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Water getting clearer fish moving back in.
Capt. Jim Conant
May 19, 2016
Matlacha - Saltwater Fishing Report
19 May 2016
The last two weeks of fishing has had its ups and downs thanks to the cold front that came through that pushed everything into deep water or even offshore for several days until the water temp flattened out. Huge snook are being caught seems almost everywhere since the season closed April 30th. I'm seeing more and more red fish in Matlacha pass along with a lot more mullet schools. Big mangrove snappers around oyster beds and some really nice trout. The weather is definitely turning into a summer time pattern with westerly winds in the afternoon and T-storms building coastal and pouring down inland. Water quality in the pass is clearing up south of the bridge and north just pass marker 78. Threadfins are plentiful for bait, I am using them for Tarpon, Reds and snook. I did catch a really huge snapper on a cut threadfin the other day, wasn't expecting that one on my line. I have been fishing more pine island sound prior to this week since bait is a lot easier to find out there. Fishing has been tough, while I want to target a certain species that day I end up having to find what is biting instead in the 4 hour slots my clients have allotted. This week I am back to fishing Matlacha catching bait to the north and staying close to where I caught the bait to fish most of the time but always drifted towards Charlotte harbor and burnt store area since the Tarpon, cobia and Spanish macks are out and about. White bait such as greenbacks I haven't had much luck cast netting some here and there but small pins are great for trout (yes those really small ones 1-2") otherwise I've been using cut mullet, live and cut threadfins for my baits of choice. I've been fishing both the flats on incoming tide and mangroves on the high and outgoing. Some days I'm on fire and others it's just a low fish count day. I can't attribute it to any one thing but I lean towards one day water quality is better and the next the water is so murky with a foul smell, and grass isn't where it used to be and dying off as I write. Good news is with what I am seeing with bait moving back in to Matlacha and seeing more and more Reds and snook the bite will hopefully return to normal and steady good fishing. If you see me out at the ramps feel free to say hi.
No pictures this time, check out my Facebook page for recent pictures and trips. If you're ready to go fishing give me a call to plan your trip so we can try and catch the tides right. If you're a Veteran with proof I have the best prices around and I guarantee it. I'm also on Facebook at Jimbo's Charters where I post pictures if my clients let me and my website www.Jimboscharters.com
Captain Jim
239-671-4692
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