Fly Fishing For Redfish
Capt. Butch Rickey
July 19, 2012
Pine Island Sound - Saltwater Fishing Report
Week ending 5-19-12.............
I had two trips this week with Jeff Voigt and his friend Lloyd Dyer, on Thursday and Friday. Jeff is from Spokane, Washington, and Lloyd is from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and met where they vacation in Arizona, and became fishing buddies. They're both 71, and in excellent condition. They were fishing their way down the west coast of Florida, and had fished Sarasota the previous day with Steve Gibson, and were headed to Chokoloskee for a couple of days after we fished. Both were fly fishermen, but Lloyd fished spinning gear on these trips.
Unfortunately, we would be fishing right behind a big cold front which delivered us lots of rain. I fully expected things would be tough on the water, as they always are just after a cold front. But, we didn't have alternate days to look at.
We elected to fish Estero Bay on Thursday, and met at the Lovers Key ramp at 6:30. The weather was questionable and it was windy. We were in the water and off to see the fish wizard by 7:00. We followed the incoming tide as we fished from deeper pockets early to the shallower flats later on the tide when it is higher.
Jeff got a couple of trout, a couple of ladyfish, and a couple of small jacks on clousers, early. I remember that Lloyd got the first redfish of the day off a mangrove shoreline, as well as a jack, but I can't recall what else. I had lots of redfish hits, and also caught some trout, ladyfish, and small jacks in my hunt for a redfish bite, but we didn't get on a redfish bite until the last stop of the morning. Jeff got 4 reds on spoonflies, I landed 3 and lost 1 at the boat, and I've lost track of what Lloyd caught. We did get some redfish, but it wasn't a typical day.
Back at the dock there was a guide moored there and talking to another guide on his cellphone, while I cleaned fish. I couldn't help but overhear his conversation, and he was complaining of no bait and no fish. He wasn't a happy camper, for sure.
Friday, we elected to fish out of Castaways on Sanibel. I was certain it would be another tough day of redfishing, but that may have been a mis-underestimation! We were at the ramp and on the water early.
The first thing we discovered was that the water was again, or perhaps still, full of floating turtlegrass, as it had been earlier. That floating grass makes it hard to fish anything, but especially hard to work lures successfully. As soon as the lure has picked up seaweed, you're no longer fishing. It's reel in, clean the lure, and try again.
We fished some holes early on the tide looking for trout, or whatever would bite. I was just waiting for the water to get right for redfish. Once it did, we made our move to the flats, and went to work. The reds were there, but between the seaweed floating everywhere, and their general unwillingness to bite, we had a tough time. Lloyd got 3 reds. I got 3 reds and broke one off, and Jeff got ladyfish, but no reds. It was a tough day, but we had fun working the fish hard.
Both Jeff and Lloyd were great guys and good fishermen, and fun to share time on the water with. I hope they were able to find some better conditions down south.
Target Species:
Redfish and trout
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