Fall Tarpon Migration and Schooling Redfish

Capt. Scott Hughes
September 30, 2010
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Even though the fishing charters are pretty slow right now I've been doing quite a bit of fishing on my own to stay with the fall tarpon migration. The tarpon are following the bait schools and feed heavily to fuel their migration for the winter. Most of these tarpon are very large averaging over 100 pounds. I've been doing well with a variety of artificial lure and live baits. Live ladyfish and sardines hooking the most tarpon with spoons, jigs and soft plastic swim baits producing as well. There are a number a locations that have been holding tarpon. Look for bait schools on the beaches outside of Boca Grande Pass, Captiva Island and Fort Myers Beach. You can also run into groups of migrating tarpon in the bays also.

Redfish starting schooling a few weeks ago and this is the best time of the year to catch good numbers of "bull" redfish. These over sized reds are moving though the passes and schooling on the nearby grass flats. Any outside grass flat near the passes can hold a school of redfish this time of year. I've been mostly fishing the bars in Charlotte Harbor but Pine Island Sound and Lemon Bay are also holding good schools of redfish.

Fort Myers Fishing Forecast:

The tarpion fishing is just about over. I'd guess that we have no more than 2-3 weeks of good tarpon fishing before its over for the winter. Fishing for bull redfish should remain strong for the rest of the fall. The large schools of redfish should be around into early November. After that its mostly singles and small groups.

Target Species:

Tarpon and Redfish

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