Fort Myers to Boca Grande fishing report
Capt. Scott Hughes
September 13, 2009
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
We have had some of the best weather for fishing the past two months that I've seen during the months of August and September. This good weather has led to some very good catches of tarpon on almost every trip when I have targeted them. When i haven't been fishing for tarpion I've been searching the flats for snook, redfish, trout and snapper. There are also quite a few sheephead, and spanish mackerel around also.
Tarpon: September is still tarpon season for me and I've been able to stay on a number of groups of fish. I've finding them in Charlotte Harbor, the passes and in the open gulf. Most of my fishing in the gulf and passes has been with large live sardines or herring. When I've been targeting tarpon in Charlotte Harbor i've been using a variety of lures. Most of the time I've sight fishing and blind casting large soft plastic swim baits or trolling larger lipped plugs. The tarpon in Septmeber are somewhat smaller than the fish that we catch in the spring but most of the tarpon have been 70-100 pounds.
Snook: Snook season opened on Septmeber 1st and will be open until December. I've been finding snook near the passes and on the beaches. There are also a few fish moving up into the backcountry where they will stay until they move into the rivers during winter.
Redfish: Redfish are staring to school up on the open bars of Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island. Most of these fish are over the slot but are a lot of fun when you can get on them. Live bait, cut biat and lures will work when the schools are not spooked.
Trout: I don't usually catch very many trout this time of year but this year there are more on the flats than usual and we have been catching them with small live sardines. We are also catching loads of big snapper, mackerel and ladyfish while we are catching the trout.
Fort Myers Fishing Forecast:
The tarpon fishing will probably be over after the fist good cold front in October. The snook fishing will be good until sometime in early November and the redfish and trout fishing will get better as we get closer to witner. They will be the main targets until March when the snook fishing get good again.
Target Species:
Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout, Snapper
