By: Capt. Bart Marx
With all that has happened, the fishing has been good and we are still waiting when they will open the reds, snook and trout in the Gulf. Last month we were catching some very nice trout in the 20” range. It is tough to tell your customers they have to release such nice fish when they would like to harvest some for a meal. With the waters finally warming up the migration of tarpon will be in full swing with the predators following close behind. The passes from Lee to Sarasota counties will have tarpon coming in and out in search of food. If you have not heard, Boca Grande is billed as the best tarpon fishing in the world, right here in our backyard. If you like to battle big critters that eat tarpon in two bites, like a shark, there are some big hammerheads and bull sharks following the tarpon. You can find them on the natural ledges for those of you that have GPS’s. I know there are some that like to drift fish for the reds, back in the day we would do just that. But we would have a marking jug ready when two of us would get hooked up at the same time throw the jug and power up and anchor over that spot till they quit biting and start drifting again. This is when you can find some good lane and mangrove spots too. This is where you need something alive to send down after the frozen stuff is not as desirable. Shrimp or sardines/white bait. Depending when the rains start, there may be a sailfish or two lurking in the depths from 45’ out to 100’.. Some permit may be found on the reefs looking for a crab or shrimp or a perfectly placed lookalike fly. If you are new to the area and need a little jump start learning where and how to target some of these species, I can help. For those with their own boat and would like to have a little help with the learning curve as to where you could take your boat, I can help. Whether you have your own boat or not, feel free to call or email me. I grew up here fishing Charlotte Harbor with some of the locals from the Quick family from Solana and my grandpa Scribner. Going to the fishing shacks in Bull Bay and spending the weekends, then migrating to the shacks just west of Pineland Marina on Pine Island, where I have been fishing for over forty years. I was certified to SCUBA dive around 1980 and started spearfishing offshore learning to fish offshore. I went to St. Croix for three years and came back here to start my fishing guide business. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{
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captbart@alphaomegacharters.com | 941-979-6517