On the Water with Capt. Bill Russell | Conditions made for some tough fishing
Wind and slow moving water, plus a few days with cooler weather made for tough fishing for a good part of the past week. Following a full moon, we get several days of long, weak tides, add a few days with gusty northeast winds and you can expect less than desirable fishing conditions. With that said, plenty of anglers were on the water heading into the Easter weekend and fish were caught.
Capt. Bill Russell
Seatrout were caught, however not in the numbers as in previous weeks. The better reports came from water protected from the wind in south Pine Island Sound around Galt Island and McKeever Keys, and also in the north sound between Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa.
Redfish up to 31 inches were caught along shorelines and oyster bars around eastern Pine Island Sound and southern Matlacha Pass. Most were singles or pairs staging along in areas where winds were pushing the water.
Most of the week smaller snook had a bigger appetite than the larger ones. Fish running from 18-25 inches were hooked around most islands, keys and oyster bars. Larger snook up to 33 inches were hooked, but they were few and far between.
Tarpon anglers had the toughest go all week. It’s hard enough to locate and fish for tarpon, add a strong wind and it becomes challenging. A few areas semi-protected from rough water with tarpon hook-ups included off the eastern side of Charlotte Harbor and around Cabbage Key. The best baits were live Atlantic thread herring, cut mullet and small crabs.
Tarpon were reported in Boca Grande with fish hooked on days with lighter winds.
OK, enough with the wind, we are near the end of April! We are all ready for a week or two of consistent days of light winds. I know the offshore and tarpon guys and gals are ready.
Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at: myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish. If you turn on your GPS location the Fish Rules app updates to your location. In my opinion, it is more accurate and up to date than FWC’s website.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service — call or text 239-410-8576; website at fishpineisland.com; or email gcl2fish@live.com.
Have a safe week and good fishin’
As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for over 20 years.