Boca Grande fishing charters February forecast
Capt. Danny Latham
January 30, 2011
Boca Grande - Saltwater Fishing Report
As January came to an end the weather couldn't have been pretttier. A cold front passed through with lows in the upper 30's and 40's followed by beautiful sunshine and temps in the 60's and 70's. The water temperatures have cooled down but should stay relatively the same throughout February. Provided we don't get hit by any really big cold fronts. This being said the fishing in February should be really good. I personally love winter time fishing with the low tides and cooler temperatures. It makes the fish easier to pattern and once you find them and dial them in they can provide a ton of rod pulling action!
Redfish action should continue to be very good in February. The end of January provided some really good days. The lower winter tides and cooler water temperatures have forced most of the baitfish to move off the flats into deeper water. This has forced the Redfish to increasingly rely on bottom forage such as Shrimp and Crabs to feed. With Redfish keying in on bottom forage plus lower tides I mainly fished redfish in potholes on the grassflats throughout January. These holes attract a ton of fish this time of year due to low tides and cooler temps which packs them full of food and provides a great place to warm up in the sun. Jigs rigged with either plastics or shrimp seemed to do the trick. I like to throw plastics like Mirrolure Little Johns and Reaction Strike Jerk Jr on jigheads in the holes and rigged weedless across the grass on higher tides. As far as live bait is concerned it is hard to beat a nice live shrimp when it come to catching Reds.
January 1st was the opening day of trout season and the bite was pretty awesome. A lot of trout in the 3-4 pound range were caught and fish over 6 pounds have not been a rare occurence. The good part about this January was that I was catching my biggest trout out of the same holes as the redfish. January through April is with out a doubt the best time to catch some BIG Gator Trout. While fishing the grass ledges, potholes and oyster bars looking these big trout you will be amazed at how many different fish you may catch. Trout, Redfish, Snook, Pompano, Flounder and Sheepshead are all a possibility and 40 - 60 fish days are not uncommon. All that rod bending action makes for a really good time! My favorite lures are the Mirrolure Lil John, Reaction Stirke jerk Jr and FishBites 3" paddle tail. All rigged on an eighth or a quarter ounce jighead.
The colder weather of December and January has slowed the Snook bite down and they are really checking things out before they commit to biting. I was able to catch some really nice fish on a couple trips htis january while fishing for reds. All the fish feel prey to a Mirrolure Lil John and the weather was in the mid 70's. Most of the Snook have already migrated from the barrier islands into the deeper, more protected waters of the backcountry. Plenty of Snook are going to be found in these protected areas which include deep shorelines,creeks, rivers and canals. Especially if they are protected form the wind, which allows the water to warm up faster in the morning sun. Just remember that the water temperature is cold so slow your presentation down and try smaller baits like shrimp and small jigs. For you night owls, the night time Snook fishing around the lighted docks in Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers beach, Little Gasparilla and Boca Grande may be your best bet for some January Snook action. Smaller lures like Mirrolure 3" Soft Sardine, DOA shrimp and Reaction Strike 3" Fluke Jr. sholud all be good choices for for catching winter time Snook. Please remember that Snook season will be catch and release only until at least September 2011 .
Pompano fishing should get better and better as February unfolds although January was a little disappointing for me. I'll try to keep everyone up to date when the bite really fires off. Pompano are excellent table fare as well as being die hard fighters. Fishing the shoals in and around the passes should produce good numbers of these tasty fish. If you are looking to try something a little different, go further inside and try sight fishing for pompano along the numerous shallow bars throughout the area. Pompano are famous for skipping out of a boats prop wash which lets me know I'm in the right place. My favorite lures are the Bomber Nylure Pompano Jig and a jig called a Silly Willy. i like to use a jig that is heavy enough to keep me in contact with the bottom, depending on the depth and current. Work the jig with a short, sharp jigging action while maintaining bottom contact.. When you feel a thump, set the hook and hang on!
Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you'll remember.
Reelfishing is a Fort Myers fishing charter as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible.
Catch Fish, No Excuses!
Target Species:
redfish, trout and snook
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