Fishing with Capt. George Tunison | Trout fishing frustrating for some, but fun for others
Trout fishing remains frustrating for some this winter and an easy catch for others. Because of on and off again cold weather, be willing to move from spot to spot as the trout probably won’t be where you found them last week.
Toss out a live or DOA 2-inch shrimp or a Tiny Terroreyz under floats as you quietly drift afternoon sun-warmed flats, all the while casting small soft plastics with enough jig weight to keep them slowly hopping near bottom. Faster retrieves near the surface attract ladyfish which is fine as they provide great action on light tackle and then later, cut it up into 2-inch chunks for tossing around and under mangrove edges where “Mr. Nose” will come running when he gets a whiff of this redfish candy.
If you find a school of trout, small trout, keep moving to see if you can locate bigger fish. Always check schools of mullet with a few casts as quite often a whopper trout will be along for the ride as the mullet stir the bottom as they move.
Cold weather as well as negative tides put trout and other flats dwellers in predictable locations. Deeper creeks, channels, marinas, canals and upriver provide thermal comfort during cold snaps, only to have them reappear and feed again as the late day sun bakes the water. Negative tides obviously move fish into predictable locations as well by reducing the size of the playing field which ups the angler’s odds.
Small juvenile trout are relatively easy to fool while a Southwest Florida gator or true trophy trout are as skittish as Keys bonefish. Unfortunately for local anglers looking for a trout of a lifetime, we don’t live in true gator territory. Although we have a good numbers of fish, a trout over 5 pounds is quite rare in these parts. Trophy seatrout anglers head further north to get into double digit trout territory.
As a general rule, start your search beginning around Tampa Bay and continue up to the state line for a shot at a 10-pound or greater trophy. In 1995, Craig Carson of Fort Pierce was “walkin’ the dawg” with his favorite Zara Spook, which tripped the trigger of a hair under 40-inch-long trout that weighed in at 17.7 pounds, establishing a world record that still stands.
Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon have traditionally been a great place to find your double digit trout of a lifetime although continuing water pollution woes continue to take a toll on the underwater environment of this world class fishery as well as it’s pollution sensitive trout.
True gator size trout are wise, skittish and noise sensitive. Fish accordingly. Seatrout are also sensitive to poor handling. Never handle a trout with dry hands or even worse, a rag or towel.
Sheepshead are enjoying the cool weather and the most consistent catches are coming from local near-shore reefs where fish over 10 pounds are possible.
The Matlacha Drawbridge and the Sanibel Causeway are solid choices when it comes to these tasty bait stealers as well as an old favorite for big sheepies, the old phosphate docks at Boca Grande Pass off Gasparilla Island.
The Cape Coral Tarpon Hunters Club calendar lists Feb. 24 for a public meeting which takes place at 7 p.m. at the Lake Kennedy Center at 400 Santa Barbara Blvd., in Cape Coral.
If you are new to tarpon fishing, this is the place to be to sign up to become a member of the world’s largest tarpon club where you will receive an A-Z education in how to put your silver king in the air and more importantly, how to take proper care of your fish after the battle.
Rat reds with an occasional over-slot fish are patrolling the mangroves along with mostly small snook, where ladyfish chunks and reliable shrimp fished on bottom, will get action.
Thankfully, our recent cold shot didn’t produce a 2010 like snook kill.
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. You can contact him at (239) 579-0461 or via email at captgeorget3@aol.com.