Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
April 14, 2003
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

The King Is Back

Greetings;

I can report that fishing is good but, boy- O- boy these El Nino years keep me guessing on what is going to happen next. Weather, and fish migrations are not on a normal track. During a typical year I can usually predict within a couple of days when and where different fish will start to show up. Not this year. Cold fronts causing ten degree temperature drops, loop currents from the deep Gulf coming in close, and red tide all played a part in the strange fishing this spring. Fishing is good, don't get me wrong, but many days its like fishing the area for the first time. I just love surprises.

Inshore the snook fishing has turned on pretty good in the bays and around the passes. Trout have been consistent, lady fish, pompano, jacks, keep us busy and redfish are more active than usual. The near shore rock piles and reefs are still holding sheepshead, snapper, and grouper. Most of the grouper are undersize but good action and a big gag is always possible if you can get it out of the structure. Spanish mackerel are around, and can be caught in pretty good numbers if targeted. Smaller live shiners seem to love them.

Offshore from five to forty miles has remained solid for action and quality. You just don't know what will bite next. For pure action its hard to beat hard bottom or reef areas right now. Snapper, grouper, grunts, blue runners, porgies, trigger fish, you name it and its biting on these spots. Not many keeper fish, but with light tackle, catching a hundred fish on a half day trip is great family fun. Plus there are some nice king mackerel and cudas around that can put a great finish on a fun time out. One day last week during just such and outing with a family we caught a twenty six pound permit, then a eighty pound tarpon. Now that's what I call fun! Goliath grouper are back in force. We have had a great time coaxing them to come and play, then pose for great pictures. King mackerel and little tunny are in the area also. Boy I love these fish. We have enjoyed some great days this spring. Last week we caught a twenty seven pound and forty one pound smoker king. Both were taken from using a splashing surface bait under kite. What a great show on the strike, makes it twice the fun. Tarpon have arrived, but you would never know it. They are not "normal". Barely showing and hardly rolling. Sloppy seas behind cold fronts, and yo yo water temps have them sulking along the bottom. The good tarpon news is that they are eating. Normally we go out and hunt them, then fish them. Lately I have just fished for them blind on places I feel should hold fish, just relying on my confidence they should be there. We have had great luck, including on that was over one hundred eight five pounds that took four hours to catch. One thing about tarpon, the distance between hero and zero is not far in the guiding business. Cobia are here also. Although I don't target them, my eyes are always open. We hook two on twelve pound test that we fought for over and hour each time. Both fish were fifty plus pounds, both were lost. One due to double and triple hook ups on kings and L.T.'s and kings cut the line, the other broke when the line rubbed on the boat bottom. On a "day off" with my wife we fished a wreck out deeper than I normally go in eighty feet. She caught two amberjacks to twenty pounds on eight pound line, a thirty and twenty six pound cuda, and a bunch of snappers. We also hooked several kings but cudas chewed them up pretty good.

All in all, great fishing if we work at it.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Featherstone

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