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Kings and Cobia over Structure
Capt. Ron Kowalyk
March 5, 2016
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
Offshore: Good news for diggers and draggers with decent weather and less wind aiding in tripping to the deeper marks. Crews reported great grouper and snapper action all along the region with best action starting at the 60 ft. plus marks from Sanibel north. Kings are massing on the features with sharks and cobia for company. Pins, threads, bluerunners and about any mouth size snack welcome to the hungry bruisers. Bait tipped jigs and shallow running plugs were an option. There were cobia, Spanish and kings on the close marks at 5 miles out but not nearly as thick as on the marks from 9 plus miles off. The close in reefs and wrecks were home to mobs of snapper, grunts, a few flounder, pomps and grunts. Schools of black drum stirred up excitement being mistaken for redfish but still a fun target with shrimp, cut chunk baits and Gulps. Bonito were reported with the masses of Spanish crashing the bait pods as close as the pass mouths and around the 3 mile marks. The water is clearing so you can run around the freshwater runoff and staining, much ado about really nothing, just goose that oversized mill on you swamp buggy and haul north or south a couple a miles. Consider that the less dense sweet water float above the salt and that fresh layer thins as it spreads out along out into the Gulf. These conditions are cyclical, usually a spring or summer occurrence although burdensome can be addressed an overcome. Don't spook our guests with undo negative reports. Your just shooting yourself in the foot, shirt the dirt and goose that oversized mill on you swamp buggy and head out around the murky water. IAO!!
Backbay: The bite picked up across the board reds, trout, snook all on a belated chew. There's bait back in the bays, again seek green warmer, clearing water, it's out there sports fans. Trout action has been Gong Ho! killer in Estero and points north, more north more bigger specks. Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp, don't leave home without em! White curlytails Gulps, new pennies and other scented plastics worked their magic and provide plenty of fun action and some nice dinners, need black beans and yellow rice, Oh, Yah !! Reds are retuning to flats and crews reported good bites on shrimp, smallish pins and cut-stuff, easy-peezy homeboys! You'll still wants slow your presentation and give biters a nice two or three count runoff before yoking your hook set, just a though. Some crews reports schooling reds around the oyster and sand bars, especially on the Burnt Store areas. Gold spoons, pins and Gulps were all effective but the troops are skittish so thread lightly and hope they waddle your way. Get out your long cast rigs or better yet wad the skinnywater. Snook Season Opened - 03-01-16. There are liners on the Gulp beaches but not too thick yet. Backbay and creek snook are still waking up from the cool water conditions. Be ready for quick safe releases= circle hooks and debarbed other offerings, save our good stuff, remember they're yours and mind, keep stocks on the upswing! Sheepies and snapper are crowed around the structure off the beaches and on the myriad docks, rip-rap and bridge pilings, bring frozen shrimp, small hooks and lots of ice for your fish box, rice and beans, mac and cheese, home fries and hot sauce, save your " Food Stamps" ! Whiting. sugar trout, pomps and flounder are in the passes, good stuff!
Sweetwater: Bass are bouncing back after the chilly period. Shiners are your best bet and black rubber worms will come into play as the water warm-up. Cheaters were fishing the few early season beds, fun but lighten up your circle hooks and maybe even debarb them as well. The ditches creeks and ponds are reporting landlocked snook, tarpon even a shark or two, land captains delight. Watch out for pythons, just kidding. Crappie are thick in lake Trafford and Okeechobee, minnows and scented tiny tube lures were the top offerings, they well take a mini fly as well, topwater rubber spider to. Franklyn Locks have mobs of tarpon but they're very finicky-finnsters, tons of gars to eat your baits, oh well!
Capt. Ron Kowalyk
www.fishswfla.com
[email protected]
239-267-9312
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 Back bay and flats fishing for redfish, snook, sea trout, tarpon and others aboard our 23' Fish Master Flats and Bay or our 16' Mud Skipper Poling Skiff. Fly fishing, live bait and plug casting the flats, passes and salt creeks of Southwest Florida is our specialty. Fish the shallow, clear flats of Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, The Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Goodland, Everglades, 10,000 Islands and Estero Bay. We provide all fishing support, licenses, bait and tackle.
Contact Info:
19225 Murcott Dr. West
Ft. Myers, FL 33967
Phone: 239-267-9312
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