The weatherman got us again! Last week every local weather station called for a Friday cold front lasting into early Sunday but ending with a pleasant Monday. Believing that information I was relieved as clients had already booked a trip for that “pleasant” day.

By 1 p.m. on Monday, the wind was gusting to near 30 mph across wide open Pine Island Sound, the water a chalky white and filled with strands and bunches of slime algae that’s actually taking over and killing many areas of vital sea grasses throughout the harbor. Conditions too rough, actually dangerous to stand up and fish, we cashed in early thankful we weren’t caught offshore in those high winds.

The point is to use common sense and take all weather reports and tide charts with an understanding both are but predictions — often very inaccurate ones.

If you’re new to the area and to boating, study and understand the available tide charts and remember that strong winds can greatly alter tide height predictions. During the winter months very low or negative tides are the norm in this area. On some blustery days you might only have a foot of water even though your tide chart tells you there should be double or triple that.

Not so critical in a shallow draft flats boat, but obviously a potentially dangerous situation for bigger craft. Stay in the marked channel all the time. Through some areas of Matlacha Pass, straying off course just a few yards during a negative tide event can ground you, causing severe damage to your hull and life threatening injuries to your passengers.

You bought your shiny new boat but didn’t pay less than $200 a year for on the water towing? Who will you call when it won’t start?

With bait moving in, it’s time to finally purchase and learn to use a cast net and to make sure your live well is properly set up to provide plenty of aeration to keep a well full alive and frisky for hours. Under-aerated and overcrowded, plus warm water, equals dead and dying baitfish.

Cast nets come in different diameters from 3 to 12 feet and in different mesh or opening sizes with 1/4 and 3/8 the most popular. Mesh sizes over an inch are available as well. Seeking smaller baits, minnow or small shiners, go with the smaller mesh size. Want full grown mullet? Then chose a wide mesh.

The larger the net the heavier and more difficult it is to throw well. A good all-round choice would be a 6 or 8-footer. Cheap nets are machine made and vary in quality. Handmade means usually more money but superior quality.

There are many brands on the market so spending a few minutes at the ramp asking questions will pay off. Talk to the guides and commercial fishermen that use them daily and ask what they recommend.

Like anything else used in saltwater, take care of your net, keep it clean and hosed off with fresh water to prolong its useful life. Most guides or tackle shops will show you the art of cast net throwing. There seems to be an endless number of techniques. YouTube is a great place to get plenty of lessons. Pick a technique that is comfortable for you and practice till you can throw perfect pancakes or full circles each throw to cover a wide area and collect as much bait as possible on each throw.

Another item to purchase is a bait bat which is basically a fat wiffle ball bat with the top end cut off. Load a handful of cut shrimp or whitebaits into the bat and use the bat to throw or broadcast your chum to a specific area that you want to “turn on” This method really gets the fish active and feeding and eating your hook that’s baited with those same chum items.

Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. Contact him at 239-282-9434 or captgeorget3@aol.com.