Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
April 15, 2004
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Poons, Permit and Wind.

Since my last fishing report we have had some of the best fishing of the year. We had to move around alot to accomodate for the high winds by jumping alot from Pine island to Marco. I prefer to fish the Pine Island area when the weather is bad and fish the Everglades City or Marco area when the winds are light. This helped put up good numbers most of last month and so far this month. Snook have been the main targets in Pine Island sound and tarpon have been the main target in the 10,000 Islands.

When the winds have allowed us to get outside the tarpon fishing off Marco Island has been pretty good. We have been hooking up almost daily with an average day producing around 2-3 fish in the 100-pound class. Freelining live sardines and thread herring have done the best. Tarpon have also started moving into the Ft Myers area with a few guides reporting fish in Pine Island Sound and off the beaches.

When the tarpon aren't doing their thing the permit have. I am still finding permit schooling offshore of Marco island. These fish are running 20-40 pounds. Live crabs have been the only bait that they have been willing to take.

Snook fishing in the Pine Island area has been very good for mostly small snook. We have been able to manage a limit of keepers most days but there are far more sublegals per keeper than in the 10,000 islands. Small pilchards are catching the majority of the snook as well as a few redfish.

Redfish and trout have been a little hit and miss lately. We are still picking up smaller redfish under the bushes on the higher stages of the tides and a few trout on the flats but it's nothing like it was a few weeks ago. Shrimp is still the best thing going for the reds and with plastics the best for trout.

Grouper from 14-29 inches have been moving inshore and have provided some good fun as well as good eating in both Marco and Pine Island Sound. Sardines floated around structure with good current will probably not be ignored.

The forecast for the next few weeks should be good if you don't hit the cold fronts. Since Easter we have had super strongs winds gusting up to 45 knots. Today I got out and tried to run a trip but called it a half-day at 1 pm when the winds picked up to 30-35 knots. We did manage 4 small snook, a trout and sheephead but it was ugly out there.

Good luck!

Capt. Scott Hughes

Blackwater Charters

941-575-2389

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