Big Tarpon Showing In Charlotte Harbor

2008 Spring Fishing Report and News

Hello all. The guides at Charlotte Harbor Outfitters would like to apologize for the reports section not being up to date since 2008 started. The reports section was experiencing technical difficulties but is now up and running. Instead of filing reports and pictures for the last four months, here is a recap and the spring report thus far. Thanks again to our readers for being patient. Now on to the report!

This time of year on Charlotte Harbor brings warm weather, higher water, and a red hot bite. Tarpon have been showing in great numbers so far throughout the open harbor, beaches, and even Boca Grande Pass. Bait of choice has been large threadfins which can be found anywhere in the open harbor under pelicans diving, which by the way are everywhere. Fish are really good size as well, a lot of 150 pound class and bigger fish. Look for them to continue their haunts in the deep holes in the harbor, as well as the big bridges, and to start showing in good numbers in the pass.


Snook will be on the flats in force. Solo fish and schooled fish will be roaming and hugry, ready to eat on any hard outgoing or incoming tide. They can be caught on top water lures early on, or soft plastics later in the day. Their candy will be a frisky live white bait or cut bait will work as well.

Most fish will be under the slot, but fish within the slot are on the rise. Be sure to revive them good before releasing them, especially as the water temp. heats up. The east and west wall are holding great numbers of fish and will be mixed with redfish and trout.

Redfish.....what else is there to say about the spring time. Massive schools won't be seen as much this time of year, but can be found in Pine Island and parts of the western harbor. Look for solo fish under mangroves on high tide, or pods of 5-20 fish on the open grass flats near pot holes. Cut bait and live bait will work, but the Sebile blood series has proven to work quite well. Don't be afraid to fish stained water, during the spring with some rain the water will not be as clear, redfish like this kind of water this time of year. Matlacha, Bull Bay, and Pine Island are all good areas to look for these bronze beauties.

The last of the inshore species is the speckled trout. This is a transition time of year for the trout. The really big trout that have been around for the winter time start to fade but will still be caught with regularity. A lot of smaller trout will start to show and can be caught on every cast in the right area. They like deep grass flats on the east wall as well as Gasparilla Sound and Pine Island Sound. Soft plastic jigs or live shrimp under a cork works very well. Kids can have fun catching the smaller size fish but catching a lot, or grown ups can have fun catching the bigger fish while stalking them shallow. Below Capt. Tim White poses with a few youngsters, Capt. Jason Dill holds a hefty arti caught trout, and Capt. Jay Withers holds a big trout caught on the Sebile blood series....

In other news, Capt. Jason Dill of CHO and his fishing partner Jason Reynoso took 2nd place in the IFA Redfish Tour event in Punta Gorda, congrats guys.

Also, The Professional Tarpon Tournament Series team consisting of Capt. Jay Withers, Capt. Tim White of CHO, Lee Crosby, and Jon Hoke picked up a new sponsor for the PTTS series in 2008. Reactor Watch will be the official time of the PTTS in 2008 as well as the title sponsor for the above mentioned team members. They look forward to fishing the series which starts mid May and will be every Sunday for five weeks, look for Team Reactor Watch in Boca Grande Pass during the series and check out their watches which each team member will be sporting in each event, visit www.reactorwatch.com and read up on their new sponsorship with the PTTS.

That's it for now, the guides of CHO are glad to have the reports section back up and running. Keep checking back for month to month reports and news and updates starting in May. Tight Lines from the CHO guides!

Posted on 23 Apr 2008 by admin

Charlotte Harbor Outfitters
Captain Tim White
941-916-4009
tqwhite@hotmail.com
Captain Chuck Jenks
239-825-8791
chuckjenks@hotmail.com
Captain Jason Dill
941-628-2847
jdill30@hotmail.com