Real Action Adventures - Fishing Trips Southwest Florida

Well this trip had an unusual twist. The fishing was slow and only produced five keeper Sea Trout, the twist was these folks were from France and barley spoke any English which really made hard to explain techniques so we had to fish white bait on bobbers. it was probably one of the hardest trips Ive done simply because of the language barrier. they did manage to take home a few eaters.

We began our trip fishing Useppa Island in Pine Island Sound were we threw white bait under miscellaneous docks and produced several Grouper with Spanish Mackerel and Sea Trout mixed in. it was a good day on the water.

We started our trip from my usual marina this morning and headed toward Captiva Pass where we tossed mid sized greenbacks (pilchards) to hungry snook. After boating a few we hit the bushes of Pine Island Sound and found a couple of hungry Red fish, it was a good day on the flats.

We had a tough day today looking for something other than Sea Trout, we searched the mangrove islands that make up Pine Island Sound looking for Snook and Red Fish When we came to a hole where we thought we had found some Snook laying on the bottom. i began chumming with some Pilchards and then we put our lines in, to our surprise we had found a hole full of 23"-25" Gator Sea Trout, it wasn't what we were looking for but they sure were fun.

We had a good day today catching several species of fish including Spanish Mackerel, Sea Trout, Lady Fish and many others not far from Useppa Island in Pine Island Sound in South West Florida

We left from Pine Islands Pineland Marina on a windy day right after a cold front, we began by throwing plastics (which i often do) and caught several decent Sea Trout, when that bite slowed we went south to the southern tip of Useppa Island and caught more Sea Trout with one exception, a 6-1/4 pound Pompano. the biggest Ive ever seen.

We started out with these folks from Canada and their wife's one of which had never been on a boat before let alone been fishing. We went back to the spot that i had good luck at the day before but this time it wasn't meant to be due to a fat approaching cold front and 35 mph winds. While we were fishing a Manatee popped up right next to the boat and that got the girls excited. Since the guys and i were already in the lunch mode knowing the fishing was going to be bad i asked if the girls would like to go to a spot i new of were Manatees and alligators frequented, they were all over it. We saw several Manatees a got to see a gator snatch an egret from a branch. This made the for all of them.

We started from Pineland Marina this morning and went to the north side of Pine Island Sound. We threw lots of plastic baits that produced several Sea Trout from 18-21" and a nice 4-1/2# Pompano. That bite started to slow down so we picked up and moved to Rocky channel where the bite was still active, We boated several more nice Sea Trout and a 5-1/2 pound Pompano. This was these guys best trip to date and they threatened to be back.

We started out trip from Pineland Marina and ran to Wood Key in Pine Island Sound where we hit the bushes with big live shrimp and cut Lady fish. After awhile we had boated five Red fish and then moved out on the flats where we encountered Sea Trout and big Lady fish. It turned out to be another good day on the water.

This was going to be an interesting trip. These folks were from Indiana, were used to fishing for catfish with cane poles. This became quite obvious when i saw one of them turn the reel upside down and started reeling it backwards. After a little instruction they started to get the hang of things and while we wee fishing they told me they try to go fishing whenever they go somewhere, unfortunately they never caught anything, until this trip. At the end they ended up with five keeper Sea trout, four Silver trout,a Pompano and a Black tip Shark. It was their best trip to date.

Well i had the Canadians back for some more rod bending action. We caught who knows how many Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Jack Crevale and and few Silver Trout. These guys had a ball just like they always do when we're out. I can't wait for the next time, they're just a great bunch of guys who love to cut up and catch fish.

Black Tips were on the radar this trip. These guys had heard of their excellent table fair and wanted to put some on the grill and that's exactly what they did. The day ended up with six keeper Sea Trout up to 20", two Pompano and three Black Tips, the biggest of which went straight to the grill.

This day was interesting to say the least. My clients this morning were from Switzerland which i felt was very informative. I learned some of the species they target there and that many were the same as in our norther states. Pike, Salmon,Walleye,etc. neither of these guys were to impressed with the small Sea Trout we were catching but once we hit a school of big Lady Fish their eyes lit up, one after another a few actually pulled one of them around the boat. You could tell both had done considerable fishing by the way they handled their rods during the fight. It was a good day for all three of us.

Well we had another good day. We began our trip from Pine Island and went north to Patricio Island where we started our drift. It wasn't long before the first fish was on, a Spanish Mackerel. We continued to drift with just a few bites when i decided to move a few hundred yards. It wasn't long and all three rods were bent two with Sea Trout and one with a nice Pompano. We managed to boat another twenty or so Sea Trout before making another move and oncw again we started catching more Sea Trout.

Well we started out from Pineland Marina like i usually do and knew immediately that i was going to have my hands full with the weather conditions. I would have normally cancelled this trip due to the 25 knot winds from the north. These guys from Canada weren't quitters and it was the only day they could go. So we went. I had to use my sea anchors this day other wise we would not have been able to control the drifts we were making, even that seemed almost impossible but we did catch fish. After awhile i went to a spot behind Cabbage Key that i thought might be protected and it was. It was in fact warm and calm and the warm muddy bottom produced several Sea Trout to 23" and a couple of Mangrove snapper and two Flounder. We left with a good limit of fish after all.

We fished just south of Boca Grand today, fishing in about six feet of water and produced three nice Pompano, twenty or so Sea Trout and and few Spanish Mackerel. all of which came on plastic baits.

We fished just south of Boca Grand today, fishing in about six feet of water and produced three nice Pompano, twenty or so Sea Trout and and few Spanish Mackerel. all of which came on plastic baits.

We caught the tides just right in Pine Island Sound today, fishing just south of Cabbage Key we caught several keeper Sea Trout to 20" and two Black Tip Sharks on cut Lady Fish.

We started out trip from Pineland Marina on Pine Island and fished the northern end of Pine Island Sound. We did like i like to do on my trips throwing artificials. We had a great day catching 30-40 Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel and a few nice sized Pompano. These boys from Minnesota absolutely loved the clear blue skies and the constant action.

Nothing good to report on this entry. Another cold front arrived with 20 knot winds and temps in the 40"s.

We started from Pineland Marina on this trip knowing that a cold front had just passed and the water temperature had dropped to sixty degrees. Here in Southwest Florida water temps that low are not a good thing, we still managed to catch one Black tip Shark and fiftenn Sea Trout five of which were in the 18-20" range. it ended up being a better day that i had expected.

Well we started our day fishing some deeper holes in north Pine Island Sound were we caught several Pompano, Sea Trout and Lady fish. After that bite started to slow we went to a bay behind Cabbage key and managed to catch four Black Tip Sharks from two feet to four feet, a couple of which made it to the grill.

Two days after a cold front with blue bird skies wouldn't normally impress me.This day was different, we we're throwing plastic baits like i normally do bouncing slowly off the bottom. we we're catching lots of Sea Trout ,Spanish mackerel and Lady fish when we drifted over a spot that had some sort of structure on the bottom. before i knew what had happened all four of my clients were hooked up and all you could hear was their drags screaming, they had all hooked into Grouper on plastics ranging from 19"-21".

Two days after a cold front with blue bird skies wouldn't normally impress me.This day was different, we we're throwing plastic baits like i normally do bouncing slowly off the bottom. we we're catching lots of Sea Trout ,Spanish mackerel and Lady fish when we drifted over a spot that had some sort of structure on the bottom. before i knew what had happened all four of my clients were hooked up and all you could hear was their drags screaming, they had all hooked into Grouper on plastics ranging from 19"-21".

We left Pineland Marina around 6:30 this morning in hopes of beating out a fast approaching cold front. The wind was already pushing 15 knots so ducked in behind Cayo Costa Island where we could avoid the wind, it turned out to be the right game plan for this trip. We caught Sea Trout up to 20" ,Lady Fish and a couple of small Black tip Sharks then the tide started to slack off as well as the bite so we headed back to the ramp, the rain started as soon as the boat was back on the trailer. Good Timing.

We started our day fishing the flats in front of the mansion with plastic baits and caught numerous Trout and Lady fish. When that bite began to slow we picked up and moved to the north side of Pine Island Sound where we once again threw plastic baits and bounced them slowly off the bottom. As we drifted we hit one spot where everyone on the boat (4) hooked up a Grouper, a welcome surprise. We made a second pass over the same spot and hit two more. What a shame season was closed.

We left Pineland Marina bright and early this morning to take full advantage of the incoming tide. On the north end of Pine Island Sound we started working jigs with plastic baits around the pot holes where we picked up a little bit of everything. Sea Trout, Pompano, Flounder, Lady fish and a few Lizard fish.

We started our trip from Pineland Marina on Pine Island and went approximately 300 yards where we began drifting the flats with shrimp tipped jig heads. Things started out a little slow but began improving after only about half an hour' we started out with some nice Sea Trout and finished up with a few keeper Pompano and Flounder. Both were welcome surprises on this day

Well we started our trip like many others from Pineland Marina on Pine Island. We set a course for Captiva Pass where the Mackeral,Bluefish and Ladyfish have been on a frenzy. When they were feeding the water looked like it was boiling and catching lots of fish turned out not to be a problem.

We began bright and early from Pineland Marina and headed south of Sanibel Island wher we found huge schools of Bonita smashing everything in their path. We spent the majority of the morning listening to screaming drags and a little cussing when one of the group got spooled.

Well we stated our trip from Pineland Marina like many others and headed for Captiva Pass where we encountered thousands of birds feeding on small Sardines, under the sardines were what seemed like hundreds of Ladyfish,Spanish Mackeral and Bluefish this group had a ball.

We met our group at Pineland Marina on Pine Island and headed for the northern end of Pine Island Sound and started throwing shrimp tipped jigs. Although we caught a few fish we just weren't getting the big bite so we packed up the rods and went for a boat ride out through Boca Grand Pass looking for birds and hopefully some Bonita and Spanish Mackeral. It just wasn't meant to be on this day.

We started our trip like many others from Pineland Marina on Pine Island. These kentuckians wanted something fast paced so we headed for the waters just outside of Captiva Pass where we encountered numerous Spanish Mackeral, Bluefish and some really big Ladyfish. These boys got exactly what they wanted lot's of action and lots of screaming reels. It was a good day.

Today was going to be a little different than usual. We decided to go off shore for some grouper before the season ended, it was a long trip out to the ledge but the seas were very good. The day didn't amount to much, we caught one Porgy,a Snapper, a small Grouper and a Hog fish not a productive day at all.

We started our trip from Pine Island. We had a full moon in the sky all day and experience has taught me that's not a good thing. We started on the north end of Pine Island Sound throwing plastics to hungry Trout, Ladyfish, Spanish mackeral, and Bluefish as the last part of the outgoing tide deminished so did the bite.

We started our trip from Pineland Marina on Pine Island on another 20knot plus day. We started fishing in the northern part of Pine Island Sound by Patricio Island were we threw plastics for a mixed bag includeing Seatrout, Ladyfish, Bluefish and a few we had no idea what it was. When that bite began to fade we picked up and headed to the flats close to Cabbage key were we managed to get a Redfish before the finally quit. I t ended up being a decent day.

I met up with Ben and his family at Pineland Marina on Pine Island this morning bright and early. We were immediately greeted with 20 mph winds out of the north and 2 foot seas (not good) so i decided to head to Safety harbor on Upper Captiva. we placed jigs with shrimp in all of the holes and only managed to boat a few fish 2-Redfish 3- Seatrout and two Ladyfish. Like i said it was a tough day.

We left bright and early because the Clark's wanted fast action and i knew that meant we needed to find the birds, and boy did we. Captiva Pass was swarming with a variety of birds with Ladyfish, Bluefish and loads of Spanish Mackeral feeding below. Our baits no more than hit the water when they were attacked...a good day

We left from Pine Island Marina this morning like many others and were fishing with the Joel's. They had never been to the area and just wanted to catch something and have fun. We began on a grass flat by the Mckever Keys where we statred catching a number of mid sized Seatrout as we covered the flat we came across pot holes full of Lady fish. The Joel's did'nt know what hit them, they had a ball.

We started our morning from Pine Island Marina and proceeded to Captiva Pass where we threw shiners as chum and peppered the area with plastics resulting in several Spanish Mackeral,Bluefish and Ladyfish, the drags never stopped screaming. These boys from Montana never new what hit them.

We started our trip this morning from Pine Island Marina and fished the old fishing shacks in Pine Island Sound. we caught several Seatrout on plastics and one small Grouper. Not a bad day at all.

I started my day picking up a group from the North Captiva Island Club. we used cut baits for awhile but were only able to get a few small Blacktip Sharks. we picked up a ran across to the Galt Island channel and managed to get two small 20-25# tarpon on artificals. I was glad to see the them.

We a small group of fishermen out of the Tarpon Lodge that wanted to do their own tourniment that would consist of several boats all looking for the biggest and the most. We didn't win but did manage to boat a Tarpon , several Redfish and two small sharks. a good day by anybodies standards

I had arranged to meet my charter at the Sanibel public boat ramp, i was tied up at the dock waiting for my trip to show up when the local police showed instead and informed me that i couldn't pick up charters at the public ramp which i've been doing for years without problem. i was told that there will be no commercial use of the island so after i arranged to pick my people up at a new location i had to try to justify how they can spend their money to vacation on Sanibel but were not allowed to use it. T he trip proceeded and we caught several species.

6:45 a.m. bait has been caught, it's blowing 20 knots again and the trip cancelled. It's going to be a Tiki bar day and hopefully some good football.

Well we started our trip from Pineland Marina with twenty knot winds and a Redtide that reached from Boca Grande Pass to Sanibel Island and still managed to boat close to fifty fish including Seatrout,Ladyfish,Spanish Mackeral,Jacks and one Bullshark.

We started our day at Pineland Marina this morning, overcast with a real hint of rain soon. So we stayed close to the Pine Island marina fishing the surounding flats where we caught Several nice Seatrout on plastics befor the storms got the best of us. The rest of the trip was spent in a local tiki where the fish kept getting bigger.

We fished with Jim from miami this morning around North Captiva Island. it started out to be a nice day, light winds and low 90's. We fished the bushes on a high tide a found Snook and Redfish were biting well on shiners.

I fished with Jim R. today. we fished the Cabbage key area of Pine Island Sound today and it turned out to be the right move. We boated just about everything but most importantly Seatrout,Redfish and Snook which makes up the inshore slam. We moved out onto a flat throwing plastics when all i heard was a drag screaming, i knew instantly it was a Tarpon and two jumps later it was all over except fot the excitement in Jims eyes...a good day

We left out of Jensens marine on Captiva today. The first thing i noticed was that the moon was high in the sky during the day which in my experiance meant only one thing, a bad day. We headed for some drop offs around Captiva looking for snook and redfish but found none so we decided to head for the powerline hump for Seatrout and caught one. After trying the hump for awhile we moved to a huge sandbar in the middle off Pine Island Sound where we found some Pelicans diving and some Seatrout and Ladyfish that were willing to take some plastics. it was a slow day on a bad moon.

This trip was truly special. I had the pleasure of meeting two of my cousins from Ireland that i had never met. They had never fished before in their lives, one of which couldn't swim which just seemed odd to me. The comment was made that" learning to swim just makes drowning take longer" i got a kick out of that and many more things that they shared about my family that i had never heard before. We fished the northern side of Pine island sound and they caught their first fish ever, Seatrout on shiners. After fishing for a little we picked up and went behind Cabbage Key where we ran into some Dolphin playing so we stopped and watched for awhile before proceeding to the grass flats by Captiva Island for some more shots at the Seatrout only to encounter a Manatee slowly feeding iin front of us. Like i saidit was truly a special trip.

Fished with Jerry B. from New England he had never been to Florida and had never fished or seen the islands that make this area so nice. On the way to our first destination we encountered some Dolphin which added to the trip. We fished the north side of Pine Island Sound and found some drop offs that were holding Seatrout. We put on some shiners and freelined them behind the boat as we were drifting the flats and throwing plastic baits at the same time which resulted in numerous Seatrout.

We started our day like many others from Pineland Marina on Pine Island, we headed to the northern part of Pine Island Sound where we began throwing plactic baits. After about an hour we had boated nearly fifty Seatrout. We stowed our gear and made the run to Captiva pass and continued throwing plastic bait where we caugh Spanish Mackeral, Bluefish and a ton of Ladyfish. It was a good day for all on board.

Well we decided on the spur of the moment to head out to the islamorada  hump for a shot at some Blackfin Tuna. It was an overcast morning with rain, the seas went from calm to 3-5 footers. but we keep going, by the time we made the fifteen mile run the seas had increased to 10-12. We were in a twenty foot cat and had no business where we were, it was to dangerous. We decided to bail on the tuna idea and turned around to a grass line we had encountered about eight miles out where we saw two Dolphin and about fifty small Triple tail.  The trip turned out to be a fishless adventure. Maybe next time

What a great day on the water. We started fishing the east side of Cayo Costa Island around 7:00 am and it had just started to blow about 15 knots from the southeast. We anchored up after seeing numerous Tarpon rolling and free jumping but it proved to be a waste of time. I decided to head out into the Gulf of Mexico on the southern tip of Cayo Costa and try the calm side. GOOD MOVE the Tarpon were everywhere.  We ended up with 4 Tarpon, the biggest approx. 140lb, 2 Sharks,both Bulls, and a car hood sized ray.

 Our day like many others leaving from Pineland Marina on Pine Island around 6:15am. We made our way to Captiva Pass in hopes of catching Mackeral and Ladyfish to use as our Tarpon/Shark bait. Unfortunatly there wasn't any tidal movement so the bite was off. Still needing bait i decided to head to the bushes to try to intercept some mullet where throwing a cast net proved to be our best bet. With fresh mullet for bait we moved over to the intercoastal waterway and dropped anchor and then proceeded to soak cut bait on the bottom. After a twenty minute wait the Tarpon rod took off but in the wrong direction, the fish headed straight for the boat,went under the boat where it decided to make it's first and only jump before the line got cut on the motor. We waited for about half an hour before picking up and moving to the Captiva Rocks part of Pine Island Sound where we started again. After about a thirty minute wait the big rod went off with a five foot Bull Shark and the battle was on. We ended up with two Tarpon hits and four Sharks. a Bull Shark, two Lemon Sharks and a Bonnethead. All in all it was a productive half day trip...........capt k.c. mckinney 239-633-2177

We started our day like the others and departed from Pineland Marina on Pine Island. We took a short ride to the east side of Cayo Costa Island where we threw plastic baits on jig heads to hungry Sea Trout which almost seemed to be waiting for our baits to hit the water. we boated over 40 keeper trout and released all of them. Another great day on the water.         Capt KC Mckinney 239-633-2177

We started our trip out of Pineland Marina on Pine Island. From there we headed to the west side of Cayo Costa Island where we threw plastic baits to hungry trout. After boating a limit in no time, we made a move to Captiva Pass where we continued to throw plastics and cast after cast was taken by what seemed to be swarms of Spanish Mackeral, Bluefish and Lady Fish with an occasional shark passing under the boat.            Capt. K.C. Mckinney 239-633-2177

We started our day at Pineland marina on Pine Island and went to the northern end of Pine Island Sound where we began by throwing plastics and never looked back. The fish were definitly on the feed, we caught several Spanish Mackeral, Sea Trout, Ladyfish, Pomano and topped it all off with a six foot Lemon Shark. It was another great day on the water.

We started our day fishing a hole around upper Cativa Island where shrimp tipped jigs produced a few keeper Redfish and some small Sheepshead. When the bite started to slow we moved to a area just off Pineland Marina on Pine Island where we threw plastics that resulted in numerous Ladyfish and Sea Trout. We saw a couple of Sharks and best of all Tarpon. They were free jumping while moving back into Pine Island Sound after a long cold winter.

We were fishing Matlacha today, which is one of the many waterways surrounding Pine Island. We started at the north end of Matlacha and fished the deeper channels along the mangroves with shrimp tipped jigs which proved to be a lethal combination. Trout, Ladyfish and Mangrove snapper couldnt resist.

We were fishing a pothole in Pine Island Sound we caught a mixed bag of fish including 15 Trout up to 22 inches, 4 Redfish and a Flounder. It was an excellent afternoon!

Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio) - Red Grouper is colored brownish red and the lining of mouth is scarlet-orange. Red Grouper has blotches on sides in unorganized pattern and a second spine of dorsal fin that is longer than others. The Red Grouper pectoral fins are longer than pelvic fins with a squared-off tail. There is also a margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin and they have black dots around the eyes. Red Grouper is a bottom dwelling fish associated with hard bottom. Juveniles remain offshore with adults greater than 6 years old; the Red Grouper ranging from 1 to 6 years old occupy Nearshore reefs. Red Grouper spawn in April and May and prefer water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees Fahrenhei. Red Grouper undergoes sex reversal in which young individuals are femal and become male as they age. The lifespan of a Red Grouper is at least 24 years and they feed on squid, crustaceans, and fish. Florida record 39 lbs., 8 ozs.

Spanish Mackerel - (Scomberomorous maculatus) - Spanish mackerel usually travel in rather large schools, following the schools of baitfish upon which they feed. They are usually available to the fly fisherman when they are near the beach or in the passes, although they sometimes will come into the bays and canals when chasing their prey. Although only 1-2 pounds in size, they can be a lot of fun on a flyrod; especially if you happen upon a large school in a feeding frenzy. Wire leaders or at least very heavy shock tippets are required because of their sharp teeth.. They are most prevalent in southwest Florida in the winter, when water temperatures are in the 70 degree range.

Mangrove Snapper - (Lutjanus griseus) - The mangrove or gray snapper is quite prevalent in the backwater as well as offshore. Inshore, their weight is usually in the range of 1-3 pounds, but their offshore relatives run 8-10 pounds or more.. They are a very agressive fish and will readily take a properly presented fly. As their name implies, they are often found adjacent to and up in the mangroves. They tend to cluster in small groups and their main food is small baitfish and shrimp. Watch out for these little guys when you take them off the hook; they have pretty sharp teeth and they won't hesitate to try to grab onto a finger that's in range. They aren't called "snappers" for nothing!

Ladyfish - (Elops saurus) - This diminutive cousin of the tarpon usually weighs in at 1 to 3 pounds and, like the tarpon, ladyfish like to jump when hooked. They spawn offshore, but spend most of their lives in the inshore bays and estuaries. They will gather as small groups in narrow coves, but they tend to run in quite large schools in the larger bays. Once a school is spotted, they can often be fished at the same location for several days in a row. Their primary food is small baitfish and shrimp, and when a large school of ladyfish chase a school of baitfish to the surface, the resulting commotion is evident to anyone within 100 yards.

Like the tarpon and the jack crevalle, the ladyfish has little food value but is a lot of fun to catch and release. For some reason, the ladyfish has a very slimy exterior and requires gloves or a careful grip to extract the fly. Like with many other species, I find that by grasping and manipulating the fly with forceps while the fish is still in the water, I can remove the hook without actually handling the fish.

Jack Crevalle - (Caranx hippos) - The jack crevalle is perhaps the salvation of the fly fisher on those days when the snook are sullen, the redfish are resting and the tarpon are travelling. This species has already bounced back considerably after the July 1995 commercial net ban. They run in schools of a dozen to hundreds, usually all about the same size within any one school. The typical size caught runs from 3 to about 15 pounds, although they can get much larger after they move offshore. Pound-for-pound, the jack crevalle or "jack" is one of the strongest fighting fish in salt water. They don't jump around like snook, but a 10 pound jack will keep your muscles straining for 15 minutes or more before landing. They are not too difficult to handle, but they do have a few sharp edges top and bottom.

This relative of the pompano and permit feed primarily on baitfish and shrimp. A school of jacks will typically follow the tide up into the estuaries and canals, trapping schools of baitfish against mangroves, banks or seawalls and gorging themselves on their hapless prey. I have many times witnessed this scene in the canal in back of my house, especially in the spring and fall. Hundreds of jacks will herd perhaps thousands of glass minnows against a seawall and the resulting commotion will bring dozens of pelicans and terns to pick up the remnants. The jack crevalle can sometimes be selective, but usually he'll try to eat anything that moves. Jacks are usually caught throughout the backwaters, but sometimes off the beach as well.

Spotted Seatrout - (Cynoscion nebulosis) - The Spotted Seatrout, a relative of the northern Weakfish, is a species now in transition. For many years, they were plentiful and their 1-4 pound weight range is perfect for light tackle saltwater fishing. Over the past 20 years however, the combination of commercial netting and harvesting by sportsmen has brought their population down to relatively low levels. The July 1995 ban on all inshore netting, plus some significant reductions in allowable recreational kills, seems to be reversing this declining trend. Even now, there are sufficient numbers of spotted seatrout to warrant fishing excursions for this species.

Spotted seatrout seem to prefer the grassier flats for feeding, although they are also often found on mud flats, adjacent to oyster bars, and along the edges of tidal currents. Like redfish, they will move into deeper holes during extreme cold spells. They spawn inshore, usually in seagrass beds, between March and November. They are relatively easy to handle during landing, except you must be careful of their few sharp teeth and dorsal spines.

Tarpon - (Megalops atlanticus) - Also called the "Silver King", "Poon" and many other less friendly names, fishing for tarpon is considered by many to be the ultimate experience. You shouldn't embark on a tarpon adventure however unless you have a good guide, heavy-duty equipment and are generally ready for a physical challenge. The adult tarpon is migratory and during the spring and summer they move from South Florida and the Keys up the western Florida Coast. Starting around April they begin showing up in the 10,000 Islands area, pausing along their migration route to rest and feed in the warmer waters of the shallow bays and creeks. These adults range from 40 to 150 pounds in weight and when they are hooked, they will often jump three or more times in their usually successful attempts at getting rid of the hook. If the hook sets well in their hard mouth, get ready to be towed!

Adult tarpon spawn offshore between May and September and their eel-like larvae are moved by the tidal currents into the backwaters and estuaries. These larvae eventually grow into "baby tarpon", which stay in the backwater for many years before they become migratory. These baby tarpon will grow to 20 pounds or more before joining their larger relatives offshore. In the meantime, they can be great sport for fisherman. Like snook, baby tarpon are very happy in near-100% fresh water and they will often move way up into the back country. Like the adult, the baby tarpon supplement their supply of oxygen by periodically porpoising and taking in gulps of air, a habit which does not usually go unnoticed by the experienced fly fisher. Tarpon have essentially no food value and thus their status as a plentiful gamefish seems secure.

Redfish - (Sciaenops ocellatus) - More correctly called the Red Drum, the Redfish or "Red" is one of our most popular gamefish for fishing. Their propensity for seeking crabs, shrimp and baitfish on shallow flats makes them very available to the sport fisher. Although they don't jump when hooked like snook or tarpon, they can be a very dogged adversary when they are in their usual 5-10 pound range. They have an annoying tendency to hunker down under the boat when hooked, which can often jeopardize the structural integrity of your rod if you're not careful. Redfish spawn offshore and they usually remain offshore after they're up in the 10-30 pound range.

As a result of the popularity of Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Blackened Redfish", the gulf population of redfish was nearly decimated by commercial netting in the early 1980's. In 1988, however, the commercial catching of redfish was outlawed, and this species is now making a magnificent comeback. From the flats of Pine Island Sound to the bays and lagoons of the 10,000 Islands the redfish is now a readily available gamefish.

Redfish often travel in schools and they (or their wakes) can be sight-fished by the observant angler. They are most vulnerable when they are actively rooting in shallow water for crabs and clams. Then, like bonefish, their tails can be out of the water, making them quite visible even when the water is cloudy. Although redfish will sometimes lay up near structure, they are usually caught while near oyster bars or on shallow flats. Although redfish are more tolerant of cold water than snook, they will often go deep in the passes or holes when water temperatures drop.

Snook - (Centropomus undecimales) - The snook is a great fish to go after because they almost never strike softly and they are guaranteed to put up a good fight before landing. In clear water they can often be quite selective, but sometimes they'll attack anything you throw at them. Through a significant part of the year they are in and around the mangroves and the fishing is quite like fishing for bass and pickerel along the edges of ponds; i.e. the further you can cast into the cover without getting hung up, the more often you will be successful. Snook cannot survive water temperatures much below 60 F, and so during extreme cold snaps they will either head out into deeper holes or passes or will go way up into the creeks and mangroves where the warmer freshwater dominates and where they can soak up the sun in shallow bays. Snook are relatively easy to handle during landing; you just have to make sure to avoid their super-sharp gill covers.

Snook love good cover and they will therefore often be found adjacent to pilings, rock piles, bridge abutments and seawalls. A very popular local sport involves fishing for snook at night in our canals where baitfish are attracted to dock lights. Although the typical snook caught will be in the 5-10 pound range, 20 pounders are not uncommon and 40-50 pounders are sometimes seen. Snook spawn off the beach in the spring and early summer; this is an ideal time to walk the beach or the sand bars in pusuit of this worthy adversary.