Near Record Cold and Winds Haunt March 2013
Capt. Butch Rickey
April 4, 2013
Pine Island Sound - Saltwater Fishing Report
Week ending 3/30/13.......
I had three trips on the books this week, but only got to run one, on Monday. It was with Joe Colarusso, and we'd already had to reschedule because of weather, and were running out of options. We finally drew a descent weather day, but I knew it would be tough with the water so cold, and fishing behind a front.
We met at Port Sanibel Marina, got the bottoms wet, and were off. After a scenic ride to our first spot, I realized as I approached my spot we had two guide in boats also approaching the same spot. They were Gary Clark and Bruce Ringsmuth. We all had the same idea; try to get a trout and/or ladyfish bite going early while we waited on the water to warm a bit. We all spread out on the two keys and went to work. Fishing was tough. We only got 7 or 8 trout after fishing all over the area.
As the tide flooded the area what little trout action we had disappeared. We moved on to see if we could catch some redfish. I headed to the spot where I've been on lots of redfish every time I've been there, but have had little luck getting them to eat in the cold water and high barometer conditions that normally prevail.
Well, the fish were there; all over the place! We fished them hard, and caught exactly one keeper red! If Joe could have stood up in his Ultimate, he could have seen the fish. He may not have believed me if we hadn't caught at least one fish. He's not ready to stand up just yet.
Once done with the redfish, we moved on to another spot that has been good for trout, a red or two, and flounder most of the time I fish it. I got Joe situated and then moved to another spot very close by. The action was almost non-existent as the tide neared its peak, but we did finish the day with a very nice 31" snook. Of course, as I'd told many of my friends after the freeze and closure of snook, we'd be lucky to ever be allowed to harvest another snook. They thought I was crazy. Well, how many years has it been? Snook are still closed. I rest my case.
It was a great day of fishing, but a tough day of catching, which has been the norm for the month of March, which goes does as one of the coldest and windiest on record for SW Florida. But, a day on the water fishing from a nice comfy Ultimate beats about anything else you could be doing.
Pine Island Sound Fishing Forecast:
There's nowhere but up!
Target Species:
Anything That Will Bite!
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