Hudson Fishing Charters Spring 2011

Red Snapper Season 2011



Red snapper season is here and fishing with B & G Fishing Charters could not be any more exciting. In June and July we head out to our hot spots where the red snapper hang and get into a fast and furious tug of war.


2nd Annual Take-A-Soldier Fishing 2011



On Armed Forces Day B & G Fishing Charters along with Tampa Bay Inshore Charters hosted the 2nd Annual Take-A Soldier Fishing event at Port Hudson Marina in Hudson Florida. It was a wonderful sunny day and we were privileged to take a wonderful group of Airman from MacDill AFB out for some great inshore fishing and competitive camaraderie. Captain Bill Palaski and Captain Scott Keith would like to give their thanks to the other captains(Tim Taylor,Eric Mckinney,Jimmy Robinson,Danny Blasciak and Dave Kentler) who donated their time and effort to make this event a memorable one for the troops.


B & G Fishing Charters Take it Inshore



Captain Bill Palaski can work his magic inshore as well as offshore. This fantastic Red Fish was caught recently just north of Hudson, FL.

B & G Fishing Charters Inc.
PO Box 1181
Land O Lakes FL, 34639
Ph# 813 996 1814/813 943 2531
bilga57@verizon.net
http://bgfishingcharters.wordpress.com/

Sebastian Inlet Fishing Report July 2011

Whiteys Fishing Report
Summer 2011
    
Sebastian Inlet, Beaches & Offshore
Summer is great time for offshore trolling and usually means to head out deep toward the cones or Gulf Stream for some of the best dolphin fishing all year.  The dolphin are migrating back north this month, using the currents of the Gulf Stream to head towards the Carolinas.  Trolled ballyhoo naked or with a skirt will help you cover some ground as you look for dolphin action around a weed line, floating debris, temperature breaks or color changes.  Many boaters will venture to the other side of the Gulf Stream in search of yellow fin tuna, while crossing all that water, an occasional board, tree or weed line will hold some of the best dolphin action around.
Bottom fishing is a good relief from trolling and right now the amberjack have shown up along the deep-water reefs.  Live bait and vertical jigs will set any angler up for a good 10-20 minute tug of war against some 40lb. + reef donkeys. 

Look for things to heat up on the beach as well, with Greenies and Pogies showing up smoker Kingfish will be right on their heels.  This can be a great alternative to running way offshore and burning lots of fuel, just stay on the beach, you’ll be amazed at what you might find.

Sebastian Inlet anglers should see good numbers of baitfish in the inlet and along the flats in the river the full moon this month.  Schools of good size Mojarras and greenies are keeping the Snook and other game fish active in the inlet for most of the day. Redfish, ladyfish, bluefish and jacks have all been waiting in the channels to feed on the bait as they move through the inlet. Live shrimp is still a good standby option, just in case the bait is out of cast net range.  Look for the mojarras around the catwalks, boat ramp and L-dock on the south side.  Most of the pins and pigfish will be by the bridges and around the steel at the tidal pool.

Nighttime anglers are catching snook on buck tails and windcheaters during the outgoing tides. Focus on the tide changes and that should help produce a slot-sized fish. The blue fish have been very thick at the inlet and expect to hook a few while trying to bag a snook before the end of season.

With all the bait moving in and out of the inlet, don't let the mangrove snapper fishing go by without exploring it. They love all the Mojarras and other bait fish rushing by them.  The mangroves will hang out under rock ledges waiting for an easy ambush around the channels and catwalks. 

Fish your baits close to the drop offs with a ¾ oz. lead weight on a light 15-20 lb. fluorocarbon leader and a #1 or even a #2 light gauge hook to minimize the sight of your gear. Fluorocarbon is expensive but in the grand scheme of things it can make the difference between catching and just fishing for the mangroves. 

It might pay off to also fish the slack tides for a few minutes as the flounder are still returning from offshore through the inlet on their way back into the river.  This time of year most people loose interest in fishing for flounder so getting into the primo spots is easy and not crowded with company.

Flats fishing will remain good throughout most of the month as schools of bait continue to gather on the grass flats.  The trout are up on the flats getting lots of food to fatten up for their spawn. Try to really key in your fishing time early in the mornings or when the bait is up on the surface.  Use soft plastic baits with a light jig head or your favorite top waters to put a few fish on your stringer.  As the weather continues to settle into summer like patterns, the water temperature will rise on the flats and slow down the daytime fishing. 

As usual stop by Whitey’s to get the latest information or check us out on the web at www.whiteysonline.com.  Until next month…

Whitey's Bait & Tackle
321-724-14409030 S Highway A1a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
captstovall@whiteysonline.comwww.whiteysonline.com/   

Amelia Issland Fishing Report 6-28-2011

Monday, June 27, 2011
Montana meets North Florida Slam

One of my old college buddies, Dave Bolton was in town and treated his daughter Katie and her fiance Mike to an Amelia Island backcountry fishing trip on The Anglers Mark today.  It was a beautiful morning with just a slight breeze and a few clouds to keep the heat off.  The young Katie and Mike were visiting from Montana and it was Mike's first time in Florida.  We left the boat ramp at 7am sharp and headed up to the Jolley River to fish the first of an outgoing tide.  Evidently the bait shops had sold out of their live shrimp over the weekend so we were using dead shrimp and artificial grubs and minnows.



Katie started things off by catching some Blues and then Mike had a few bites of small trout and blues, all on the dead shrimp.  But David was having some good bites on a plastic minnow, caught a couple of small Trout, and then had one that ripped his drag, and, FISH ON!  He played the fish perfectly and soon boated a nice 17" Trout.  We moved on down the river and anchored at a runout where all three anglers immediately began to catch fish.   They were catching small Trout, Croakers and had a couple of small Reds until Mike added a keeper sized Flounder, completing his North Florida Slam.  But he wasn't finished yet! 



We began a troll of the now exposed oysters and it wasn't long before Mike had a strong hookup and a good fight on his hands.  The fish ripped drag and stubbornly stayed deep, but Mike played the fish like a pro and after a few minutes he wore it down and brought the 21" Redfish to the waiting net.  We hit the docks at Lanceford creek where Mike picked up another small Redfish and all three anglers had good bites, but the sun was up so we called it a day, counting it as another great day to be on the water!
Posted by Cpt. Lawrence Piper at 8:13 PM

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com        

Sarasota Tarpon Fishing 6-27-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report 
6/25/2011

Tarpon action has been very good in the coastal gulf off Sarasota beaches! Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had great action with tarpon during the past week. Early in the week, as we headed away from the full moon of June 15th, large schools of tarpon were plentiful. Later in the week we still had lots of action, although it was with singles, doubles and smaller schools.

Fly anglers on my boat on Monday and Tuesday had numerous shots at tarpon and several bites. They jumped 2 and landed one of them, a 120-lb fish, on a Deceiver fly. Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL and Trent and Lindy DeWald, from Dallas, TX, fished with me on Thursday. They had a great day with several bites on live crabs and 2 tarpon to the boat, including a 130-lb fish.

Fly angler Vic Cook, from Columbus, OH, fished with me on Friday, 6/24. It was slow to start but tarpon flowed in the afternoon near the bottom of an outgoing tide. He had numerous shots at tarpon and several follows. With tarpon fishing, a big part of the equation is having lots of shots at fish.

Tarpon fishing should be good next week as we approach a new moon on July 1st. Fish the outgoing tides in the afternoon for the best action. Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should have good action with trout, Spanish mackerel and more. Sight fishing for snook in the surf or around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW should also be good options.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett 
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com





Lindy & Trent DeWald double teamed this 130-lb tarpon caught and released on a live crab while fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Tampa Bay Tarpon Bite In Full Swing

The Tampa Bay tarpon bite is in full swing. Fish are being caught around the Skyway Bridge in the 50 to 100lb class, with an occasional 150lber in the mix. The bait of choice has been pass crabs on the full moon tides. This type of fishing is very exciting. It is a great challenge to chase this fish in between the bumper. The common tactic is to anchor on the slower tides and then drift on the stronger ones. On the out going tides the eddies on the west side of the bridge have been the ticket.


Tampa Fishing Charters - Tarpon

Out on the beaches and in the passes the fish are bigger and the bait of choices has been live or cut thread fins. Drifting or anchoring can both produce fish. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of fish. In these places it is very exciting to see these fish breach right before they bite your baits. Tarpon fishing is my favorite time of year and the bite is strong right now. It brings me no great pleasure to put my clients on these fish.


Tampa Fishing Charters - Captain Rick with a Tarpon

Captain Rick Reddick
www.captainrickreddick.com
info@captainrickreddick.com
813-787-0249

Panhandle Fishing Report 6-23-2011

Report for 06/20/2011


Salt Water


PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
The flounder caught this week came mostly from under the George C. Tapper Bridge and off the oil docks at PSJ marina. Bull minnows Carolina rigged with a size 1 circle hook using fluorocarbon leader material and a 1 oz or smaller egg weight is the bait of choice. The Spanish Mackerel caught off the oil dock wall is much improved this week and trolling off the tip of Cape San Blas peninsula will be productive too. Pompano are still with us and the hot spots are still the stump hole at Cape San Blas and along the Beach of St Joseph Park and a few at east beach and Mexico Beach. Most fish are being caught using shrimp on a double hook pompano rig. The Trout fishing has picked up with some nice 20” plus fish being caught in 4-6’ water outside the grass flats. A few hot spots are around Black’s island and in the channel by Pigs bayou. Some Redfish schools are working the flats between Eagle harbor and the tip of the cape.

PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
Snapper are definitely on the menu! They are pretty easy to find and some very nice sized specimens are being hauled in on a regular basis. The water has warmed considerably and this has pushed the Kings and Mahi out to cooler waters, say twenty miles or so. Of course, every day is different and if a good southeasterly wind persists, we will get some cooler bluer water in a little closer. Some really nice catches of Triggers, Bee liners, and Red grouper have been reported. It's plenty hot, bite wise and temperature wise, so bring along some shade and plenty to drink because there are some quality fish out there waiting for your hook.

ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Really good reports on the Speckled Trout bite from West bay all the way to East bay just before the high tide when the relatively cooler gulf water is pushing up into the bay. Smaller reds will also be found at this time. If you find schools of LY's you have found fish. Bigger reds still working the channels and they are not very finicky, any good live bait will do but a live crab will do best. Reports of Flounder are still pretty strong with bigger ones in deeper water down current of a grass flat, like deep water and redfish points.

PANAMA CITY BEACH SURF & PIER
The King Mackerel bite has slowed lately but there are still a few being caught. There are very few if any Spanish. Bonita and Ladyfish are getting caught pretty regularly and will make good bait for the sharks that are also readily available. Big Redfish are hanging around the piers and will give a run for your money, but will probably be too big to keep. Be sure not to gaff them as there are rules against gaffing a fish that is either over or under size. There has been some live cigar minnows but not a lot. Live bait has been a little difficult to find and catch lately I'm told, so you may want to bring along some frozen as back up. The surf fishing scene seems to be rather slow, save for some Black tips and the occasional Catfish, but it still beats a stick in the eye!



PROOF THERE ARE STILL LARGE RED SNAPPER OUT THERE
31lb. Red Snapper caught aboard the Captain Mike docked at Captain Anderson's Marina

DESTIN
Fishing is fantastic. Red snapper continue to dominate the docks along with some huge wahoo.

Bottom Fishing Red snapper are plentiful in water from 60 to 200ft deep. You can almost pick your favorite method and it will surely work. I fished last Thursday with the Charter Boat Lady Em and I did very well butterfly jigging. The other people on the boat almost seemed to do better on fresh bonita strips than live cigar minnows. Included in our catch was plenty of mingo snapper, trigger fish, about a 12lb black snapper, and 3 nice red grouper. We fished in 100 to 125 of water down the east beach.

Trolling near shore Kings are on again and off again this week. We are on a full moon so the king bite is very early in the morning, very late in the day and a short run for an hour or so around noon. Lots of bonita, a few Spanish, and dolphin.

Trolling off shore About 35 mile almost due south or 10 miles south of the Ozark there has been a nice color change with quite a few wahoo and dolphin. Further off shore, just south of the spur has been another nice area with some yellowfin tuna and several blue marlin.

Pier Fishing A few kings again very early and very late, and a few tarpon hooked this week. Hardtails and ladyfish have been very plentiful and a few reds and blues are being caught after dark.

NAVARRE


SURF
Hopefully the weather will stabilize a little this week and offer some fishing opportunities. Area fishermen have been experiencing some of the best fishing in recent memory. We should see good numbers of Jack Crevalle in the 20# range as well as small schools of bull Redfish. The Jacks are hitting best on top water poppers and Rapala Skitterwalks. The Black Tip Shark bite is also heating up. Live Hardtails or cut mullet have been the go to bait. The Pompano bite has remained steady with most fish being landed on fresh dead shrimp and live sand fleas when you can find them. On calmer days Kayak fisherman can reach the King Mackerel just at the drop off in 20’ of water. Look for the schools of threadfins and cigar minnows and troll with deep diving hard baits. Try trolling live baits around these baitfish schools as well.

SOUND AND BAYS
Area anglers can expect to see great Trout fishing around the grass flats from Tiger Point to the grass flats just east of the bridge. Redfish and Flounder are also in the same waters with most of the fish caught on live shrimp under a popping cork. Also try using a 1/4oz jig tipped with a GULP! shrimp or jerk shad under the same popping cork. The DOA popping cork and shrimp is a good combination also. There have also been plenty of Trout and Redfish landed in East Bay from the Garcon Point bridge up to the power lines crossing the entrance to the East River.

NEAR SHORE – GULF
King Mackerel are still the hot bite near shore and continue to bite strong in and around the passes and inshore reefs in 60 to 80 feet of water. Trolling or fly lining live cigar minnows when anchored up has been the top producer. Dolphin continue to show up in increasing numbers especially around anglers fishing for bottom species. Just remember to have a rod ready and rigged with a pitch bait when they do show up. The near shore reefs and wrecks are also producing good numbers of Amberjack, Grouper, Black Snapper, Lane Snapper and Triggerfish. The Grouper are being caught on large pinfish, threadfins or hardtails with their tail clipped to make it easier for the grouper to catch them. Keep in mind that both Black and Gag grouper season is still closed.

OFFSHORE – GULF
Red Snapper has been the top predator on most reefs and wrecks this week and we should continue to see more of the same this upcoming week. They are hitting jigs, live bait and deep running hard baits trolled over shallow reefs and wrecks. Amberjack are almost on every wreck from 60’ on out with the largest fish being caught in deeper water of 100’ or more. With all the bad weather last month the Grouper have almost been left alone. Look for them on the near shore reefs and wrecks. Fish in the 10# to 15# range will hit pinfish, threadfins and hardtails. You will have to remove the tails from the Hardtails; otherwise they are next to impossible to get to the bottom on a light weight. The amount of debris in the water has also increased this last week. So has the amount of Dolphin and Triple Tail on it. King mackerel are being caught daily around the mouth of the passes and buoy lines on cigar minnows slow trolled or free lined.

Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, FL 32408
www.halfhitch.com


Fishing Report prepared by Half Hitch Tackle Staff.

The Captains Corner Fishing Report is provided by local charter captains and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Half Hitch Tackle.

This report is dedicated to the memory of Al Hubbard.
Al Hubbard was a field editor for Florida Sportsman magazine, an outdoor writer for the News Herald and a board member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association.
Mr. Hubbard was also the owner of Al's Outdoors Outfitting Services.

Amelia Island Fishing Report 6-24-2011

Thursday, June 23, 2011
Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee



"Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee"!  The quote from Muhammad Ali summed up how I felt like this morning!  Yesterday's smoke had put a pall on the fishing and on my trip to the boat ramp I told myself to "get after it, boy"!  Luckily, my two guest anglers were as eager to catch some fish as I was.  Barry Shelor and his son Matt met me at the Sawpit Creek boat ramp this morning at 7am and we headed up the Nassau River, with not much sign of the smoke, and a high, falling tide.  The plan was to fish as many spots as we could and not linger at any that weren't producing fish.   We eased up to "Leon's Spot" and Barry began to toss a jig/shrimp combo while Matt used a live shrimp under float.  Both had some pretty good bites when Barry's rod bent and he had a good fight on his hands.  These experienced anglers know what to do and Barry played the fish perfectly into the net.  Note in the picture that this large Sheepshead was missing a chunk out of its back!  We hit Bubblegum Reef with no bites, then a few oyster beds in to Jackstaff both anglers caught Sharks.



After running through Jackstaff we fished the point of a sandbar and Barry found a nice Seatrout so we anchored.  Both anglers caught a couple of Trout, then we trolled the oyster lined bank of Jackstaff, but had no bites.  The sun was getting up, but the tide was right so we made a run to Broward Island and slowly eased along it's long strewn bank.  Again, both anglers had good hookups and we ended up catching 4-5 feisty Redfish to 18".  Barry caught a Flounder to complete an inshore "Grand Slam" of Sheepshead, Trout, Redfish and Flounder.  After that, we headed in, counting it as another great day to be on the water!
Posted by Cpt. Lawrence Piper at 5:57 PM

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com       

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 6-23 2011

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
Capt. Chris Myers
June 23,2011


Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

Some heavy rain finally made its way to east central Florida last week. With the influx of fresh water, the fishing turned on. Redfish flooded onto the flats by the thousands. Huge schools could be found this week tailing and finning on the shallow grass flats throughout the day. Some days they were easier to catch than others but there were plenty of them to cast at. Trout fishing remains excellent and it is easy to catch dozens per day. Some occasional schools of jacks have been spotted busting bait as well Yesterday I finally spotted the first tarpon of the year in the Lagoon along with some giant schools of finger mullet that have moved in.

On Father's day, Joe and his son Shane made their first trip to Mosquito Lagoon. We experienced some windy conditions in the morning but managed to catch some trout and a jack. The winds suddenly subsided and the big redfish began to tail. Shane landed his biggest ever fish, a red that weighed 41 pounds.



Wayne and Rick had plenty of shots at tailing redfish throughout the morning. Both guys got the experience the awesome sight of a redfish crushing a DOA Baitbuster on the surface.



After landing some redfish, they finished out their trip with plenty of trout on ultra light tackle.

Rudy and Cari joined me for one of the best days of the year. The water was slick calm and there were dozens of schools of redfish tailing on the flats.





Again, we finished off the morning with some trout on the light rods.

Yesterday, the wind was much stronger than expected most of the morning. The redfish were not finning at all but there were still big schools of them on the flats. The hard part was seeing them before they saw us. By midday, the winds began to subside and we found some happy fish. The CAL tail in watermelon holographic accounted for several nice fish in short order.



After a great start to the week, it looks as if the summer fishing is going to be on fire. Hopefully the tarpon and big ladyfish will make their way in during the next couple weeks.


Upcoming Classes and Seminars

July 2, 10am - Summer Flats Fishing Tactics - Mosquito Creek Outdoors Apopka. No cost or registration required.

July 9, 9am-1pm - Fly Casting - Mosquito Creek Outdoors. Cost $75. Call store to register, limited to 6 students. All tackle provided, no experience necessary.

August 13, 10am - Introduction to Fly Fishing - Mosquito Creek Outdoors Apopka. No cost or registration required

August 20, 10am - Snook Fishing - Mosquitp Creek Outdoors

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
321-229-2848

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 6-22-2011

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
June 19, 2011

This Weeks Fishing Report

It was a crazy week on the Lagoon as the IFA Redfish Tour paid visit with their 61 tournament teams buzzing around pre fishing for yesterday's event.  Add this extra angling pressure to the normal weekend crowed and the beautiful weather and the results equaled a Zoo on the water.

Despite all of the craziness, we still experienced some decent fishing for sea trout and the larger redfish which are not the targets of the Redfish tour.  The shining star this summer has been the sea trout, with some good fish coming on top-water plugs very early in the morning fishing in two to three feet of water in the areas of active mullet schools.  Redfish have also been mixed in with the mullet, but they haven't been fining up very well making them hard to see.  For sea trout, the smaller Rapala Skitterwalks preformed well with a DOA silver glitter shrimp at a close second. For redfish, cover the flats looking for mullet schools.  Once located, watch closely for fins just breaking the surface and toss in a DOA Shrimp or a fresh chunk of mullet, ladyfish or pinfish.

Fish behavior is much different this year compared to past both in the Lagoon and along the beach.  Inside the Lagoon, I have yet to see the schools of glass minnows we normally show up around the first of June, and I haven't seen the first tarpon on the inside.  Outside in the near-shore waters out of Port Canaveral, the kingfish and tarpon have not shown up in the concentrations seen last year.

Along the beach, we experienced a large amount of bait schools (pogies), but very little predators feeding on them.  On a yesterday's tarpon charter, we located an area with hundreds of rolling fish, but only managed to get one to eat, which came unbuttoned after its third jump.  On the bright side we did find fish, and I did see one nice kingfish caught on the Port Canaveral buoy line.  Also, the seas are starting to settle down, so it's only a matter of time before things improve.

The July fishing forecast are by all Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando Captains are posted, so visit:

http://coastalanglermag.com/orlando/.

As always, if you have any questions or need help, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
(407) 416-1187 on the water
www.irl-fishing.com

For all of your outdoor adventure equipment needs, visit Mosquito Creek Outdoors at www.mosquitocreek.com.

Sarasota Fishing Report 6-21-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report
6/19/2011


Tarpon action continues to be good in the coastal gulf off Sarasota beaches; however west wind prevented us from tarpon fishing a couple of days this week. Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, jumped several tarpon and brought one to the boat. We also caught and released trout and bluefish in Sarasota Bay.

An angler fishing the coastal gulf on my boat on Monday jumped a pair of tarpon on flies. Although there are still plenty of large schools of tarpon; singles, doubles and small schools have responded best to the fly.

Jennifer Brady, from Sarasota, and her guests, Sheila and Connie, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. They caught and released more than 15 trout and a bluefish on DOA Deadly Combos along the west side of the bay near Bishop’s Point.

Virl Mullins, from Lakewood Ranch, FL, and Al Coke, from Smithfield, VA, tarpon fished in the coastal gulf off Sarasota with me on Friday and Saturday. They had good action on Friday, jumping 3 tarpon and bringing 1 of them to the boat. One of the fish was on a live crab, one on a DOA Baitbuster and one on a fly. The DOA Baitbuster has been very dependable this season, accounting for numerous hook ups.

Al’s goal was to catch a tarpon on a fly and he was successful. He hooked and jumped the first tarpon that he cast to and successfully fought the fish to the boat after an hour long battle. Virl jumped a pair of tarpon, fought one for quite a while and had it close to the boat before the hook pulled. With big game fish like tarpon, some fish will jump off or break off, hooks will pull loose or there may be missed bites, but it’s all a thrill! When all goes well we will bring them all the way to the boat. Saturday was a much different day with fewer fish and no hook ups.

Tarpon action should be good as we head away from last Wednesday’s full moon. Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should also be a good option for trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more.


Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com




Al Coke, from Smithfield, VA, battles a tarpon in the coastal gulf off Sarasota that he brought to the boat on a fly while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett

Central Florida Sight Fishing 6-2011

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
Capt. Chris Myers
June 18, 2011

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

 The fishing so far this month has been quite a change from the last several years at this time. The schools of trophy redfish have been showing consistently but many of the average sized fish have been difficult to find. With no schools of glass minnows in the Lagoon, the ladyfish, jacks, and bluefish have been few and far between. So far this year, I have yet to see a single tarpon which is very surprising.

While we have had almost no rain until this week, there have been plenty of clouds to hamper our sight fishing efforts. Fortunately, the trout fishing has been excellent with the average size of the fish up from last year. Giant redfish have been making a showing every day but the catching varies from trip to trip. Before they become spooked by boats, the big fish will chase down a DOA Baitbuster on the surface making for a spectacular bite.

The first trip I made this month was with fellow guide Capt. Drew. We landed a pair of nice reds on the Baitbusters and had several other bites.





Last weeks trips were nearly a carbon copy of each other. Low winds but cloudy skies. We saw the big fish each morning but casts either landed too close to or too far away from them. There were fish up on the shallow flats but spotting them was tough. Trout fishing saved the day with numerous fish caught on the Deadly Combo or the 3" CAL tail. Gary got the biggest trout of the week which struck while he was casting his Baitbuster to redfish.



After braving a line of storms which produced four hours of winds over 20mph, Scott and Mike were finally rewarded by some perfect weather and big redfish. They landed several and lost a few more and threw in a few trout and ladyfish as well.





 

After this weeks rain, the water level has finally come up a few inches exposing some new feeding grounds. Hopefully, this will bring out some of the fish which seem to have been hiding as of late. As soon as the glass minnow make their way into the Lagoon, other predators will follow.

Starting tomorrow, I will be on the water every day for the rest of the month with charters, a CCA catch and release tournament, and the annual DOA writers event in Stuart.


Upcoming Classes and Seminars
 
July 2, 10am - Summer Flats Fishing Tactics - Mosquito Creek Outdoors Apopka. No cost or registration required.

July 9, 9am-1pm - Fly Casting - Mosquito Creek Outdoors. Cost $75. Call store to register, limited to 6 students. All tackle provided, no experience necessary.

August 13, 10am - Introduction to Fly Fishing - Mosquito Creek Outdoors Apopka. No cost or registration required

August 20, 10am - Snook Fishing - Mosquitp Creek Outdoors

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
321-229-2848

Apalachicola Fishing 6-2011

School's OUT! Tarpon are IN!
Father's Day is already this Sunday & I can't think of a better way to celebrate your Dad than to take him FISHING! No shopping or wrapping involved. Load him up in the car & bring him on down to the coast for a day of togetherness on the water. Tarpon Like it Hot and man have we had tarpony weather so far this month! Fly fishing anglers have been extremely happy the past few weeks and light tackle fishing is just heating up. We have flats trips open this weekend - call for availability.



Capt. John Sapp - Bayfishing Guide
Mike Horne (on left) caught this 44" Bull Red with Capt. John Sapp on June 12th while fishing out of his center console bay boat around St. George Island. All of our Bayfishing Guides are back this season, including the infamous Holland Boys (Jr., Tommy & Mike). Kelly Butler, Ken Finch, Grayson Shepard and John Sapp can take 4 or 5 anglers and several of our guys will also fish Offshore in Florida Waters. Dave Armentrout keeps his boat on St. George Island and Richard Scarabin is back for his 2nd year with us - he also does floundering trips!



Capt. Greg Fletcher traded in his big boat for a bay boat!
Sorry folks, The Wahoo is doing commerical fishing trips, leaving Capt. Greg Fletcher the opportunity to take anglers like Bridget Freeman fishing in St. Joe Bay for 5-1/4 lb speckled trout ! Greg can fish out of St. Joe Bay, Indian Pass and Apalachicola. After fishing all day, you can find Greg hanging out with his brother Jeff & sister in law Debbie at their restaurant in Apalach "The Hole in the Wall". Great Oysters, Yummy everything, very casual.



Robert Keys Fish Cleaning Service
Yes we do have a professional fish cleaner on call! Mr. Robert will make fast work of cleaning your fish for a small fee, then you can take your cleaned catch to one of our many fine local restaurants to have them prepared for you or take them home with you - don't forget your cooler. He also poses for photos - free of charge!

Robinson Brothers Guide Service
118 Commerce St.
Apalachicola, Florida
877-6Redfish or 850-653-8896
www.FloridaRedfish.com

Florida Keys Mahi, Sailfish And Bones

Thursday, June 16, 2011
Full Moon in the Florida Keys, Offshore & Backcountry Fishing, Holiday Isle Style!!!



Bill Boyce was fishing backcountry on WHISPER with Capt. Billy 'Two Shoes' Wert and filming for the World Fishing Network out of Holiday Isle Resort and Marina at the end of last month. The Florida State record for a bonefish is 15 lbs 8 oz. Bill's fish weighed in at 13 lbs.



Bill reported that filming the WFN series is complete and the show will be 'insane'. Bill...that bonefish is 'insane'! My guess is the bonefish will be on the show.




Alfred Estrada assists Jennifer Collins with a nice Bull Dolphin she caught on board FIRST CHOICE fishing with Capt. Larry Wren on June 15th. This pair of Anglers is from Brandon, FL.



The Lawson's were in the Keys fishing with Capt. Mel Walker on GOTCHA Charters. Bob (left), Ted and Jack Lawson, three brothers, pose for a photo before the group picture below.



The Lawson 6-pack of Anglers group photo after a day of trolling for Mahi-Mahi with Capt. Mel Walker. Pictured left to right, Bob, Paco (in-law), Bill, Eddie, Ted and Jack at the GOTCHA dock.



1st Mate Danny and an Angler out at sea on CAPT. EASY with Capt. Bruce Andersen boated a nice Wahoo.



What a beautiful sight! Sailfish jumping off the stern of FIRST CHOICE Tuesday, June 14th. The Skinner family out of West Virginia had a blast on their family outing.



FIRST CHOICE Capt. Larry Wren snaps one more picture of the Sailfish before it is released unharmed.
Posted by Let's Fish at Thursday, June 16, 2011

Nikki Holiday Isle Offshore 800-327-7070 Etc 642

Holiday Isle Resort and Marina
84001 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
305-664-2321 ext. 642
Direct: 305-433-9942
www.holidayisle.com
kharper@holidayisle.com    

Preparing Your Boat For The Storm

Hurricane season is here, so if your a boat owner you should prepare a plan now to protect your craft if a storm approaches. I found this nice report by the Naples Daily News staff that gives some very good tips on ways to protect your boat when a storm comes your way. Get your boat out of the water as soon as possible.
Never leave your boat on davits or lifts.
If you have  to leave your boat in the water double your lines and use extra long spring lines.
If you can, trailer your boat and move it to a location as far away from the water as possible.
Strap your boat securely to the trailer and tie the trailer to fixed objects.
Remove all loose objects.
Lightweight boat owners should deflate trailer tiers, place blocks under the axle then fill the boat about a third full of water.
Planning ahead will let you quickly prepare your boat for the storm and protect your property.
NaplesNews.com

Reel Work
301 Seabreeze Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
954-522-9399
1-877-524-9377
Email: lauderdalefishing@gmail.com
Website: lauderdalefishing.com
Fort Lauderdale Deep Sea Fishing

Amelia Island Fishing Report 6-14-2011

Friday, June 10, 2011



Trout, Blues, Ladyfish, Redfish
Jon Han and his wife Marilyn, along with their kids David and Grace, were in town visiting Amelia Island, all the way from Pittsburgh, PA and took in a backcountry fishing trip on The Anglers Mark.  We left the Atlantic Seafood dock early and headed up Lanceford Creek to fish some docks on the last of an outgoing tide.  Although we had a few nibbles, no fish actually wanted our live shrimp on jigs and under floats!  So we pulled up anchor and ran up to the Jolley River to fish the very last of the tide.  When we began to troll the oyster lined banks, the family began to pick up fish.  Grace had the hot rod at first and she caught some ferocious Blues and jumping Ladyfish.  Marilyn joined in and picked up a nice Seatrout.  Fishing in the back of the boat, Jon had multiple hookups with Ladyfish.  We moved spots as the tide started in and had great oyster bank to fish and very little wind.   David's rod turned hot and he began to catch fish, putting a nice Blue in the boat and hooking up with Ladyfish.  Then we had a strong bite and David worked a feisty Redfish in to the boat with Grace handling the net.  Later, David was working his jig back to the boat and POW!, FISH ON!  This fish had some size and he played it perfectly to Grace's waiting net - a fat 18" Trout!  With that, we called it a day, another great one to be out on the water!

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com      

Posted by Cpt. Lawrence Piper at 8:15 AM

Sarasota Tarpon Fishing 6-13-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report
6/11/2011


Tarpon action continues to be hot off Sarasota beaches! Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon during the past week. Of course, some days are better than others depending on conditions and the attitude of fish. We had faster action earlier in the week and slower action towards the end of the week, but overall it was a great week.

Dennis Ondercin, from OH, and his son, Cliff Ondercin from Sarasota, fished all week long with me. They jumped 13 tarpon and landed 3 of them. We cast live crabs, either free-lined or under floats, and a DOA Baitbuster in the travel lane of the fish. We DNA sampled and measured the 3 fish that we landed. Dennis landed the largest of the fish which taped out at an estimated 120-pounds (36” girth X 68” length).

Cliff is a good artificial and fly angler and he jumped 3 tarpon on DOA Baitbusters during the week. He also had some good shots with a fly, which was all sight casting to fish in shallow water, on a couple of days. It is exciting to watch a giant tarpon track your fly even when it doesn’t eat!

Tarpon fishing should be strong next week as we approach a full moon on June 15th. The best action for spin anglers should be at first light in the morning while fly anglers will do better with some sunlight for visibility to sight fish.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com


 

Dennis Ondercin, from OH, caught and released this tarpon on a live crab while fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.

 

Cliff Ondercin, from Sarasota, jumped this tarpon on a DOA Baitbuster while fishing the coastal gulf in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Panhandle Fishing Report 6-10-2011

Report for 06/07/2011

Salt Water

PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
The flounder caught this week came mostly from under the George C. Tapper Bridge and off the oil docks at PSJ marina. Bull minnows Carolina rigged with a size 1 circle hook using fluorocarbon leader material and a 1 oz or smaller egg weight is the bait of choice. The Spanish Mackerel caught off the oil dock wall is much improved this week and trolling off the tip of Cape San Blas peninsula will be productive too. Pompano are still with us and the hot spots are still the stump hole at Cape San Blas and along the Beach of St Joseph Park and a few at east beach and Mexico Beach. Most fish are being caught using shrimp on a double hook pompano rig. The Trout fishing has picked up with some nice 20” plus fish being caught in 4-6’ water outside the grass flats. A few hot spots are around Black’s island and in the channel by Pigs bayou. Some Redfish schools are working the flats between Eagle harbor and the tip of the cape.

PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
The Kings are back, and there are lots of anglers reporting great King mackerel hook ups both close in and out over the wrecks. Mahi-mahi showing up again as well and with the southerly winds prevailing, this will only get better. Gag Grouper is closed now; along with Amberjack. Red snapper is open and has been great! Lots of large snapper to be had and they are hungry! Butterfly style jigs, frozen and of course live bait all work great for these voracious beauties. Once you get your limit of snapper be sure to bring what is needed to target Triggers and Bee liners as they are plentiful out there and make a great addition to any fish fry.

ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Still a good Bull Redfish bite in the deeper channels and the pass, outgoing tide seems to be the best time to find them. For the "pups" (smaller reds) they have been feeding further up in the bay on schools of LY's and on the small pinfish in the grass beds on an incoming tide. The Flounder bite has improved this past week, they seem to be all over the bay system with the larger ones getting caught in deeper water. The Speckled trout have been hard to find for some early in the morning, but the afternoon bite seems to be better, probably an after effect of the recent full moon. Anglers report a good return on their live shrimp investment around local docks and up in canals. There are plenty of Ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, and Bluefish around to entertain so if you have some young ones to keep busy, it may be time to have some lessons on how to cast a spoon or Gotcha. Be careful, you don't want to join the "Gotcha club". I am sure neither you or your young needs that memory.

PANAMA CITY BEACH SURF & PIER
Lots of King mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and Ladyfish around the piers. Live cigar minnows are best for the kings and have been easier to find lately. Large schools of Redfish have also been reported around the piers and they will readily hit a live minnow. Still some Pompano and Whiting around both in the surf and the piers but not as many as a couple weeks ago. There also still Jack crevalle catches reported along the beach and at the jetties. They have hit small live baits and a good buck tail jig like the Spro green and white in a 1/4 or 1/2 ounce size. Fish the jig fast, don't give them time to think about it, make them work to catch it. Be ready for a fight though, they are tackle busters!

DESTIN
Wow! What a start a start to Red Snapper season. Looked like the Spanish Armada went fishing on opening day and from everyone I talked with they had a great day. Many anglers reported limits of fish easily caught and many of them had very nice sized fish ranging up to 25lbs. Other bottom fish filling the coolers included Trigger Fish, Mingo Snapper, Scamp, and Red Grouper.

Kings are still just on the moderate side. They seem to bite about every other day. Trolling live cigar minnows and Yozuri pink lures have been the best producers.

In the bay, a good bite of Reds around the bridges and flats on both tide changes. Roaming the flats are lots of Ladyfish, a few Spanish, and a few Trout.

In the surf, some nice catches of Pompano, Ladyfish, and Hardtails in the day, after dark the Sharks and Blues move in and get caught on cut mullet.

On the pier it has been slow, an occasional King, plenty of Ladyfish, and a few Hardtails.

NAVARRE

SURF
We are now into June. Hopefully the weather will stabilize a little this month and offer some fishing opportunities. Area fisherman have been experiencing some of the best fishing in recent memory. We should see good numbers of Jack Crevalle in the 20# range as well as small schools of bull Redfish. The Jacks are hitting best on top water poppers and Rapala Skitterwalks. The Black Tip Shark bite is also heating up. Live Hardtails or cut mullet have been the go to bait. The Pompano bite has remained steady with most fish being landed on fresh dead shrimp and live sand fleas when you can find them. On calmer days Kayak fisherman can reach the King Mackerel just at the drop off in 20’ of water. Look for the schools of threadfins and cigar minnows and troll with deep diving hard baits. Try trolling live baits around these baitfish schools as well. Skipjack (Ladyfish) have also invaded the surf. Any small spoon, diving hard bait or live bait will catch them. Though the food value is very poor they are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle.

SOUND AND BAYS
Area anglers can expect to see great Trout fishing around the grass flats from Tiger Point to the grass flats just east of the bridge. Redfish and Flounder are also in the same waters with most of the fish caught on live shrimp under a popping cork. Also try using a 1/4oz jig tipped with a GULP! shrimp or jerk shad under the same popping cork. There have also been plenty of Trout and Redfish landed in East Bay from the Garcon Point bridge up to the power lines crossing the entrance to the East River.

NEAR SHORE – GULF
King Mackerel are still the hot bite near shore and continue to bite strong in and around the passes and inshore reefs in 60 to 80 feet of water. Trolling or fly lining live cigar minnows when anchored up has been the top producer. Dolphin continue to show up in increasing numbers especially around anglers fishing for bottom species. Just remember to have a rod ready and rigged with a pitch bait when they do show up. The near shore reefs and wrecks are also producing good numbers of Amberjack, Grouper, Black Snapper, Lane Snapper, and Triggerfish. The Grouper are being caught on large pinfish, threadfins or hardtails with their tail clipped to make it easier for them to catch them. Don’t forget the Gag Grouper is closed until September 16, 2011.

OFFSHORE – GULF
Red Snapper has been the top predator on most reefs and wrecks this week and we should continue to see more of the same this upcoming week. They are hitting jigs, live bait and deep running hard baits trolled over shallow reefs and wrecks. Amberjack are almost on every wreck from 60’ on out with the largest fish being caught in deeper water of 100’ or more. With all the bad weather last month the Grouper have almost been left alone. Look for them on the near shore reefs and wrecks. Fish in the 10# to 15# range will hit pinfish, threadfins and hardtails. You will have to remove the tails from the Hardtails; otherwise they are next to impossible to get to the bottom on a light weight. The amount of debris in the water has also increased this last week. So has the amount of Dolphin and Triple Tail on it. King mackerel are being caught daily around the mouth of the passes and buoy lines on cigar minnows slow trolled or free lined. If you can get out the blue water bite is still smoking hot. Yellow Fin, Black Fin, and Wahoo are being caught around most of the deep water oil rigs. Poppers, jigs and slow trolled ballyhoo continue to be the go to baits. The bigger fish are coming off the bridled Bonito or large Blue Runners bump trolled around the rigs.

Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, FL 32408
www.halfhitch.com



Fishing Report prepared by Half Hitch Tackle Staff.

The Captains Corner Fishing Report is provided by local charter captains and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Half Hitch Tackle.

This report is dedicated to the memory of Al Hubbard.
Al Hubbard was a field editor for Florida Sportsman magazine, an outdoor writer for the News Herald and a board member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association.
Mr. Hubbard was also the owner of Al's Outdoors Outfitting Services.

Jensen Beach Fishing Report 6 -2011

FISHING 6/1/11



Yes it is summer and yes I love it. With its warm days it makes me lazy, makes me want to lie around and do as little as possible, and yes the fish feel the same way. Fish early, catch the coolest water of the day or fish the shaded waters, under the dock, bridges, tree lined shore or just deep water. The water is warm and the fish are just lying around now all you have to do is get them to eat.

Tarpon a plenty, inlets, crossroads, north fork, power plant and all we have to do is find out what they are eating. Small is always a good starter or crabs but if you have been fishing the Roosevelt it is that little D.O.A. Terroreyz, gray hours have been best and please do not bring a knife to the gun fight. Yes they look like they are lazing around but do not be mislead, they are ready for battle. More my speed are the Trout, fished early they can be found in the shallowest of water, top water plugs with a slow retrieve will get them. In the mix are the Reds and some Blue fish, have no idea what the blues are doing but they are there. After the sun is up go to the shaded water and slow down, these fish will pick up your bait not attack it. Fishing the channel edge will find them, deeper water, cooler water and do not forget the water for the angler we will both need it. Snook is closed……..

Surf anglers are still playing with the Blues early, casting cut baits and spoons, after that sun warm the edge they back out and in come the Whiting and Croakers. Cool about these fish is they do not wear a watch; they are there all day, up close and very tasty. A small piece of shrimp on a two hook rig will find you plenty so do not forget the ice. Snook is closed…………….

Off shore it is all about finding the fish, trolling looking for a reason for the fish to gather. These last few days of wind has mixed up the surface and now you are looking for weed lines, rips or color that are holding fish. Have one bait deep and the rest swimming, just because you do not see fish does not mean they are not there, watch that down rod it will the first to go. Drifting the reefs, grouper do not know the season is open, Mutton, Sea bass are all there and chewing, did I tell you not to forget the ice. The inlet is what it is, not a place to hang out, very narrow and yes Snook is closed.

Lazy days of summer, I love this place…………………………………………..Henry

Snook Nook Bait & Tackle
3595 NE Indian River Drive
Jensen Beach, FL
(Just South of the Jensen Causeway)
(772)-334-2145
(Since 1949)
E-Mail: henry@snooknook.net
www.snooknook.net      

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 6-7-2011

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, 
June 7, 2011



Upcoming Seminars and Events

Saturday, June 11th  Summer Kingfish
10: 00 - 12:00 "Free Seminars" instructed by Rapala Pro Staffer Rodney Sahr, "Summer Kingfish", located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida, www.mosquitocreek.com.


This Weeks Fishing Report

Fishing this past week has shown improvement as the water temperatures along the beach have begun to warm up, the winds are starting to subside  and the seas are settling down offshore.  Summer weather patterns have begun to settle in, and the catching will begin to improve along the Indian River Lagoon Coast. Calmer mornings will provide for some great sight fishing and top-water plug action in the lagoon. Along the beach, the clean green water has begun to push in close bringing the kingfish, jumbo jacks, bonito, sharks and tarpon action near-shore. These conditions will provide some excellent catches in the weeks to come and continue to improve as long as the summer squalls stay away.


The lack of any significant rainfall in May has produced extremely low water level  in the inshore lagoons, so shallow conditions and low dissolved oxygen levels have slowed the redfish bite in shallow.  On the other hand, further out one the flats in two to three feet of water, the sea trout bite has been very good fishing early in the morning with top-water plugs like the Storm Chug Bug and Rapala Skitterwalks.  The key has been to focus your efforts in areas of mullet schools.  If the floating sea grass becomes a problem, the DOA CAL Tail rigged weedless with a DOA Chug Head works very well.


Along the beach, the bait schools are on the increase, and as the water cleans up, the kingfish will be moving in close to the beach.  Currently, the tarpon bite is improving with most fish coming on live pogies fished in areas of rolling tarpon.  Further out on 8AReef and along Pelican Flats, a mixed bag of dolphin, cobia and kingfish was reported, but the bite hasn't been consistent.


For up to date fishing forecast by all Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando captains visit: http://coastalanglermag.com/orlando/.

As always, if you have any questions or need help, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
(407) 416-1187 on the water

Visit www.mosquitocreek.com for your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins

Limits Of Florida Keys Dolphin

Tuesday, June 7, 2011
What a difference a day makes in The Florida Keys Offshore fishing out of Holiday Isle Resort & Marina. FISH ON!!!

The wind 'laid down' yesterday morning and it was a gorgeous day for fishing as well as a successful one.  There were Mahi-Mahi all over the fish cleaning stations.  At one point in the afternoon I counted 11 Captains & Mates filleting & bagging fish!  Many of the Charters limited out.



YABBA DABBA DOO was the first vessel to return to The Holiday Isle Marina on June 6th.  Capt. Steve Leopold's Anglers limited out on schoolie Dolphin.



There's 31 more Dolphin on ice for Anglers Chris Harris (l), Charlie Miller, Logan Cramer & Caleb Harris.  This foursome from Lake City , FL limited out on Dolphin fishing on board GOTCHA with Capt. Mel Walker.



Here's another limit out of Mahi-Mahi, score 1 for DEE CEE Charters and Capt. Chuck Schimmelman (far left).  Plenty of tasty fish heading back to Georgia for Anglers Hugh Brown (left), Troy Meeks & Mark Johnson



Day 2 for this group of Anglers fishing with Capt. Bruce Andersen on The CAPT. EASY.  Pictured left to right once again is Eric & Dave Kelley along with Mark & Mathew Vuturo and Steve Grissom.  Mathew celebrates the group's limit out of Dolphin with a cigar!  Hey...where's Bobby Greene?



New Jersey Cop's on June 6th were trolling for Dolphin and had a successful trip on GOLD RESERVE.  Capt. Kevin Brown (left) takes a short break for a picture with Anglers Ron Cop, Brian Cop, Eric Cop and Mark Cop.  Great catch guys!

Nikki Holiday Isle Offshore 800-327-7070 Etc 642

Holiday Isle Resort and Marina
84001 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036
305-664-2321 ext. 642
Direct: 305-433-9942
www.holidayisle.com
kharper@holidayisle.com   

Posted by Let's Fish at Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Amelia Island Fishing Report 6-6-2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011
Smokey day on Amelia Island waters

Greg Metcalfe and his wife Diane along with friends John and Erin, all from Calgary, Canada were visiting Amelia Island and scheduled a backcountry fishing trip on The Anglers Mark.  We left the Atlantic Seafood dock promptly at 7am and headed up to the Jolley River to catch the tide as it just started in.  I lowered the trolling motor and began to ease along the exposed oyster banks as the anglers tossed their jig/shrimp combo to the shallows.  It wasn't long before Erin had hooked up with a jumping Ladyfish and John hauled in a snapping Bluefish.  All the anglers had bites, but we didn't get a whole lot of hook ups.  We headed on up the river to the MOA and fished, again getting bites here and there until John hooked up with a juvenile Redfish and brought it to the boat.  About this time heavy smoke rolled in from the fires at the Okefenokee Swamp and I began to wonder if we would even be able to navigate!  Be we fished on and our next stop was outside the Tiger Islands and this turned out to be the ticket.  Diane caught an nice Seatrout, Gary and John caught Blues, then BIG FISH ON!  Erin's drag began to scream and she held on tight as the line ripped out.  She fought the fish for a number of minutes before it got tired of playing and spooled the reel until the leader snapped!  Shortly after Diane had a good hookup and FISH ON!  Another drag ripping run and Diane had a fight on her hands.  She also had a good battle until the fish crossed an oyster bed and cut itself off!  OUCH!  Gary saved the day when he had a strong hookup, a good battle, and then boated a nice 2' Bonnethead Shark.  With that, we called it a day, another great day to be on the water!

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com     

Posted by Cpt. Lawrence Piper at 7:47 PM

Jumping Sarasota Tarpon

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report
6/5/2011

Anglers fishing the coastal gulf along Sarasota beaches with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon during the past week. The best action was during the middle of the week when we averaged 4 or 5 bites per day, jumping 7 or 8 tarpon and bringing several to the boat. We had only a few shots with a fly on Memorial Day Monday, probably due to increased recreational activity in shallow water. Action also slowed a little towards the end of the week as we experienced some negative effects coming off of Wednesday’s new moon.

Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, and his group of 6 other anglers fished with Capt. Kelly Stilwell, Capt. Jack Hartman and me from Tuesday through Friday of last week. The rest of the group consisted of Dave Kinnamon, from Milwaukee, Dan Kinnamon, from Miami, Steve Liska, Sean Moore and Ray Van Hoorebecke, all from NJ, and Greg Short, from OH. All boats had similar action, jumping numerous fish throughout the week and landing several. Greg had a few shots with a fly and had at least one take and Steve hooked up on a DOA Baitbuster one day, although most of the action was with live crabs. Tarpon got happy for a couple of days, working slowly and giving us good shots, however some days they were on a “mission”, moving fast and not showing well on the surface. There are many parts of the equation including tide, moon phase and angler experience, which is what makes tarpon fishing both challenging and rewarding.

Tides are favorable for tarpon fishing next week as we approach the quarter phase of the moon heading towards the next full moon. My experience with moon phases are that negative effects are sometimes experienced several days after the full and new moons as tarpon head offshore to spawn. However, the days preceding these moon phases usually have good action.

 Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com



Capt. Rick Grassett leaders Keith McClintock's tarpon, which was caught and released in the coastal gulf on a live crab.

 

Keith McClintock with a tarpon caught in the coastal gulf while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett, which was measured and DNA sampled before being released.

Amelia Island Fishing Report 6-1-2011

Get away from it all and ......let's go fishing!
June 2011


Hello Anglers!



Now offering NEW Fishing Trip Specials that may be right for you and your family! Don't forget, the Amelia Island Fishing Report is kept up to date so visit regularly during the month to see what's biting! Get away from it all, book a trip, and Let's Go Fishing on The Angler's Mark!

This Month's Fishing Reports
Family with SharkYou can tell summer is here by the variety of fish that we are catching. Some trips started off with keeper sized trout, others had Sheepshead, while some families had exciting Shark fights on their hands! Families enjoyed spending time together catching Redfish and Flounder, while bonded with some great fishing! Stay in touch with up-to-date Amelia Island Fishing Reports by following the Amelia Island Fishing Report!

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com