Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
October 15, 2004
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Lots of Action! Its fly rod time!

Greetings,

If you want to catch a fish, now is the time. We worked a variety of targets this week and found good success at them all. From Spanish mackerel and bluefish, bull redfish, snook, and a few tarpon near shore to king mackerel, Little Tunny (false albacore), and goliath grouper, we have been keeping our rods bowed up and reels screaming!

In close there is a good population of snook on the larger structures. Mostly big over slot sizes fish that love live baits. Be sure to use circle hooks and take care of these spawners, as they are the future. We have picked up a few of the large bull redfish as well already. If they are on the surface they make great fly rod targets, use a big bushy slider and hang on these boys pull very hard. Baby tarpon and a handful of the big silver poons are in the area as well. Look in dead end canals or creeks, bridges or even marinas for the baby’s. Shrimp are great, but if you can toss an inhaler fly you can have a thrill without needing a trip to the ER after the battle. For quick action look for diving birds within a few miles of the beach. Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been active. If it’s shiny they will eat.

Offshore the big story has been the pelagic run mostly for me. Lots of little tunny up to seventeen pounds are in the area. Light tackle twelve pound spin with give you a thrill watching line disappear from the spool for sure. But if you want fly fishing action, these fish are impossible to beat. Long runs, Bulldog fights to the end, and beautiful pictures. Best of all, they will take a fly pretty quickly and they come in big schools. Even better right now there are kingfish mixed in. Big smokers are so much fun to watch sky from under the kite baits! Goliath Grouper are in the area in large numbers as its spawning time. These big strong fish are just hard to describe how hard they can pull. Awesome fish, and the picture will last a lifetime.

Our team Gottim’On is preparing for our trip to Biloxi MS to compete in the SKA (Southern Kingfish Association) Nationals in November. That should be a great time up there for sure.

Bow em’ Up,

Capt. Rick Featherstone

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