PHOTO PROVIDED
Despite rain, wind and extremely high tides on Saturday, the fish were still chewing. This trio of tournament anglers kept busy on a school of redfish in Charlotte Harbor fishing with Capt. Tanner Peer.
Unsettled weather for a good part of the week kept many anglers in port making for a slow week on the water.
Spotted seatrout up to 19 inches were caught around sand holes and over grass flats between Galt and Regla islands, and between Roosevelt Channel and Buck Key. Trout, plus ladyfish and jack crevalle were hooked while casting Mirrolure Provoker and Berkley Gulp Jerk Baits, plus small pinfish, grunts and shrimp under popping corks.
Anglers fished shorelines protected from the winds to box mangrove snapper up to 14 inches. Areas mentioned included around Foster’s Point on Captiva, Pejuan Bay at Cayo Costa State Park and Matlacha around Indian Fields and Smokehouse Bay. Most were caught on shrimp, small pilchards, pinfish and cut sardines.
With various tournaments, anglers fished unsettled and at times nasty weather heading into the weekend. Conditions weren’t the best, however anglers ran into schooling redfish averaging in size from 28 to 33 inches and snook, with a few pushing 40 inches. Most redfish were caught along shorelines and bar drop-offs over the strong incoming tide and snook off the western side of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor around the barrier islands.
September is a really slow month with few anglers and low boat traffic. Couple that with not-so-great weather and few anglers are on the water. Fishing is often good during the unsettled weather. If it’s safe to fish, you can get on the water and get a feel for years past fishing around the areas when you could go all day and see few if any boats.
Check current fishing rules and regulations and stay up to date by visiting www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www.fishpine island.com; or via email at [email protected].
Have a safe week and good fishin’.
As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and South-west Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years.