Boca Grande's October fishing forecast.
Capt. Danny Latham
October 6, 2011
Boca Grande - Saltwater Fishing Report
The fishing in Punta Gorda and Boca Grande this September was awesome! Boca Grande fishing charters have been procuding some outstanding Redfish. I have had multiple 50 plus fish days and that's not including all of the Snook and Trout that are mixed in. The rods have definetly stayed bent. The Punta Gorda fishing charters have been very productive for reds and snook as well but the Tarpon have been the real highlight. I've averaged about 3-4 hook ups a trip and they have all been nice fish in th 80lb -120lb range. On top of all that the pompano have showed up, grouper season is open and there are mackeral and sharks all over. That's why october is one of my favorite months.
It's "School Time" and the Redfish are definetly schooled up. I have been fishing on about 10 different schools the past few weeks and have had some really good days. Most of the schools have about a hundred fish and the fish are about 30 inches, weighing around 10lb-12lbs. The redfish action will continue throughout October and into November depending on the cold fronts. As the schools begin to break up after their annual spawn, and a few more cold fronts, they are going to feed like mad. If your throwing artificials you've got to put some topwaters on around the schools. I have a few topwaters that literally don't have any paint left on them from catching so many fish. Paint or no paint the big bulls have been killing them. The Mirrolure Top Dog Jr. and She Dog have both been producing crazy amount of fish.
The Tarpon fishing is still very good. I've been averaging 3 to 4 hook ups a trip. There are quit a few fish in Charlotte Harbor and the recent cold fronts have got the beaches producing some fish as well. Large numbers of ladyfish and mackerel have moved into the harbor the past month and the tarpon have been right behind them. When the ladyfish come up to feed the tarpon go crashing through them as they re trying to feed and not paying as much attention as they normally would. It's an awesome thing to witness and it's guaranteed fish when you can them. The fishing methods really vary though. I have caught fish on a number of different live baits, dead baits and artificials. You just have to play it by ear and find what they want.
The Snook have started to migrate back onto the flats and they have been feeding really well. I have had some 30 plus fish days the past few weeks with some nice fish in the 30" range. I have caught a lot of my fish on topwaters while fishing for reds and my clients loved it. The fish have also been more than eager to gobble up a nice live sardine and pinfish as they begin to fatten up for winter. 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 August Snook action. Lures like Mirrolure 3" Soft Sardine and Mirrolure Mirrodine should both be good choices for for catching spring time Snook. Please remember that Snook season will be catch and release only until at least September 2011 .
The fall Pompano run has definetly started. I have been seeing more and more fish the past few weeks and have caught some really good numbers. The nice thing is that they are all fairly large, weighing 3lb-5lbs. These fish make excellent table fare as well as fighting really hard. Nylure jigs and Silly Willy's in pink have been the ticket for catching these tasty fish.
The nearshore fishing has been outstanding. There are a ton of Spanish Mackerel as well as a few Kingfish. The Mangrove Snapper continue to feed and I have caught some nice Cobia the past few weeks. Grouper have also been very cooperative and I have caught some nice limits of keepers.
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:
tarpon, snook, redfish, pompano
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