Fishing Reports
The new moon and winter solstice
As we approach the winter solstice and after just working the new moon tides this week, several observations come to mind. Water quality was better than we expected to the south south in Pine Island Sound and a mixed bag north along the east side of the harbor between...
More thoughts on the underrated family fish
For the most part, in and around the Charlotte Harbor area, the spotted sea trout doesn’t get a whole lot of respect. I guess when you take into consideration the snook, redfish, and tarpon fisheries that we are so fortunate to have; the trout are definitely a bit...
The intermediate sink tip
With the exception of low light conditions, it’s typical to rig a conventional spinning rod with a weighted jig head. Whether soft plastic or feathered, they’re very popular as well as practical because for the most part fish feed beneath more than on the surface. ...
Lay of the land
Located in southwest Florida on Charlotte Harbor ,the states second largest open water estuary, Punta Gorda provides direct access to what is a pristine estuary of national significance. In fact, 1/5 of penninsular Florida drains into Charlotte Harbor. An estuary is a...
Winter snook fishing
Summer is prime time for snook. They’re like me, they like it when it’s 96 in the shade. They can be fished for in the winter, we just have to treat them with a little more respect. First and foremost, it is important to handle them with care. They like water...
Mid December 2020 observations
Well, now that it's cooled off, the reality of working with the wind has set in. That, and the extreme low tides, have definitely changed the landscape. At least hurricane season is over. So now, we find ourselves looking for those windows of opportunity between the...
The clouser style fly-the fleeing prey
After putting together my thoughts on the advantages of throwing an intermediate sink tip line, I figured it would be worthwhile to discuss how I basically accomplish a similar end result throwing a more manageable floating line. Moreover, in an estuarine environment...
Redfish and the shrimp fly
This time of year, we focus on mainly redfish and spotted sea trout. Truth is, our snook are truly a subtropical species and do not like cold weather. In fact, if the water temperature gets down in the 60's they struggle. So, we try and leave them alone. Especially...
Winter’s spotted sea trout bite
Right now, we’ve just experienced three good cold fronts and the wind is blowing strong from the north. The spotted sea trout like the cooler weather and will feed aggressively. Moreover, our seasonally low tides are even more pronounced by the strong north winds....
Tarpon on fly
Tarpon are probably the most sought after gamefish on fly. It’s not easy, but once you get a taste it’s hard to let go. To be sure, to be on the bow of a skiff and see a school of triple digit fish coming your way in clear gulf water or to watch groups of smaller fish...