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Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande
Capt. Scott Hughes
October 28, 2002
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
Right on Cue!
As expected the fishing exploded this month. It is a little known fact that October is probably the best fishing month in the 10,000 Islands. We have been having a blast catching good numbers of tarpon, snook, redfish, king mackerel, sharks, spanish mackerel, jack crevelle, flounder and triple tail. We have also had fair numbers of trout, bluefish, false albacore tuna and grouper. The great thing is that we have been catching all of the mentioned species on almost each day of fishing. My trips for the past 10 days have been averaging between 40 to 70 fish on a full-day charter.
Snook fishing has to be the hottest action that I have seen all year. We are catching around twenty snook per day up to 13-pounds. Almost one out of four have been in the keeper slot from 26-34 inches. Heavy chumming with live sardines have kept the action going for most of the day.
Tarpon are running off the beaches but hoards of sharks have taking most of our tarpon bait lately. The sharks are running from 10-pounds to over 300-pounds. Most have been spinners but large hammerheads and bulls are running with the tarpon and are quick to eat the live sardines that we have been targeting the tarpon with.
Redfish have been following mullet schools on the sandbars on high tide. We have been doing best with live sardines on the falling tides but rootbeer colored jigs tipped with shrimp have been doing well also.
Flounder which are not that common in out area are eating the live sardines while we have been snook fishing around Cape Romano. The bottom of the tide just as the water starts to come in has been best. Almost all of the flounder have been keepers.
Scatterd trout are all around the grass flats south of Marco Island. Jigs and small shiners have been the best baits.
King mackerel up to 20-pounds are schooling around the spanish mackerel schools just offshore of marco island. We had excellent results drifting pinfish and blue runners around the bait schools.
Jack crevelle seen to be everywhere. They are offshore, in the backcountry, flats, and passes. Most are less than 5-pounds but each day has produced a couple of drag peelers in the 10 pound class.
The forecast is excellent this week and as long as the cold fronts stay away the fishing will continue to be excellent. The snook fishing will be good thoughout the rest of next month. Tarpon fishing will be getting harder and harder to predict. Redfish, triple tail, and mackerel will get even better next month.
Good Luck!
Capt. Scott Hughes
Blackwater Charters
863-946-9171
941-628-4247 cell
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 I specialize in light tackle saltwater, and fly fishing from the backcountry of the 10,000 Islands to flats of Pine Island Sound and the bay system of Charlotte Harbor. I have pick-up locations out of Ft Myers, Marco Island, Pine Island, Punta Gorda and Boca Grande. I like to target big fish. During warm months, tarpon, sharks, snook, redfish, cobia, king mackerel and big jacks are the main species sought after. Most of the winter months are devoted to redfish, trout, snook and grouper. Whether
Contact Info:
Blackwater Charters
12571 Burnt Store Rd
Punta Gorda, FL 33955
Phone: 941-575-2389
Alt. Phone: 941-628-4247
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