HAPPENINGS AROUND SWFL

By: Capt. Terry Fisher

March 2-5 are the dates for this year’s BONITA BOAT SHOW, being held at the ‘old’ Grey Hound Racetrack. I will be on hand to deliver three 1 and ½ hour seminars on ‘Where, When and How to Catch Fish’. Each session will include inshore, offshore and tarpon techniques (30 minutes dedicated to each topic) designed to insure everyone has the opportunity to check the show itinerary for times of each seminar. As usual, the fishing seminars will be sponsored by Coastal Angler Magazine!

Springtime brings out the best in people and fish. The fish are less lethargic and more aggressive. Strikes become more aggressive on both artificial and live presentations. Artificial presentations include soft plastics, topwater, swim and twitch baits. Shrimp, Pilchards, Pinfish and Threadfins some of the more effective live baits. Depending on the water temperatures, migratory species such as; Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, Tarpon and shark will open up the fishery making it worthwhile to target just off the beaches and passes.

Sheepshead are both inshore and offshore. The larger ones normally come inshore about December to spawn and remain until sometime in March. Unfortunately, the Sheepshead have not been as large or as plentiful as previous years, say since 2021.However, they are harvestable and hopefully will remain inshore for a period of time to provide some great angling and eating for those who like to target them.

The Seatrout bite should be good this month with larger ones in the mix. I enjoy targeting them in the grass flats anywhere from three to five foot of water. The higher March tides will offer opportunities to fish deeper holes and areas around the mangrove islands that were not accessible to many anglers during previous winter months. Regardless of when or where one fishes for them, they will bite on artificial and live presentations.

Hopefully the Spanish Mackerel migration will be in full swing. January and early February failed to provide the normal opportunities to catch them. When here they will be found off the beaches, in the passes and inshore. Watch for diving birds and catch them on live or artificial presentations. I utilize a couple of methods to catch these fish.

1) I like to target them in the passes or off the beaches on incoming and outgoing tides. I freeline pilchards on light tackle with heavy monofilament leaders to prevent ‘bite-offs’. Other than for Kingfish, I do not like to use wire line with or without ‘stinger’ hooks, although they are very effective. I have a good catch rate and more bites on 40lb. monofilament leaders with 1oz. silver spoons (slow troll or cast) in the passes.

2) In the grass flats while fishing for seatrout one may expect to catch a number of them on artificial or live bait presentations. I recommend and use a popping cork on most all occasions when fishing for seatrout in the deeper grassy flats. Spanish Mackerel, Pompano, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle usually become part of the action. The Redfish action should start to pick-up for anglers as the higher tides allow access to more areas holding them. During the winter months we experience low water levels preventing anglers from getting boats to reclusive locations to fish for them. During the winter months, I spend a lot of time working the high side of the tides in and around the passes, under and around docks, with a lot of current. Not as effective as ‘back-country’ locations around the oyster bars and mangrove islands, but it produces from time to time. These fish become by-catches of Sheepshead and Mangrove Snappers. It’s just a matter of when they are there (time of day). I prefer live shrimp, live pilchards, live or cut Pinfish.

Springtime Snook will be found at the mouth of creeks and up the rivers. They will also be in the shallows of the passes and under the docks. Again, the higher March tides will allow anglers access to the same ‘back-country’ locations that Redfish will be found. Live presentations of Pilchards for these fish will be the most productive, so I suggest learn to throw a cast net for them.

Offshore locations should produce some nice size Mangrove and Lane Snappers along with grunts for harvesting. These will be accessible for anglers not having vessels for long-range running (10 or more miles out). I suggest one looks to 35-45 foot of water with bottom structure such as grass, rubble, etc. Medium heavy rods with small circle hooks (1/0-2/0) and light leaders of 15-20lb for best results. Recommended baits are squid, pilchards, silver side minnows and shrimps. Take more chum than beer for best results!

L ong range offshore locations (35-40 miles) with depths from 85 to 110 ft. should produce some nice Mangroves, Lane Snappers and Grouper for harvesting. Baits of choice will include squid, Pinfish, Cigar Minnows and shrimps. Upgrade your equipment to bigger circle hooks, medium to heavy rods with stronger line and leaders to handle the bigger fish.

Th is is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters LLC wishing everyone good fishing. Check out my website at www.fishfacecharters.com, Instagram or Facebook for updates. Email me at fishfacecharters@yahoo.com or call me at 239-357-6829 to book a charter. I am available as Captain for Hire on your vessel (by the hour) for navigation, fishing locations and techniques that insure you always catch fish.

Well, another month has gone by here in Southwest Florida, and fishing continues to be great! The weather has remained typical for this time of year, and some of our wintertime staples have showed up in good numbers. The wind has been primarily blowing out of the east, so we haven’t had to take too many days off due to weather related issues. It’s a great time of year with mild temperatures making for great days out on the water!

The bite has been good pretty much across the board. Up and down the coast there are massive schools of pilchards, threadfins, and other baitfishes drawing in predators. From shore to a few miles off, we have been catching sharks, little tunny, large jack crevalle and a variety of other predatory fish. There have even been a handful of tarpon schools showing up, which is uncommon for this time of year. By venturing out to some of the nearshore wrecks and reefs, we’ve had some stellar days limiting out on cobia, snapper, grouper and more. Gag grouper have still been active over the course of the last month since the water has held relatively steady at around 70 degrees F. Although their season closed January 1st, they are still a lot of fun to catch and will definitely put a bend in your rod. Cobia have still been popping up all over the place. This past month we caught them on every type of bottom imaginable, from reef to wreck to live bottom. To increase your odds of running across cobia, chum heavily and use a variety of bait presentations. I like to have at least three different setups going, a high line, bottom rig, and something mid-range. This way, if they do wander towards your boat, they will be presented with something regardless of where they are in the water column. Snapper and sheepshead have also made an appearance. Again, heavy chumming will bring them up into your chum line, and drifting baits towards them using "yellowtail crusher” jigs and long, fluorocarbon leaders are your best bet. Permit are here as well, with some solid fish being brought on board. If you luck out and get a flat enough day, you can sight fish them by spotting their sickle-shaped fins protruding from the water. And, of course, a local favorite, tripletail, are here! This year has been a little bit slower than years past when it comes to finding tripletail, but what has been lacking in quantity has been being made up for in quality, with some big doormat sized fish being caught.

We are still recovering from Hurricane Ian in the community, but the waters are just fine. The State of Florida has done an excellent job of moving nearly all of the debris from the water and mangroves, and most of the boat launches/marinas in our area are back open. The weather is great, the water is pristine, and the fish are biting so call today to book your trip with Pale Horse Fishing Charters!

March/2023 • 26°38’N 82°4’W

March/2023

By: Dan Carns

a lot more water each time I went out. As a kayak fishing guide at Gulf Coast Kayak in Matlacha and now a ProStaff team member at Vanhunks. I’ve had the opportunity to use a wide range of kayaks. Each one, whether it’s a dedicated fishing platform or a recreational kayak from which you can fish, they all have advantages, one over another. But the real game changer for me are the new peddle drive systems.

The Fin Drive from Vanhunks is a technology that has been around for a while now, (yes, your Mirage Drive will fit out kayaks) and is superb at allowing you to move about and fish at the same time. Also, in windy conditions or raging tides you have the ability to maintain position without dropping an anchor and still be able to target fish as these are foot powered systems. The Fin Drive is exceptional in very shallow water as the fins can be held flush under the hull without having to pull them out.

When you decide to buy a new kayak there are a number of things to consider. Where and how are you going to use it. Will it be flat calm water or deep open ocean. How far do you plan to travel once you’re in the water and can you handle the weight when it comes time to load it up on your vehicle. I feel like one of the biggest decisions comes down to what kind of propulsion system do you want. There’s no doubt that long distance touring kayaks are paddle crafts while the move toward Sit On Top (SOT) recreational and dedicated fishing crafts is opening up the possibility of foot powered propulsion as well as battery powered drives systems.

I spent almost 20 years fishing from a Sit Inside (SI) kayak but ultimately chose to join the SOT foot powered crowd and several things happened right away. I began to catch more fish and I was able to cover

Our Propeller Drive system uses a bicycle peddle style motion to propel your kayak forward and has the added ability to instantly reverse by peddling backwards! The Prop drive is fast so if you hook into a fish that’s moving into shallow cover you can simply peddle backwards moving you and the fish out of harms way. It’s really a matter of personal preference once you decide to go to a peddle drive kayak, but a test run on the water is a good place to start.

There is a third option when you want to cover more ground. Battery powered motors are taking the Kayak Fishing Tournament scene by storm. We carry several options for battery powered drive systems including the Bixby J2 Outboard Kit. The Bixby Drive system can be mounted four ways making it super versatile. We also carry Amped Outdoors batteries providing superior power while keeping the weight down.

Check us out at vanhunksboarding.com to see what’s all the rage in Kayak propulsion systems.

It’s A Wild World-Get Out There! Fishman Dan

Women to Tackle Inshore Saltwater Fishing at Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Gulf Coast University, March 18-19, 2023

The nonprofit Ladies, Let's Go Fishing Foundation will host their Gulf Coast Saltwater Fishing University March 18-19, 2023 at Bass Pro Shops Fort Myers. Women, men and teens can learn and practice fishing at several hands-on skill stations on Saturday, then have an option to fish inshore from charter boats on Sunday. Registration of $89 Early Entry, $99 Regular includes classes, hands on practice, gifts and more. Guided inshore fishing on Sunday is additional. No equipment or experience is necessary.

Perfect for women, men and teens who want to learn local fishing, this “No-Yelling School of Fishing” offers an immersive fishing educational experience on Saturday from 9:30 am to 4 pm. The sessions begin with presentations by Captains Debbie Hanson and Rob Fussnecker on inshore/backcountry fishing, equipment usage and conservation. In the afternoon are hands-on fishing skill practice for releasing, dehooking/conservation, knot tying, lure usage, fly, spin and net casting, fish fighting techniques and more conducted by local guides. On Sunday, participants can opt to fish from flats charters.

Betty Bauman, Founder commented, “While the area recovers from Hurricane Ian, there are businesses and guides that have reopened and need commerce.”

Bass Pro Shops Fort Myers is in the Gulf Coast Town Center at 10040 Gulf Center Dr., Fort Myers, FL 33913

Contact: phone (954) 475-9068; email info@ladiesletsgofishing. com; website www.ladiesletsgofishing.com; Facebook www.facebook. com/ladiesletsgofishing.

By: Capt. Tony Young

If you have been spearfishing, hunting, or fishing for a while then you either have or want a story like this for yourself. As watermen, there becomes a point when you long for the “BIG ONE”. The goal is still to bring fish home for the family, don't get me wrong, but as you do it more you look for larger and more mature fish. Spearfishing is a lot like bow or rifle hunting. You can stalk your fish and learn about them, their behaviors, and where they live. I believe this is one of the reasons why spearfishing can consume so much of your life and drive you crazy at times. Just like hunting a mature whitetail buck, learning his pattern, where he eats, and where he sleeps. Hunting a big fish on a specific spot will require the same amount of time and dedication.

W hen I first met Pat Galyon, I had no idea how close of friends we would become and how his passion for spearfishing would challenge me as a guide. Pat and I started diving together about eight years ago. He was a great diver and we shot a lot of beautiful fish together. As time went on, I challenged Pat to continue his dive training and he challenged us to find him larger fish to shoot. Long story short, Pat would become one hell of a diver and ready to put the work in for a fish of a lifetime.

A few years ago we found a new spot, by accident, and dove it on a clear day to see what it was. The spot had hundreds of lobsters on it and we shot a few nice. There was also a nearby wreck that provided good habitat for large fish and it was always loaded up with a ton of bait. We knew of a large cubera snapper that frequented this wreck, from diving it in the past, but we really only saw him once or twice and didnt know much about him. With Pats dedication and some new information on this area, we started to piece it all together. Over the next two years we learned a lot about this fish. The tough thing about cubera snapper is that they move and change daily routines with the seasons. The window to hunt him at this particular spot was short and we really didn't have any idea where he went the rest of the year. However, the puzzle was being put together and it was only a matter of time until we got a chance at him.

Pat and his wife Nancy dive with us most every week, his wife especially loves to dive the reef and hunt Lionfish. When it was just Pat on the boat, he called it big fish day and we would go try for the big cubera. Most of the time, the fish would bust us. He was usually in the mid water column feeding and we bumped him out into the sand before we could get a shot. When the water was clear, it was tough to hunt this fish. The wreck is deep and he would always see us long before we were in the shooting range. You could tell this fish had a long life as he definitely knew the drill and most likely had been shot at by other divers in the past. Long story short, another year went by and we didn't get the fish. Pat never took a shot at him, nor did I, we didn't want to pose a threat with hopes he might become more comfortable with us in the water.

Another year passed and it was finally time to hunt this snapper again. The feeling of not knowing if the fish would return or if he got caught or died, was killing us. He was an amazing fish and for how much work we had put in on him, we really needed to close the story ourselves. Years ago, we had a black grouper that was well over 100 pounds, we tried countless times and had some good opportunities, but never connected on the fish. One day this grouper was gone, we never saw him again, it was heartbreaking to not know what happened to him.

We really wanted to get this cubera snapper and were determined to put in the work. Usually, we would dive the spot with clean water, making it easy to spot the fish and see the wreck on our way down. That wasn't working, as the fish would always bust us and run out to the sand, so we tried something different. Pat and I dropped in on the spot and like always the cubera was feeding in the water column, but with dirty water this time. We couldn't see him at first but ended up getting very close to the fish and surprised him, he did not act too spooked and went right into the wreck. This was his fatal mistake and we slowly closed in on him. This fish was smart and we figured this would be our only chance, no way he was going to make this mistake twice. Pat swam around the back and I went to the front over the top of where he was. When Pat was in position, I shined my light and Pat's gun went off without hesitation. Pat shoots a 65” Super Amero gun by Hatch Custom Spearguns, with a 5/16” heavy shaft and slip tip. His shot was right in the gill plate and into the throat. The gill plate cut the spectra line and the fish was free, it also bent the slip tip on Pat's gun. Confused, the fish swam a circle in the sand and went right back into the wreck. With the fish back in the wreck and bleeding out from Pat's shot that tore out, I placed a quick top down shot into his brain and the fish rolled over dead. We quickly got our hands on the fish and started our assent. On our way up I gave Pat a huge hug and broke out in tears, my mask was filling with water as we laughed and cried together. This was a huge moment for all of us and years of hard work put in. To this day, it was one of the best moments in both of our lives!

Back on the boat, it started to set in as we saw how large this fish was. He was measured at 49.5 inches, over 69 pounds bled out, and estimated around 40 years old. This cubera snapper was a fish of a lifetime, I would say a fish of many lifetimes for the area we were diving! Pat has landed over 200 species of fish on rod and spear in his life. This is one of his most memorable moments and we couldn't be more happy to share it with him! When you are spearfishing, always remember that you have the choice on what you shoot, in order for large fish like this to exist, we need to let them mature and grow. Shoot what you need for dinner and leave the rest to spawn and grow!

Dive Safe!