Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
February 10, 2005
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Flats Fishing

The flats are the best thing going on in Southwest Florida right now. We have been enjoying some of the best winter trout fishing in some time. Most days have producing 40-70 fish up to 5 pounds. There are three distinct places to catch trout this month. Oyster bars, deep grass flats and shallow grass flats are all holding good numbers of trout. Most of the fish on the oyster bars are good solid keeper trout usually 15-18 inches. Fish plastic tubes or shrimp on a jighead for this kind of fishing. The deeper grass flats are holding tons of smaller trout. The majority of these fish are below the slot limit of 15-20 inches. All kinds of plastic bodies and jerk baits will catch these trout. The last kind of trout fishing produces the largest fish but is more difficult fishing. Shallow grass flats are holding larger trout from 18-27 inches. Fish the sand holes with unweighted jerk baits or tubes. The good thing about the shallow flats is that you also have a good chance of catching a nice snook or redfish as well.

The forecast for the next few weeks is good for the same kind of fishing that is going on now. Trout fishing will be excellent for the next few months and redfishing will continue to get better as we gear up for spring.

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