May is here and so are the Tarpon! Thousands of Tarpon have made their way into Southwest Florida and they came with a major appetite. I have already enjoyed some double digit days on Tarpon and this is just the beginning of Tarpon season! The snook fishing continues to be outstanding, Redfish are feeding like mad and the big trout bite has shown no signs of slowing down. This May is shaping up to be seriously fun!
Speaking of Tarpon, the 2012 Tarpon fishing season is here and for those of you who are looking to book a trip for the 2012 tarpon season I strongly urge that you start planning ASAP as my calendar is already over half full. I still have some openings in May and June so give me a call or e-mail me for availability. If I am booked I will do my best to line you up with a knowledgeable full-time guide who knows how to catch tarpon.
Thousands upon thousands of Tarpon have moved into Southwest Florida in April in preparation for their annual spawn. These are the big ones too! Fish in the 100 lb. range seem to be the average but I have already had some fish well over 150 lbs. The average has been 2-5 hook ups a trip but I have had a few 15 plus hook up days. This is pretty exciting considering this is just the beginning of Tarpon season and there are still thousands of Tarpon on their way to Boca Grande. They are being caught using a variety of methods including live bait drifting, sight fishing and dead baiting. This tarpon season is shaping up to be really good!
The snook fishing continues to be very good. They have really been feeding and have been more than excited to see a livewell full of sardines. Most of my trips I have been averaging 20-40 fish a trip with the average size being around 24” and a few 30”plus fish mixed in. The snook fishing will remain good throughout May and June as they begin to migrate toward the passes and beaches for their annual spawn. For you night owls, the night time Snook fishing around the lighted docks in Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers beach, Little Gasparilla and Boca Grande may be your best bet for some April Snook action. Lures like Mirrolure 3″ Soft Sardine and Mirrolure Mirrodine should both be good choices for catching spring time Snook. Please remember that Snook season will be catch and release only until at least September 2012.
The Redfish fishing this May should continue to be outstanding as well. There are still Redfish EVERYWHERE! The reds have started to school and when you get them going you can easily catch 30-50 fish. I am still catching a ton of fish in the 3lb-5lb range but I have been catching a lot over 27 inches. Sardines and pinfish have been the top bait recently and they have really been responding to live bait chumming. I have had multiple 50 plus Redfish days recently and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I have also been catching a lot fish on artificial. The Mirrolure “Provoker” rigged with a 4/0 Mustad Power Lock has been killing the reds and the trout on the higher tides.
Trout fishing has remained very good and getting a nice limit of trout has been pretty easy. I have been seeing a ton of big Trout on the flats and with a nice live-well of bait they have been really eating. I have started catching some really nice trout while fishing for Snook and Reds. I haven’t gotten any fish over 9lbs so far this year but I have had quite a few in the 6lb-8lb range. Normally April is the last month that the big trout fishing will be really good but with the recent cold fronts I have continued to catch some really nice fish in the 25” range.
The near shore fishing has slowed up a little up. Spanish Mackerels have been all over the place and but most of the Kingfish have moved on. Cobia have continued to be on the offshore wrecks and reefs and quit a few have been mixed inshore while Tarpon fishing. Gag Grouper remains out of season but you can still have a good time playing tug-o-war with some as long as you are willing to let them go.
Whether you want to catch the fish of a lifetime or just relax with friends, you can count on Reelfishing charters to put together the ultimate Southwest Florida experience! Capt. Danny is the guide that will bring everything together for a fun, exciting fishing charter that you’ll remember.
Reelfishing is a Fort Myers fishing charter as well as a Boca Grande fishing guide service. We pick up at several locations around Southwest Florida including Burnt Store Marina, Pineland Marina, Placida and the Boca Grande guide docks. Other arrangements can be made if necessary. We try to make fishing with Reelfishing charters as easy as possible.
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