Well, its official. The week before ‘The Storm’ was much more windy than during! The last week has had winds blowing steadily and strongly out of the West making the offshore and shark fishing near impossible and the inshore fishing very difficult. There was a large amount of Sargasso Grass blown into Lemon Bay that made it difficult to fish under the mangroves during high tides, so reds were a little spotty. This same weed also made fishing the shallows difficult as it hangs on the bottom and just really clogs up the whole place. There were reports of it becoming almost 1 foot deep in areas where it could catch up in a basin, marina, or corner.

I was lucky enough to have some great folks down from Venice to head out for some shark fishing. The big sharks have all but moved out, but the sporty, fast, and strong Blacktips and Spinners were willing and ready to play. We got out to one of my favorite spots in Boca Grande Channel and had 6 fish landed in 4 hours, with several more lost and tons of nice runs. There was even one very large shark hooked that managed to break through an owner 3x circle hook. This was their first experience shark fishing, and though I cant speak for them, I will say I think they were hooked. I was fortunate enough that they also took some decent video that I will get posted soon.

The inshore fishing is still dominated by lots of snook and a few reds. We haven’t been venturing back into Charlotte Harbor much to target reds, due to the simple fact that the snook are all over the passes and nearby drop offs. No monsters this last week, which is a definite change, but even the small fish are a blast on light tackle. As a nice bonus, the mangrove snapper have been running the large side for inshore in this area, with limits of fish to about 20″ with a consistent average of 15″. These are a nice tasty treat to supplement the typical trout and reds.
Looking ahead, snook fishing should be heating up and we will begin targeting the larger, more aggressive post-spawn fish when the snook season opens on Sept. 1. The reds should start grouping up when we get our first cool front sometime in the next couple of months. When the snook move back into the harbor, we will have a nice mix of keeper snook, reds, and trout to round out the keeper limits on the boat.

The next few months will be a great time for the first timer to experience shark fishing. The schools of blacktips and spinners that are hanging out are terrific fighters, but their smaller size (up to about 150lbs or so, with an average around 85lbs) makes them manageable for the novice shark angler. This is not to say they are not challenging, even experienced anglers are caught off guard by their speed, strength and tenacity. This also offers a unique opportunity to set IGFA WORLD RECORDS. Due to its performance as a game fish (blistering 300yd runs, jumps that would make a Marlin or Tarpon Jealous, and unwillingness to give up even at boat side) the Blacktip Shark was recently added to the list of species that is available for line-class world records. This means the records are separated out by the strength of the line used to catch them from 2lb to 130lb test. This is a very unique opportunity to set the bar for these records when they are new and have not had years of competition to put them nearly out of reach for the less experienced angler. fights with these sharks on light tackle can be 1, 2, 3, or even 4 hours long and are very challenging. Having your name listed as an IGFA WORLD RECORD holder is priceless. You receive an official world record holder certificate, your name in the world record book at the end of the year, online listings, as well as a photo and mention in the IGFA newsletter that goes out to members world wide! I am the only IGFA certified captain in the Venice-Englewood area, so you can rest assured that your line, tackle, and the fight itself will be well within the boundaries of what is allowable by the International Game Fish Association.
Whether you are looking to wet a line with kids, family, and friends, or you are on a quest to set world records August and September could your best shot. The water is warm and the fish are hungry, so lets head out and give it a shot!

Until then, be safe and have fun out on the water!
Capt.Tom