Florida Fishing Reports

Fishing Conditions: Summer weather finally! Light winds are allowing for great beach fishing. Most of the tarpon have been up in Charlotte Harbor feeding on crabs and whitebait. The beaches have had good action as well. Water temps are in the mid 80s

Other Species Fished for This Week: Snook and Redfish

Fly Fishing Technics: This week we staged along the beaches of Gasparilla and Captiva. Both crab and baitfish flies were working.

 Tarpon Light Tackle Fishing Tip of the Week: Heavy boat traffic and fishing pressure will cause tarpon to move to deeper water.

Tarpon Fly Fishing Tip of the Week: Change flies after every refusal. Alternate between baitfish and crab / shrimp imitations.

Charlotte Harbor Fishing Outlook: Next week should provide great fishing action. The tarpon will move off the Hill and onto the beaches.

Boca Grande / Charlotte Harbor Fishing Conditions: We have settled in to our summer weather pattern finally! Light winds, water temps in the low 80s, and the tarpon are now everywhere along the beaches of Gasparilla, Cayo Costa and Captiva Islands. The best tarpon fishing of the 2014 season started this week.

Other Species Fished for This Week: Snook and Redfish

Fly Fishing Technics: Stake out along the beach and watch for fish moving both to and from the Passes.

Tarpon Light Tackle Fishing Tip of the Week: White bait and crabs are working equally well right now. I recommend using circle hooks. Please try to land and release your fish quickly. The sharks are lying in wait for spent tarpon…

Charlotte Harbor Fishing Outlook: Light winds and flat seas will provide excellent fishing conditions all this week. Tarpon ate moving to and from the Passes in large numbers. It will take a day or two for the tarpon to settle down from all the intense Memorial weekend fishing pressure. By mid-week we should see excellent fishing.

We have four back to back charters this weekend. Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest tarpon fishing times here in Charlotte Harbor / Boca Grande. The boat ramps are full by 7am and the prime fishing spots fill up shortly thereafter.  The good news is the tarpon have returned to the beaches and we’re getting fly fishing and light tackle shots at several fish each trip out. We’ll be working the tarpon from Captiva to Gasparilla each day. Reports and photos to follow.

Charlotte Harbor Fishing Conditions: A strong cold front settled in on Wednesday of last week with strong N & NW winds which killed the tarpon fishing. There was a small bite on Wednesday before the winds picked up. The Boca Grande Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament was cancelled on Saturday due to rough conditions and the adult tourney landed 22 fish on Thursday and ZERO on Friday… The schools of tarpon moved offshore and even if they hadn’t the beaches were so rough and churned up we couldn’t fish. The wind is still blowing 20+NE today (Sunday) but the tarpon are already moving back to the beach with the wind shift.

Other Species Fished for This Week: Snook and Redfish

Fly Fishing Technics: We staked out on the shoals until the conditions made it impossible to fish. Then we worked areas in the sound for laid up tarpon. When the wind came on even stronger late in the week we went snook fishing.
Tarpon Fishing Tip of the Week: Fishing the shoals on high wind and swells can be challenging. The Tarpon run deep and are hard to spot until they are almost under the boat. Switching to a sink tip or even a shooting head line and a weighted fly will allow for quick casts and a fast sink.

Tarpon Fishing Tip of the Week: Fishing the shoals on high wind and swells can be challenging. The Tarpon run deep and are hard to spot until they are almost under the boat. Switching to a sink tip or even a shooting head line and a weighted fly will allow for quick casts and a fast sink.

Charlotte Harbor Fishing Outlook: Moderate NE winds will persist until mid-week this will allow for pretty good beach fishing conditions though the passes will be choppy. The tarpon have returned and the bite is back on.

We had a great week fly fishing the island of Pine Island Sound for tarpon snook and reds. Carroll and Lila Ware from Fins and Furs Adventures in Skowhegan, Maine caught snook and redfish fly fishing the backcountry on Friday morning before heading to the airport for their flight.  We were poling and sight casting in the Matlacha National Wildlife Refuge. That afternoon I took Artie Mabbett back to the same area and we sight fished to numerous 30”- 40” snook in 2 feet of water. We also had some nice action on redfish cruising the oyster reefs. With water temps in the low 80s and air temps in the high 80s mid-day and early afternoon fishing can be challenging but by staying a long cast from the fish, and trying different flies patterns you will be rewarded. I love fishing Charlotte Harbor and the surrounding waters this time of year!   

Charlotte Harbor / Pine Island Sound Fishing Conditions: Though we had a dry week, the wind and clouds were challenging.  Visibility on the beaches was not good. The tarpon and snook were on us before we could get set up in many cases. Fishing in the Sounds was much easier though blind casting rather than sightfishing was the best tactic.

Other Species Fished for This Week: Redfish, Snook, Trout, Shark

Fly Fishing Technics: Use sink tips or sinking intermediate lines along edges and in holes. Present your fly in the lower half of the water column when blind casting.

Spin fishing Technics: Suspended twitch baits are working great right now on reds, snook and trout. Yes, even tarpon like twitch baits but make sure you change out the hooks to ones that can take the abuse.

Tarpon Fishing Tip of the Week: Start early and blind cast edges and depressions in areas where tarpon are rolling. 6-10’ of water is best. You may jump your first tarpon before the lights come on!

Charlotte Harbor / Pine Island Sound Fishing Outlook: The persistent South quadrant winds will be subsiding. The water clarity on the beaches and in the Sounds will improve. Tarpon fishing will get better daily. Snook will be active on the beaches and around the docks in the ICW. Afternoon  redfishing should be productive.

Obsession Sportfishing Charters is now doing the Orvis Fly Fishing Report for Pine Island Sound, Ding Darling Refuge and Eastern Charlotte Harbor. Fly fishing reports from all over the country and several international destinations can be accessed at: http://www.orvis.com/fishingreports Check it out!

Charlotte Harbor Fishing Conditions: A few pods of tarpon are now showing up on the beaches. Individual fish are spread throughout the Sound. Water clarity has improved and there are schools of bait showing up. Water temps are rising into the mid 70’s.

Fly Fishing Technics: We spent this week fly fishing Upper Pine Island Sound for rolling and laid up tarpon. Slow sinking flies work best.

Tarpon Fishing Tip of the Week: Start early and watch for rolling tarpon. Blind cast to close by edges and deep holes.

Other Species Fished for This Week: Snook, Seatrout and Redfish

Charlotte Harbor Tarpon Fishing Fishing Outlook: Stable weather will allow the water temps to rise into the upper 70s. Pods of tarpon should become more common along the beaches from Captiva to Boca Grande.

Today we fly fished the waters of upper Pine Island Sound and Captiva Island for snook, redfish and seatrout. A passing cold front and neap tides made for a less than perfect bite. but we prevailed and bent the rods on trout and jacks. Not very often you'll see me wearing two shirts and long paints in late April! We'll be back to typical weather and fishing conditions for the rest of the week.

What’s biting: Snook, Redfish, Seatrout and Jacks.

Gear Used: light tackle spin fishing and fly fishing.

Conditions: The weather fronts are becoming weaker as we move further into Spring. Bait is becoming more plentiful and water levels in the upper Charlotte Harbor are improving.

Technics that are working: If clouds or water conditions keep you from sight fishing you can blind cast to edges and potholes around the grass flats for redfish and sea trout. On the warmer days, try fly fishing the back country. Make your presentations tight to the mangroves. The snook and redfish will be there escaping the heat. When fly fishing after a passing cold front switch to a sinking intermediate or sink tip line and fish the deeper channels and holes using weighted flies.

Tip: I have never met an oyster bed I didn't like. It's worth a few snagged flies to explore them. There are many of these beds in Pine Island Sound to explore.

Outlook: The exiting cold front will give way to light east and southeast winds. The water will continue to warm ushering the first of the 2014 tarpon run. Watch for them at the passes and of Boca Grande and Captiva.

Obsession Charters Fishing Report Friday, April 11, 2014

Big winds early in the week and rain on Tuesday stirred things up in Pine Island Sound and Gasparilla Sound. Monday we fished light tackle the mangroves along East Wall of Charlotte Harbor from Punta Gorda to Burt Store Marina escaping the 20-25MPH SW winds.  Cloudy water and a drop in temperature after the front passed put the Sea Trout and Redfish into deep water. Patience and constantly changing up flies and lures did produce some fish. Surprisingly, the snook stayed on the flats and we were able to sight fish to them every day we were out. The wind shifted to ESE on Friday allowing more moving water on the incoming tides in the cuts of Turtle and Bull Bay. Some of the live bait fishers were seeing some action after a couple days of lockjaw.

The tarpon migration has been slow to start due to the endless fronts pushing through Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande. There have been a few rolling and laid up tarpon spotted in Pine Island Sound and near the Passes at Captiva and Gasparilla so things are starting to happen. I’ll be fishing in Matlacha, lower Pine Island Sound and the Ding Darling Reserve several days the next two weeks. These are very fishy places for both fly and spinning gear.

A great day of spin fishing in the mangroves of Charlotte Harbor's East Wall for sea trout, snook and redfish. With an impending cold front coming and 20-25mph SSE winds the mangroves were the place to be. The Harbor had a 3' chop and the beaches were getting pounded by 3'-4' swells. The 5 mile run back to Ponce De Leon Park in Punta Gorda at the end of the dsy was easy. We stayed in 18" - 24" of water tight to the shoreline. The sandbar knocked down the chop just like a barrier reef. I love fishing here!

This is a long video but Bill left his phone at the Philly Airport and didn't get a chance to take and pics while we were fishing. I wanted him to have something to remember the trip by. Bill, those pulp log sized snook will bite the next time your down. We didn't get skunked the trout and jacks cooperated. Safe travel home to you and Fran!

Pesky cold fronts have made the fishing in Pine Island Sound and around Cayo Costa a bit challenging. Water temps are dropping 8-12* when the fronts come through. Cooler water means making adjustments. Spin fishing the deep holes with slower retrieves works As the temps rebound the fish become more aggressive and move out of the holes and onto the flats where fly fishing has an advantage. There’s been some big redfish in up in Charlotte Harbor. The sea trout have been very cooperative in Gasparilla sound. The Gulf beaches have been quiet with just a few ladyfish and Spanish around. Tarpon sightings are becoming more common in the Sounds as they have started dropping out of the backcountry. It won’t be long and we’ll be bending those Orvis H2 rods along the beaches.

Want to win a free 4 hour fishing Charter? Answer this trivia question: Where is “Meatball” used in this website and what does it mean? Everyone who emails me the correct answer will be entered into a drawing for a free four hour fishing or sightseeing charter in either Florida or Maine during 2014. Value $350, can be used as partial consideration towards an alternate Obsession charter of your choice. Drawing will be held on Wednesday, April 16th. Happy searching and good luck!

Light tackle and fly fishing is great this time of year throughout Charlotte Harbor. Snook, Redfish and Trout are active and in their usual haunts. Snook can be found on sand near mangroves try light colored soft plastic lures and white flies with a bit of flash. Redfish are up in the shallows and around oyster beds. The old stand by copper spoon and dark colored sinking flies are producing well. Trout are on the grass flats usually near an edge or deep hole. Use top water lures and flies for some real fun. Spanish Mackerel are spread out in the lower Harbor along the transitions from flats to deeper water. They love flashy lures and flies but you have to move them fast. Cobia and tarpon are spotty right now but that will change as the bait continues to move into Pine Island and Gasparilla Sounds.

Have fun and be safe out there! Capt. Dave Pecci Obsession Sportfishing Charters 941-235-1311 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Go to www.obsessioncharters.com and www.facebook.com/dave.pecci for more fishing info including pictures and videos.

Fished Pine Island Sound with Capt. Gordon Gillies today. This snook was staged up where an oyster bed transitioned to mangroves next to a deep channel, in other words, right where a snook should be... We had a good morning on both snook and trout before heading in aound 11:00 when the showers turned to a steady rain.

Late winter low water levels make for productive fishing around the oyster beds. March is a great time to fish Charlotte Harbor's backwater. Caught this 23" redfish on a 1/4 oz jig head dressed with a root beer split tail. Finished the day up with a few spotted sea trout.

36" Cobia caught in lower Charlotte Harbor on light tackle. Too rough on the beach of Boca Grande for tarpon this morning. That’s the great thing about This piece of SW Florida’s coat; the Sounds and backcountry fishing is there if the beaches fail you.

Tarpon, Tarpon everywhere on the Beaches of Boca Grande. Fussy eaters today, but fun non-stop action all this week. .

Our last sunrise over Boca Grande for the 2013 Spring Tarpon Season... Hitting the road at way too early tomorrow morning for the 1,700 mile trek to Maine. Be in Bath on Monday night. One day to unpack. Fishing the Mighty Kennebec on Wed, Thurs, and Friday for early season striped bass. Good bye Silver Kings, Thank you for blessing and humbling us yet again... We'll be back in September to enjoy Charlotte Harbor's fall action. I am truly a lucky man to have two wonderful places to "work".