Pine Island Sound, Charlotte Harbor & Matlacha Pass
Capt. Glenn Grimes
May 5, 2005
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
Hi, Capt Glenn here to tell you that fishing is about as hot as it can get.You can name your poison.Tarpon are in and hitting real good.These fish are large fish over 100lbs up to 175lbs.They are smashing live baits in the Sound.Also a lot of small tarpon and large jacks in the Cape Coral canals that are hitting flies.Large tarpon are also off the beach and are in a feeding mood.Now is the time to book a trip for these powerful and acrobatic gamesters.
The backbay trips are resulting in every species of fish that we have here in S.W.Florida.Wednesdays trip resulted in one of those trips that you dream about.We managed to get snook,trout,spanish mackeral,ladyfish,mangrove snapper.I can not recall one cast that wasn't attacked by something.
The mangrove snapper are making their move and are biting very good.Limits are now starting to come in.This will only get better as time goes on.I have been getting them by freelining and floating greenbacks near some sort of structure.And of course I give them a few free morsels to snack on to give themselves away.
The redfish have been doing very well in the northern half of Matlacha pass.Trips last week resulted in reds up to the 27" slot.The methods remain the same.Live baiting points and pockets under the mangrove trees.The preferred baits are small dollar sized pinfish and small greenbacks either floated on a cork or freelined.
We have been getting a lot of small sharks mostly blacktips.There has been a lot of large sharks moving in the Sound.These are mostly lemon and bull sharks but there are some small hammerheads mixed in.There is also a lot of big sharks following the tarpon off the beaches.
With the snook season now closed the month of May is one of the best months for snook fishing although it is catch and release until Labor day weekend.The snook are in full migration to the beaches and passes to spawn.They are feeding good between the weather fronts that are coming in.May is a good month for catching a trophy snook.
Well that does it.See ya on the water.
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