Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
February 7, 2001
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Tarpon Season is getting Close! Just Seven Weeks to Go!

February isn’t known as one of the best fishing months in Southwest Florida but even a bad month in our area still offers some very good fishing. The famous tarpon, snook and sharks may not be daily players but we catch more different species in February than almost any other month. Also most of the target species are good eating so that can be a plus.

Jacks are providing customers with plenty of drag pulling action with our 6-pound outfits. The rivers south of Marco Island and the Calusahatchee River in Ft Myers are both holding good numbers of jacks over 6-pounds. We caught all of our on yellow buck-tail jigs. Live sardines will also catch plenty if you can find any.

Trout are in season and there have been plenty on the flats of the 10,000 Islands and Pine Island Sound. Screw-tail jigs and live shrimp are the best baits this month. Four to five feet of water with a grassy bottom will be good places to look.

Snapper provided some action with the flyrods last week. Chartreuse Clouser minnows caught them for us in the Hell’s Bay area of the upper 10,000 Islands. White buck-tail jigs also caught some. I also spotted a nice tarpon in the same area but we couldn’t get him to take anything.

Small snook are taking flies in the lower 10,000 Islands south of Everglades City. Redfish are scattered around also. Reds and snook are doing a little better in the Ft Myers area. Jig fishing the creeks is still catching a few each trip.

Sheephead are all over the passes of Pine Island Sound. They spawn each full moon and this is the best month to catch the big 3-5 pound females. Live shrimp rigged on a ¼ oz lead head is my favorite. I like to use 4-6 pound spinning tackle with a 20-pound leader.

Like I said last week, I’m booking tarpon fish trip for April-July each day. If you want multiple days, I recommend that you call to book as soon as possible. April tarpon fishing is best out of Marco Island. May through early June is good from Marco to Sanibel. Late June and all of July is best from Boca Grande to Punta Gorda. With everyone booking trips, I’m getting really fired up. I can hardly wait. Don’t miss out!

Good Luck!

Capt. Scott Hughes

Blackwater Charters

863-946-9171

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