Snook Season Winding Down In Southwest Florida
Capt. Bill Russell
April 26, 2009
Pine Island Sound - Saltwater Fishing Report
With only a couple days left of snook season I cannot believe how fast the short two month season has come and gone. It was one of the windiest ones in recent memory, but still pretty productive.
This past week was no different, the east winds once again picked up by weeks end but we had some good strong tides to overcome the wind. We also found quality over quantity on the snook we caught, Its common to catch snook all day and never catch a legal fish, but that wasn't the case for us. We didn't catch many fish but just about everyone we did catch fell between twenty-eight and thirty inches. Kinda slow for steady action but good for a fish dinner. We caught our snook in northern Matlacha Pass and along the eastern shore of Charlotte Harbor free-lining shiners through sand holes and mangrove points during the incoming tide.
Large sea trout were on the menu again this week with fish up to three pounds caught on live shiners around oyster bars and in sand potholes in Matlacha Pass and in the northern portion of Pine island Sound. Often these larger trout were caught with the snook.
For consistency it was hard to beat Spanish mackerel fishing. They are a great go to fish when the snook or redfish aren't cooperating. We are catching them near Bokeelia over the deeper grass flats of Charlotte Harbor and also near Captiva Pass in Pine Island Sound. They are averaging twenty to twenty-four inches with larger fish in the mix. Most are feeding in schools and can give up some fast action especially with the kids.
Over the week I have really noticed an increase in the number of sharks inshore. most are averaging four to six feet. Also on the days the wind cooperated I have noticed tarpon showing up in their annual haunts. This coming week I have a group from Denmark I fish annually and they love to catch sharks. They camp on Cayo Costa State Park and shark fish from the beach all night then we fish for them during the day. These guys are hard core fishermen and a blast to fish with so there is no telling what next weeks report will entail.
For charter information please contact us at (239)283-7960
or visit us at www.fishpineisland.com
Have a safe week and if you get the chance GO FISHIN'
"Catch The Action " with Captain Bill Russell
Target Species:
Snook, Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Sharks, Tarpon
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