Contributing Writer Capt. Alex Moran
SpiritFly Fishing Charters
Here we go folks, we're 3/4 of the way through the year and, being the "Toys R Us, Neverland" seeking whimsical manchild that I am, I can confidently say that this final quarter will be full of killer fishing. Mostly because I'm a doctor. That's a lie, I'm a captain. Fisherman lie... BUT at least they're usually handsome and tan!
Now, I harp on how much I enjoy fishing in spring and fall down here twice a year in my goofy anecdote laden articles and I'm sure you're sick of it but I'm not backing down, damnit! Between now and the end of October we're going to be spoiled rotten with opportunities on the water for all of our usual target species, and something tells me they're going to be pretty snappy.
I'm always going to keep an eye out for the big migratory tarpon until we get our first cold front (usually in October) as we generally get a good push of fish at the end of September while our resident poon start to come back and settle into their winter haunts up our rivers and in the deep holes around Charlotte Harbor. It's always a good idea to have at least one 10wt fly rod on the boat, I'll die on that hill (and I don't even like hills, they suck to walk on, especially down and diagonal when it's slightly raining and you're at a concert trying to get soggy $12 nachos in flip-flops) #truth.
With the summer being as hot as it was I'll be keeping an eye out for juvenile tarpon in the backwaters for the next few weeks as they'll roll on a stagnant day or after a good solid afternoon rain (more on the rain in a second) so they can turbo boost their oxygen content. As long as the water temps haven't dropped below the mid 70's there's a good chance you can find these little silver bastards pretty readily around Matlacha and Pine Island if you poke into some tiny back bays fishing slowly and quietly.
Cover up, you're going to meet a bunch of friendly "no-see ems'" while you wait for your shot. Enjoy that sauna though!
Back to the rain, while we still get the afternoon showers anyways, I like to look for snook in these same backwater lakes and on quiet shorelines. The tide is generally falling hard after you've finished your waterfront tiki-bar lunch break (you did check the tides before you left the dock right?). This is a great time to do some exploring in your boat knowing you won't get stuck, well unless you dawdle.
That's a "you" problem, I can't hold your hand all day. I'm a big fan of throwing either a gurgler or spook along a shoreline where we find a small creek or drainage ditch dumping into whatever lake you're fishing in. That freshwater runoff meeting the salt can often be your ticket to the big snook in sneaky quiet places. With any luck you have that area all to yourself. Don't tell your friends, you earned it buddy.
One of the things that was weird this summer was the weather. I still can't believe there was a cold front in May for the first two weeks, and the lack of rain until damn near June, which had myself and everyone I know scrambling to find fish. It seems like the delay of the rain shifted fish movements around all year. For instance I randomly stumbled on multiple schools of 30-50 redfish in booty-hot shallow water while I was looking for rolling juvies, which is something we generally see in late fall/early winter.
Why they showed up in 90 degree water is a mystery to me but I think it bodes well for the next couple of months. I also got into a bunch of large trout in the hot water over grass flats in Pine Island Sound when typically they're deep in the channels wallowing around in the cooler water at the bottom that time of year. Who the hell knows?!?!
I think our fishery is finally swinging back from hurricane Ian so we'll see what happens in the next few months, but call me an eternal optometrist (yes that was on purpose), I think it'll be good. On another positive note, I'm noticing some more grass coming back on the Pine Island Sound side of the island so that's a nice sign. Hopefully that becomes a continuing trend and we get some clear water back over there.
If you're new to the area and haven't boated around much, please tread lightly, there are football fields of rich healthy grass around, and we need it for more than nature's speed bumps (manatees). Anyways, I'm getting ready for vacation, when I get back let's go fishing. Shoot me a text, or email (can't say I'll respond right away since Europe is weird... stupid left hand driving) but I'll gladly take you for a spin on the water. Until next month, take care!
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
