the reefs with Captain Terry. They caught yellowtail, peanut dolphin, grouper and black fin tuna. Landon Ingram is a member of the McKendree College Bass Angling Team, located in Lebanon, Illinois. It is the 4th highest rated college Bass Team in the nation. Landon landed his first tarpon on very light tackle while fishing the canals. Good Job Landon!
August in Southwest Florida is just like the Key’s except for the sargassum, in as much as it is very hot. I suggest that anglers leave early and return early when possible.
Inshore early morning high tides will allow access to more remote areas to fish for snook, redfish, mangrove snapper and sheepshead. The bites will likely be better in the early morning before it gets too hot. Baits of choice for snook are pilchards, redfish are shrimps and quartered blue crab and shrimps for mangrove snapper and sheepshead. Snook will be just off the beaches, around the passes, under the island docks. When fishing for snook along the beaches look for them on the troughs swimming or lingering around. The bigger snook will require more stealth, so keep your distances.
Seatrout fishing with artificial presentation and live shrimps will produce catches in open areas of Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass, Bull and Turtle Bays in Charlotte Harbor. Look for 4-6 feet of grassy flats for best results.
Offshore, an early morning departure is also recommended unless staying overnight. Be prepared to travel 120 feet and deeper for larger snappers and groupers. The water temperature is hot and one must go deep for best results.
Offshore angers should be aware of the difference in state and federal regulations as well as the difference in state and federal water boundaries. I use an ‘APP’ called FISH RULES. It is very good and easy to use. It will assist anglers in identifying species with harvest and size limits. State waters here in Southwest Florida are up to 9 miles out before federal regulations kick in. On the east coast in the Atlantic, state waters are up to only 3 miles out.
As always, I recommend that lighter equipment provides for more enjoyable angling.
Inshore, use small spinning gear in the 2500-4000 series reels with 10-15 lb. line test and 30lb. leaders mounted on 8-20lb butt rod rating. Hook size will be determined by sizes of the bait presentations.
Offshore, use medium heavy rods with 50-100lb. butt strength rating with a 5000-6000 series spinning reel loaded with 40-50lb. line and 40-60lb. leaders. Hook size will vary depending on size of baits (Pinfish, Thread fins, Squids, grunts, etc.). Weights for dropping deep will be determined by depth and current strength. One to six-ounce egg sinkers are examples of what I usually use. If I am not using a ‘Chicken Rig’, my leaders will be 3-4 foot in length.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters, LLC, reminding boat owners and boat club members that I am available as ‘Captain for Hire’ (by the hour) on any vessel for navigational instruction, safety, fishing techniques and proven locations for inshore and offshore. Check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com. Call me at 239-357-6829 or email me at fishfacecharters@yahoo.com to book a charter on my vessel or yours.