Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
March 11, 2006
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

The baitfish migration is here and the snook are feeding!

The temps hit the mid to high 80's this week and the snook went on a feeding frenzy. We mainly used artificial lures even though the schools of sardines moved onto the flats. We caught several snook up to 34-inches every day this week. Most of the snook hit soft plastic jerk baits rigged on 1/4 or 1/8 oz jig heads. I focused on shorelines that were near the open water but I received several reports that many keeper snook were being caught on the flats as well.

Snook: Look for the fish to be moving toward the passes and feeding up as they go. Catch live shiners or use soft plastic jerk baits.

Redfish: Redfish are just about everywhere right now. There are some schools on the flats but they are real spooky. Potholes on the flats are also small grooups of fish and there are some scattered reds alsong with the snook in the mangroves. I've been using soft platsics rigged on jigheads or a Exude RT slug rigged weedless.

Trout: Trout fishing isn't as good as it usually is this time of year but we're still catching several dozen per day with a few around the 4-pound range. Jigs and various plastics have been working well as well as livley small shiners.

Tarpon: A few tarpon have moved into the area but I have not seen targetable numbers yet. I usually would have scored my fist tarpon of the season by now so it should be any day now.

Good Luck!

Capt. Scott Hughes

Blackwater Charters

941-575-2389

941-628-4247 cell

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