By Capt. GEORGE TUNISON

Now that we’ve seemed to skip March and move right into April, big schools of tarpon are just off Knapp’s Point! Well, not quite yet, but it would be nice, as I’m looking forward to stretching my back and line again while attached to a half-a-boat sized chrome giant, cartwheeling through the air.

Many locals can’t stand the tarpon tension so lately it’s been road trip time fishing the shrimp runs in Miami for not only tarpon but quality and monster-sized snook as by-catch especially at night.

March also gets the Keys mullet and tarpon season under way where you can try shallow water fly fishing with world class guides, to fishing the bridges, where live mullet or crabs are top baits. Should you decide to make the trip, 9-inch, pink Slugos on jig heads, and Bomber Long A plugs with single hooks, are reliable baits for the lure slinging crowd.

If you’ve haven’t caught a silver king, don’t have a boat or don’t feel like trailering yours and need a tarpon bite right now, Bahia Honda State Park at mile marker 37 is calling your name. This Keys tarpon destination is so good, so filled with fish, that they guarantee you’ll catch a tarpon, or fish for free! Most charters run about $700 for 4 people. With the fleet based right at the bridge, where the fishing takes place, the time is spent fishing, not on long boat rides. Call 800-241-1975 to reserve your date and tarpon guarantee.

Back at home base, lower 30s to upper 80s heat and windblown muddy water had some local inshore species scattered, proving tough to find. With warm, stable weather ahead, water quality and angling should quickly improve.

Pick your wind window to sample various grouper and snapper fishing offshore, checking traps for still remaining tripletail, on the way back in.

Our nearshore reefs are still the most dependable sheepshead destinations where permit still roam so be ready with some silver dollar-sized crabs in your well. These same reefs will host sharks on the lookout for your hooked sheepshead or snapper.

Many folks have been seeing and catching small cobia throughout Charlotte Harbor these past few weeks. If you are a true, big cobia fan, pack up the car, hitch up the boat and take a trip across the peninsula to experience some truly unique, hitchhiker, sight fishing. Starting this month giant manta rays come in close to the east coast, sometimes right off the beach, usually accompanied by pods of jumbo cobia riding or hitchhiking, on the mantas back. This fishing is usually done from tall tower boats which makes it much easier to spot the huge mantas and the cobia that are along for the ride. Cast a jig or live bait near the ray and one or more cobia will peel off and attack it.

With stable, warm weather, trout will roam the flats and a large, early morning, topwater plug might get the interest of a Southwest Florida gator-sized trout this coming week. Long casts and quiet boat handling help fool winter’s clear water and always skittish bigger specimens. In this part of Florida I would consider a trophy-sized or gator trout to be at least 5 pounds, and our most difficult local fish to target. Think long, flexible, rods, 10 to 15-pound braided line for long casts, and 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders for stealth.

Try Lake Okeechobee for some quality bass and crappie fishing this spring or road trip up to central Florida’s big bass factories like Lake Toho or Rodman and soak some jumbo golden shiners around the lily pads for your first 15-pound bucket mouth.

Another good source for fishing info is the local radio. Both FM 92.5 and 92.9 have good Saturday morning boating and fishing shows with Ingman Marine sponsored 92.9 geared more towards the serious angler, broadcasting Saturdays 7-9 AM.

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