Capt. George Tunison

Florida’s FWC is proud to announce that three of the state’s big bass factories — Lake O, Stick Marsh and Orange Lake — received national recognition as part of the Top Ten Bassmaster picks for best largemouth bass lakes in the nation.

Looking to bag your own trophy-sized Cape largemouth? You’ll find me ultra-slow trolling a big shiner in the early morning or bug suited for stealthy night duty using only one lure: a black, musky-sized Arborgast Jitterbug, fished very slowly near cover. I’ve been trying to find out if there is a Cape largemouth record and size. Please share any info you might have.

The 75-mile mark makes a good starting point for big red snapper and red grouper fishing along with some big mangroves. Snook still crowd the beaches and sharks of all sizes wait to challenge you.

Currently the world’s, or at least my angling world’s, most frustrating fish to hook are rolling and lazily feeding sometimes six feet from the seawall taunting me as I make cast after cast to them, usually with no takers. If you want to try the ultimate inshore challenge, take up the sport of big game tarpon fishing. If you want to drive yourself crazy, take up little game tarpon fishing. Yes, those 2 to 20-pound canal ghosts that mystically appear then suddenly disappear or that never seem to be hungry when I’m around will humble the best lure or fly angler. If you’re a “I only use lures” purist but just can’t make it happen, then small baitfish, shiners, minnows or shrimp sometimes work … sometimes.

I’ve only had success using the smallest of jigs and flies; lite 8-pound test braid; and long, 15-pound class, fluorocarbon leaders. A 6.5 to 7-foot ultra-lite spin or 6-weight fly rod will do nicely. If you see bigger fish rolling, double the end of your lite braid with a Bimini Twist or Spider Hitch to give added shock protection to your main line.

If you can’t connect on early morning canal walkabouts, then hit the lit docks at night to up your odds. Fish very quietly and you’ll often be amazed at what suddenly appears from the darkness — as in huge tarpon and sharks. Finally, if you walk and fish the canal banks and edges on early mornings, never forget that you are in toothy dinosaur territory.

Meanwhile, Boca Grande has slowed but still the party spot for our migrating tarpon with coastal fishing taking second place. Find those fish in close or two to three miles off the beach. Others reported in Captiva Pass, near the fishing shacks in Pine Island Sound, or the deep holes in Charlotte Harbor.

With spawning chores winding down, the main body of fish will move into Charlotte Harbor, eating and relaxing for the duration of the summer, which with the current record temps may last till Christmas.

If you can’t stand the day heat, then then hit the bridges at night for big tarpon fun. Live pinfish, mullet and ladyfish or dead on the bottom will put you in business. Single hook-equipped hard minnow baits and a variety of soft plastics work for casters.

“Bridging” is definitely a two-man team sport requiring constant communication and quick boat responses, especially when the fish decides to go through the bridge with the angler and captain knowing full well that one touch of the taunt line or leader to the concrete structure usually means a lost fish. These battles are often won or lost in the first few minutes of the game so carefully work out your game plan beforehand so you’re both on the same page when the big bite happens, otherwise it might be over rather quickly. Make sure you’re wearing your life vests as an over excited throttle man could easily eject you from a small skiff while fighting your big fish.

Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. You can contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol.com.