Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
October 27, 2003
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Seasons Change, New King is here!

Greetings,

Well first things first. I have recovered nicely from the minor surgery on my eyes. The one or two days of swelling turned out to be seven, but who is counting?

Things are changing with the seasons in our fishing area. This past week we did launch a few big silver kings (tarpon) along the beach, landing three big ones over one hundred and fifty pounds. But the looking is getting harder, and the runs longer so we have switched gears to king mackerel as our main target lately. Working tide lines, bottom contours, and working bait has produced lots of action for our anglers even on the sloppy days. When live baiting we have used both ladyfish and blue runners with good success. Most of the kings are in the twelve to eighteen pound range, but we did catch three over twenty including one thirty five pound fish that ate a jack off the kite line.

There are some big cobia in the area. We hooked two exceptional fish this week working wrecks. Both were five feet or longer but we lost them both, on when a double hookup crossed lines, the other on a crab buoy line. Big jacks are offshore as well as lemon sharks to keep you busy waiting for a bite.

We caught one goliath grouper this week, a pretty one hundred pound fish that really gave us a tussle. There are some nice snapper on the rock piles, we caught them bait fishing as well as some gag groupers. We had a great time one afternoon catching and releasing several gags on light tackle and scaled sardines.

On the fly fishing front there is loads of action. Ladyfish abound and will take almost anything but a clouser is hard to beat and very durable. Spanish mackerel and blue runners will keep your seven weight doubled up for sure. For best results, troll until you catch a fish, anchor up. Chum and they will come. Non stop fly action results. Keep your twelve weight handy and when the macks slow down, throw a big deceiver out and hang on, Mr. King is in the house.

Have a great week and may the big one bite you.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick

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