Capt. George Tunison

There’s something bad happening in the waters and to the fish in the Florida Keys and marine biologists from the FWC and other organizations can’t figure out why. From Key West up to Miami, reports of spinning, eventually dying fish, having been coming in since last November and the reports are increasing. Fish simply spin and jerk in random patterns sometimes for hours till exhausted then die.

From tarpon, snapper, rays, grouper down to pinfish, as many as 27 species so far are reported having problems. Slow growing sawfish, an already endangered species, are especially hard hit with several deaths already recorded. Sawfish are the first marine fish to receive federal protection under the endangered species act of 2003.

So far biologists have ruled out red tide poisons, parasite issues and other common fish diseases with the current closest educated guess being a form of microalgae called gambierdisous, a naturally occurring toxin related to another toxin, ciguatera, which affects humans that consume certain fish species such as barracuda.

One thing for sure, scientists are scrambling to identify the problem, which, besides the great environmental impact has the potential to severely impact the Keys economy and beyond, as well depending on how far north it spreads. With our own marine environment under attack from Lake O discharges to our own local pollution issues, “the spins” is the last thing we need.

For now, if you’ve been wade fishing and start spinning, feel the urge to spin or if you see any fish spinning or acting erratically – large or small – please call the FWC Fish Kill Hotline ASAP at 800-636-0511 and report it. Jot down the species, time and location details as well. This is very important. Please participate.

Any sawfish sightings, deaths or other sawfish issues, contact the FWC at 844-472-9374 or sawfish@myfwc.com with details and possible photos. Keep in mind sawfish are on the endangered species and are not to be fished for, harassed or touched.

On the local scene, we still have lots of small snook and rat red catches with more slot and some over-slot exceptions being caught. For the reds, use their keen sense of smell against them and present smelly baits as far back under docks and mangrove shorelines as possible. Live or dead shrimp and cut pinfish are always good choices as well as my GULP-soaked, hot dog chunks, which with a good side arm skip cast get far back and under the mangroves to a lurking big ‘un.

Whitebait isn’t abundant yet but its snook candy when available, so if your live well is empty try smaller, suspending plugs like MirrOdines that can be fished slowly and erratically like an easy meal baitfish. You can add a split ring to increase action but using a reliable, rear facing tag end, loop knot is a better choice. In all cases, the less hardware the better. The water is warming but fast summer retrieves or lure styles is still a bit away. Concentrate on making your lure look alive and struggling to survive to get the interest of a big, but still chilly, snook.

Lots of small trout are being taken on shrimp under corks and plastic paddle tails on jigs. If you’re on a school of small trout, the only way to find bigger ones is to stay on the move looking for larger fish in different schools. By all means, if you’re targeting trout, bend down your hook barbs to reduce tissue damage to juvenile fish.

One of my lite tackle, shallow water favorites, the razor toothed bluefish, are still around along with pompano and a decreasing number of sheepshead.

Cobia are being caught in and offshore as well as super-strong amberjack looking to stretch your back. Kingfish should be showing soon. Eighty to a hundred-plus feet for continued red grouper and assorted bottom catches with closer in GPS numbers producing many of the same bottom fish species.

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.