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 Fishing Report - Week of 4-27
Captain Sam Arcure with Team Arcure Fishing has been targeting sea trout, spanish mackerel, jacks and tarpon this past week on fly along the beaches and on the grass flats located inside of passes. On the flats, the fish have been caught using chartreuse and white Clouser Minnows and white Deceivers. The Clousers work the best over the grass flats as the fish like the falling action of the fly. Mackerel and jacks will eat the white Deceivers. For Tarpon the best patterns to use are the chartreuse and white Deceivers or a Toad in purple, tan or green. Cockroaches and anything that replicates a crab pattern should also work. Capt. Sam says to make sure that you present the fly far enough ahead of the fish so that the fly has time to sink to the depth that the fish are located. Utilizing retrieving strips of six inches for crabs and up to twelve inches for larger flies, works best on almost all the species in our area. Remember to keep the fly line free on the deck so that you don’t get a tangle and break off when the big one hits.
Capt. Jon Fetter of Catching The Cure Charters said that this week was a lot like last week with the continuation of a great snook bite. Threadfin herrings netted around the bridges and whitebait off the beaches are both working. Fish the mangroves and around the floating docks, during the inbound tides, with free lined baits on 2/0 or 3/0 circle hooks. The tarpon are starting to show up off the beaches and are also willing to take free lined threads. Beef up your leader to 80 pounds and increase your hook size to a 7/0 circle hook. Jon offers this tip as well... Get out early and beat the afternoon heat and you will enjoy some really good fishing.
Capt. Brad Brown of Moonlite Charters said that he has mainly been concentrating his efforts on tarpon, this past week, and has managed to land several in the 100 pound range. Free lining large threadfin herrings while drifting in twenty or so feet of water just off the beaches has been very productive. Hammerhead and blacktip sharks are a common by-catch while waiting for a tarpon to hit, so be ready for “toothy” creatures. Redfish, snook and trout are still active around the higher tides in the backcountry with a few jacks mixed in as well. Work around oyster bars and mangrove shorelines using live bait under popping corks for best results this time of year.
Capt. Phil Pica of Pica Charters reported that the tarpon fishing in the Gulf has been very good this past week and should get even better as we roll into May. Threadfin herrings have been his go-to bait for the most part, but catfish tails have been working on the rougher days. Trout and gag grouper fishing is also working inside of 9 miles on the rock piles. Live bait, cut bait and shrimp are all producing.
Capt. Rob Modys of SoulMate Charters reported great action on the near shore reefs. Multiple catches of big trout, pompano, spanish mackerel and gag grouper were at the top of the list, along with a few snook and snapper. Live shrimp on jigs drifted slowly toward the bottom worked very well and so did cut threadfin herrings. Find a location with bait showing on top of the water, anchor up and then chum a bit. It shouldn’t take long to locate fish. Tarpon are showing out in the Gulf. Look for birds and rolling fish and then work to get ahead of them. When they approach, cast a live threadfin at them and you should hook up in short order. These are big fish so have the appropriate tackle on board. The grass flats of Estero Bay near the passes are producing nice sized trout with lots of keepers. Popping corks rigged with shrimp or live bait are working best.
A week of great weather for the Holiday weekend produced excellent fishing conditions and reports were good across the board. Looks like we are in for more of the same this coming week, but the crowds will be smaller and there will be more room for those of us not heading north for the summer.
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