Spring-my favorite time of year is here. The winds of winter finally laid down half way through the month of April and the big fish bite was starting to heat up. The water clarity did not clear up until mid May; mud and sand could be seen moving through the currents on the flats. The oyster bars, grass flats, and outside reefs now have abundance of nutrients to feed on. Breeder fish like Snook started moving in on almost every point that had moving water. A very healthy stock this season with a lot of these fish going over 33 inches in length and some much larger that got away. Pictured below are my clients that won the battles.
The Sea Trout bite was one of the best this spring. Targeting these tasty fish with popping corks and shrimp, bucktail jigs, and a variety of soft plastic swim baits. In the same area where I target the Sea Trout, big Black Drum could be found. It always gets exciting when you go from small fish to giants.
The one fish that was elusive this spring was the Redfish. Because of the dirty water in the area, they did not want to come out of the rivers. The Shark bite was great. They seemed to be everywhere. This could be another reason why the Reds were not around.
May thru June the water clarity cleared up incredibly. Water temperatures started to rise to the mid 80s and the wind was almost non existent. Sight fishing was now on the mind, always looking for pushing water from large fish. Top water lure fishing first thing in the morning will always get your heart rate up. If you’re into a large explosion from a big fish you defiantly want to try it. June this year started the rainy season. Unlike last year, it was almost all afternoon showers. This did help out incredibly with the water temperatures; keeping them right where they needed to be-in the mid 80s. Another noteworthy fish that is making a great comeback to the area is the pesky Mangrove Snapper. Now this fish is here year round, usually not a targeted fish do to the size. Mangrove Snapper, aka the bait steeler, is one of the best tasting fish in the shallows. This year has been one of the best I have seen in quite awhile, with them averaging in the 11 to 16 inch range and they have been every where. The Mangrove Snapper are one of the fish that has entertained my young clients this entire spring.
Towards the middle of June the baits that we have been seeing in every bay and flat have finally gotten to the size need to be netted. Just in time for summer. It is going to be hot and the bite is going to be hotter. If you would like to get in on some of this fishing please give me a call for booking information.
Thank you for the read. Tight Lines!
Captain Jim Fortman
239-325-7109
jstickum@gmail.com
Backwater Fishing in Naples & the Ten Thousand Islands 