Contributing Writer
Capt. Alex Moran
SpiritFly Charters
Cold fronts are behind us (hopefully), snowbirds, and a giant rabid bunny lay ahead in the upcoming few weeks. Make sure to beware of its razor sharp claws and only attack it from behind if the opportunity presents itself. Should it appear at night and under a quarter moon you're on your own, kids.
Halfway through this month there's a hoard of small (think shin height) leprechauns that will be leeching their way out of the clover fields trying to distract you from the impending doom that the vampire rabbit will attempt to bestow upon any unsuspecting victims. Fear not, the tarpon will defeat all adversaries until the next red sun rises on a brisk Florida morning the following year.
Okay, let's make some sense for a change and talk about the water around Charlotte Harbor/Pine Island. I for one was bummed out about the crazy cold snap we had last month that kept me off the water for a couple of weeks but them's the breaks. I was dreading a repeat of the 2010 freeze that wiped out a massive amount of snook on the gulf coast, luckily however that was not the case!
There were reports of a few juvenile tarpon and mojarra floating in some back bays along Sanibel (it should be noted that these areas were quite shallow, that combined with our extra low tides this winter trapped the fish so they couldn't reach the deeper holes that they usually slide into during strong cold fronts) but I haven't seen anything on my aquatic adventures so that's great news!
The other great news is how clean the water is looking in Pine Island sound right now. It's legitimately the clearest I've seen it since moving down here ten years ago, so if you happen to sneak out on a mildly calm day, sight fishing is an absolute blast. The cooler water temps have really pumped up the redfishing for the last few weeks, especially just after a front.
Quiet approaches and a soft presentation of the fly are getting rewarded handsomely which is rare around here. This is the fun time to tug on a redfish too, as the cooler, more oxygenated water gives them superpowers. Every now and then one will take you into your backing like a bulldog flavored bonefish, it's pretty exciting!
I'm also starting to see the fishing patterns slide back to what they were before Hurricane Ian came through and upended our fishery so that has me excited to chase cobia and pompano up and down the sandbars early this spring.
I don't often harvest fish (I SUCK AT FILLETING THEM) but I'll give it a go for a nice pompano taco or broiled cobia steaks. The pompano will often be in schools and running fast so it's best to be prepared with a small bucktail jig (I like pink/white in 1/40z) and lead them a good bit so it can settle in the sand. A few quick tiny ticks of the rod should do the trick.
As for the cobia, the same jigs will work, but I'll also employ a black bass worm on a 1/2oz jighead for some longer casts if need be. Keep an eye out for big stingrays cruising the edges of flats and there's a good chance you'll see a brown bomber cruising with them. If you're throwing a fly, choose a heavy weighted crab or shrimp pattern and knock that ray on the head. Hang on because that cobia is gonna be ready to roll!
Now for the "Black Backed Beauties". As long as the weather stays relatively warm we're in for a real treat this month. With the clear water and slight warming trend, anglers with a keen eye and a ridiculous amount of patience will start to see our resident giant tarpon, and big breeder snook work their way out of the rivers to join the party on the flats.
After spending all winter in the tannic stained river waters these fish get a dark hue that makes them stick out like a sore thumb when they're moving down pale sand bars. This is when I start to bring at least one 10wt and probably an 11wt on the boat with me.
The snook will generally still be close to creek mouths just in case another cold snap arrives. I like to focus on muddy shallow bays right around the entrance that are out of the wind and get a lot of sun first thing in the morning. Most of these laid up fish will be between 30"-40" so bring some fresh undies and your favorite casting pants, you might only get one shot.
Make it count! I like to toss any dark colored fly that has material with a ton of movement, 1/0 or 2/0 black marabou deer hair slider comes immediately to mind. These land soft and stay in the strike zone for a long time (you'll want to fish SLOW).
As for the tarpon, on the lower tides I look for them in deeper basins and with any luck there will be a few floating high in the water column sunning themselves. This is about as heart stopping as fly fishing can get. You can use that same snook fly (probably on a slightly more stout hook) to get these girls to eat. Just drag it over their nose nice and slow, then wait for the wink while they inhale it.
Don't worry, it's super easy to get the fly in a two foot square with a moving boat, crosswind, and my dumbass egging you on. If we aren't having much luck with the basking poon and the sun is high, I'll usually head for a prominent sandbar or ten, and pole with the wind so my anglers have an easier time with their cast.
Generally you'll see these big black tadpoles slowly working down the line. A well presented fly, and slow retrieve will usually garner some interest and raise your blood pressure. Make it easy for the fish, they hate to work for anything. A "Toad Fly" in black, chartreuse, white, or tan would be a great starting point.
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
