Fishing Reports by Captain Butch Rickey
About The Author: Captain
Company: The Bar Hopp'R
Area Reporting: Backcountry fishing and flats fishing in the waters of Pine Island around Sanibel Island, Captiva Is
Bio: Capt. Butch Rickey spent much of his youth growing up on Sanibel and Captiva, near Ft. Myers, and has fished the waters of Pine Island Sound for much of his 60-plus years. Capt. Butch specializes in light tackle live-bait fishing for snook, redfish, tarpon, and trout in Pine Island Sound, but will be happy to accomodate any other type of fishing you want to do. You'll enjoy fishing the beautiful clear water of the shallow grass flats, mangrove keys, potholes, and oyster bars. You'll marvel at the wildlife on, in, and above the water. You'll see Florida as you always imagined it would be. A Barhopp'R trip will satisfy the fisherman, hunter, and sightseer in you. Capt. Butch is an instructional guide, and gives you only the best Shimano Stella reels and St. Croix Legend and G. Loomis rods to use. Butch is U.S. Coast Guard licensed, insured, experienced, and provides fishing license, bait, ice, digital camera, cell phone, and lots of advice and coaching when needed. He will work hard to put you on the fish.
239-633-5851
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain
Pine Island Sound Fishing Report for the Week Ending 10/24/09 (10/28/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Only one trip this week, so a short report as well.
[Sanibel,FL] Only one trip this week, so a short report as well.
Report for the Week Ending 10/17/09 (10/17/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I got in two trips this week, and both were with old friends that I've known and fished with for years; Bruce Miller, of Cape Coral, and Ron Texas Wader Hunter, of Palmetto. Fishing with old friends makes even the tough days great, and the great days awesome.
[Sanibel,FL] I got in two trips this week, and both were with old friends that I've known and fished with for years; Bruce Miller, of Cape Coral, and Ron Texas Wader Hunter, of Palmetto. Fishing with old friends makes even the tough days great, and the great days awesome.
Pine Island Sound Report for the Week Ending 10/10/09 (10/13/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I managed to run two out of three scheduled trips this week. It was a week plagued with equipment problems that worked only because my old friend Terry Ryan, who was on Sanibel for the week and scheduled to fish with me Sunday and Monday, swapped his beast of a Chevy diesel truck for my car for a couple of days, allowing me to get my boat to the ramp, and Terry and his gang to get around on the islands.
[Sanibel,FL] I managed to run two out of three scheduled trips this week. It was a week plagued with equipment problems that worked only because my old friend Terry Ryan, who was on Sanibel for the week and scheduled to fish with me Sunday and Monday, swapped his beast of a Chevy diesel truck for my car for a couple of days, allowing me to get my boat to the ramp, and Terry and his gang to get around on the islands.
Week Ending 10/03/09 (10/03/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I managed to get out one day this week, and it proved to be a great one.
[Sanibel,FL] I managed to get out one day this week, and it proved to be a great one.
Week Ending 9/19/09 (9/18/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I actually got to get out on the water two days this week! Both days were great. We had storms just offshore both mornings, and a nice easterly breeze for most of the day that kept us cool until mid-day when we were about done.
[Sanibel,FL] I actually got to get out on the water two days this week! Both days were great. We had storms just offshore both mornings, and a nice easterly breeze for most of the day that kept us cool until mid-day when we were about done.
Week ending 8/15/09 - Pine Island Sound The Slam! (8/16/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I did get out one day this week. Morning storms were again a factor, and messed with my plans. But, I had a couple of great guys, and we had a good time in spite of the weather.
[Sanibel,FL] I did get out one day this week. Morning storms were again a factor, and messed with my plans. But, I had a couple of great guys, and we had a good time in spite of the weather.
Tight Lips and Tough Trips! And, A Great Week! (7/25/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I actually managed to get in three trips this week, which honestly is about all of the July heat my old body can handle. Fishing in the Sound is tough. Tight lips are definitely making for tough trips.
[Sanibel,FL] I actually managed to get in three trips this week, which honestly is about all of the July heat my old body can handle. Fishing in the Sound is tough. Tight lips are definitely making for tough trips.
Exploring Charlotte Harbor After Nearly Twenty Years (7/18/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I did get on the water once this week, but I'd hardly call it work. I went up to Charlotte Harbor with my long-time friend Bubba Baker, and his tournament partner, Scott. They were getting ready for a redfish tournament this weekend, and I was going to show them around in an area that I used to fish some twenty years ago.
[Sanibel,FL] I did get on the water once this week, but I'd hardly call it work. I went up to Charlotte Harbor with my long-time friend Bubba Baker, and his tournament partner, Scott. They were getting ready for a redfish tournament this weekend, and I was going to show them around in an area that I used to fish some twenty years ago.
Report for the Week Ending 6/27/09 (6/30/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Seems it's been nearly impossible to get a descent week in since Easter passed. This week was no exception. I ran one of the three trips I had on the books. Catching also continues to be a challenge.
[Sanibel,FL] Seems it's been nearly impossible to get a descent week in since Easter passed. This week was no exception. I ran one of the three trips I had on the books. Catching also continues to be a challenge.
Report for the Week Ending 6/20/09 (6/21/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] As I mentioned in last week's report, I was on a short vacation this week. But, I did come back to Ft. Myers to run a trip with an old friend, Dave Adair, of Cincinnati, and two of his friends Paul and Jeff, of Cisco Systems, from Colorado. I wouldn't miss a chance to spend a day on the water with Dave. We've known each other for ten years now, and he's a great guy, a laid back but passionate angler, and always fun.
[Sanibel,FL] As I mentioned in last week's report, I was on a short vacation this week. But, I did come back to Ft. Myers to run a trip with an old friend, Dave Adair, of Cincinnati, and two of his friends Paul and Jeff, of Cisco Systems, from Colorado. I wouldn't miss a chance to spend a day on the water with Dave. We've known each other for ten years now, and he's a great guy, a laid back but passionate angler, and always fun.
Pine Island Sound Report for Week Ending 06-13-09 (6/16/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] What began as a full week wound up a three day work week. The fishing remained tough inside, but took an upturn late in the week.
[Sanibel,FL] What began as a full week wound up a three day work week. The fishing remained tough inside, but took an upturn late in the week.
Report for the Week Ending 5/30/09 (6/03/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I had three trips scheduled during the week ending May 30, 2009, all over the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. But, as things worked out, I only did one trip on Memorial Day with my old buddy Terry Ryan, and his neighbor and side-kick, Bill.
[Sanibel,FL] I had three trips scheduled during the week ending May 30, 2009, all over the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. But, as things worked out, I only did one trip on Memorial Day with my old buddy Terry Ryan, and his neighbor and side-kick, Bill.
Pine Island Sound Report for the Week Ending 5/23/09 (5/27/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] The rainy season arrived early, as a late season cold front and a tropical low pressure center just off the east coast of Florida combined to make it a lot of wet, stormy, and often threatening weather. We needed the rain, but it wasn't good for business.
[Sanibel,FL] The rainy season arrived early, as a late season cold front and a tropical low pressure center just off the east coast of Florida combined to make it a lot of wet, stormy, and often threatening weather. We needed the rain, but it wasn't good for business.
Report for the Week Ending 5/16/09 (5/15/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I wound up running two trips this week. Both were with my good friend Dr. John Hitt, of UCF, in Orlando. We had progressively tougher tides as the week progressed, and predictably the fishing got tougher, as well. But, we always have a good time out there.
[Sanibel,FL] I wound up running two trips this week. Both were with my good friend Dr. John Hitt, of UCF, in Orlando. We had progressively tougher tides as the week progressed, and predictably the fishing got tougher, as well. But, we always have a good time out there.
Slams All Around In Pine Island Sound (5/09/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] I ran three trips this week, and save for still fighting off the flu, it was a great week with old friends, and the fishing was pretty good with Slams all round!
[Sanibel,FL] I ran three trips this week, and save for still fighting off the flu, it was a great week with old friends, and the fishing was pretty good with Slams all round!
Report for the Week Ending 4/25/09 (4/28/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] It was to be a six day work week, but it seems it's been impossible to get a full week in this season because of the constant fronts. This week was no exception!
[Sanibel,FL] It was to be a six day work week, but it seems it's been impossible to get a full week in this season because of the constant fronts. This week was no exception!
Report for the Week Ending 4/18/09 (4/22/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] To say the week ending April 18th stunk, would be an gross under-exaggeration! You can probably still smell it from where you are!
[Sanibel,FL] To say the week ending April 18th stunk, would be an gross under-exaggeration! You can probably still smell it from where you are!
Report for the Week Ending 4/11/09 (4/12/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Another big cold front and a week of full moon tides made this one of the slowest bites I've seen in a long time.
[Sanibel,FL] Another big cold front and a week of full moon tides made this one of the slowest bites I've seen in a long time.
Report for the Week Ending 4/04/09 (4/04/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Wind was again a factor this week, as were poor tides toward the end of the week. By Thursday the forecast was for 31 knots, and that's just time to stay at the dock. It was bad enough Tuesday and Wednesday, blowing near 25 knots!
[Sanibel,FL] Wind was again a factor this week, as were poor tides toward the end of the week. By Thursday the forecast was for 31 knots, and that's just time to stay at the dock. It was bad enough Tuesday and Wednesday, blowing near 25 knots!
Report for the Week Ending 3/28/09 (3/30/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] How quickly the weather can turn a full week into crap! We fished for three days is wind gusting to 25 MPH. By Thursday morning the wind was out of hand. Some of us put our boats back on the trailers and went home. Others went out to try to get their trips in, and came back later saying it was just too nasty to fish. And, then. There are those who are going to fish regardless!
[Sanibel,FL] How quickly the weather can turn a full week into crap! We fished for three days is wind gusting to 25 MPH. By Thursday morning the wind was out of hand. Some of us put our boats back on the trailers and went home. Others went out to try to get their trips in, and came back later saying it was just too nasty to fish. And, then. There are those who are going to fish regardless!
Report for the Week Ending 3/21/09 (3/26/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Very poor tides and a trip to Port Manatee to fulfill my TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) requirement cut the work week a bit short. We caught some nice fish, though.
[Sanibel,FL] Very poor tides and a trip to Port Manatee to fulfill my TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) requirement cut the work week a bit short. We caught some nice fish, though.
Report for the Week Ending 3/14/09 (3/18/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Save for one day, it was a great week of fishing. The big yellow-mouth sow trout are thick in the right places, and there are some nice snook eating, too.
[Sanibel,FL] Save for one day, it was a great week of fishing. The big yellow-mouth sow trout are thick in the right places, and there are some nice snook eating, too.
Report for the Week Ending 2/28/09 (3/03/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Constant cold fronts and the wind and high barometer that comes with them, along with cold water, have served to make catching very tough this week.
[Sanibel,FL] Constant cold fronts and the wind and high barometer that comes with them, along with cold water, have served to make catching very tough this week.
Report for the Week Ending 2/21/09 (2/23/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] It was a week of schedule changes, cold fronts, fog, high pressure, tough fishing, and great customers!
[Sanibel,FL] It was a week of schedule changes, cold fronts, fog, high pressure, tough fishing, and great customers!
Week Ending 2/14/09 (2/17/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] It was a week jam-packed with trips, good fishing, and great customers!
[Sanibel,FL] It was a week jam-packed with trips, good fishing, and great customers!
Week Ending 1/31/09 (2/02/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] It was another abbreviated work week, but a week of great fun with some great guys, fishing cold water with artificials.
[Sanibel,FL] It was another abbreviated work week, but a week of great fun with some great guys, fishing cold water with artificials.
Report for Week Ending 01-17-09 (1/19/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Multiple cold fronts blew out the bait, but didn't keep the fish from eating!
[Sanibel,FL] Multiple cold fronts blew out the bait, but didn't keep the fish from eating!
Report for the Week Ending 12/27/08 (1/08/2009)
[Sanibel,FL] Fishing for snook and trout remained good during Christmas Week.
[Sanibel,FL] Fishing for snook and trout remained good during Christmas Week.
Report for Week Ending 12/20/08 (12/24/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] In spite of numerous cold fronts and cool waters, bait is plentiful and the snook and winter trout fishing is good!
[Sanibel,FL] In spite of numerous cold fronts and cool waters, bait is plentiful and the snook and winter trout fishing is good!
Report for the Week Ending 12/13/08 (12/13/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] One Great Day of Fishing Ahead of the Front!
[Sanibel,FL] One Great Day of Fishing Ahead of the Front!
Report for the Week Ending 11/29/08 (12/01/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] The reds are still prowling the flats and eating well!
[Sanibel,FL] The reds are still prowling the flats and eating well!
Report for Week Ending 11/15/08 (11/18/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Ladyfish was the key to redfish on cool, windy days!
[Sanibel,FL] Ladyfish was the key to redfish on cool, windy days!
Report for Week Ending 11/01/08 (11/04/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Record cold temps, lots of wind, and a big barometer made things tough and interesting!
[Sanibel,FL] Record cold temps, lots of wind, and a big barometer made things tough and interesting!
Week Ending 10/25/08 (10/25/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] More trips lost to bad weather up and down southwest Florida coast.
[Sanibel,FL] More trips lost to bad weather up and down southwest Florida coast.
Report for the Week Ending 10-18-08 (10/16/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Another great day on the water with old friends.
[Sanibel,FL] Another great day on the water with old friends.
Report for Week Ending 10/11/08 (10/12/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] It was another one day workweek, but it was a great day with a wonderful family, David, Jennifer, and son Ted Arthur, over from Ft. Lauderdale.
[Sanibel,FL] It was another one day workweek, but it was a great day with a wonderful family, David, Jennifer, and son Ted Arthur, over from Ft. Lauderdale.
Report for Week Ending 10/04/08 (10/07/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] A great day of fishing with Grandpa, Dad, and young son Caden. The birth of a new fisherman!
[Sanibel,FL] A great day of fishing with Grandpa, Dad, and young son Caden. The birth of a new fisherman!
Report for Week Ending 9/27/08 (9/28/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Fresh Water Dumping continues to make fishing tough!
[Sanibel,FL] Fresh Water Dumping continues to make fishing tough!
Report for Week Ending 9/20/08 (9/20/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Fresh, Black Water and Poor Tides Make for Tough Fishing
[Sanibel,FL] Fresh, Black Water and Poor Tides Make for Tough Fishing
Report for The Week Ending 8/30/08 (8/31/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] After having the previous week completely blown out by Fay, this was a pretty good week of fishing. Especially for reds!
[Sanibel,FL] After having the previous week completely blown out by Fay, this was a pretty good week of fishing. Especially for reds!
How The Tides Effects Fishing In PIne Island Sound (8/18/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] This week was a classic lesson in how much the tide effects the bite!
[Sanibel,FL] This week was a classic lesson in how much the tide effects the bite!
Some Great Redfishing on Cut Ballyhoo! (7/28/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Save those ballyhoo you get in your net, and catch some ladys to go with them. They'll catch you some nice redfish!
[Sanibel,FL] Save those ballyhoo you get in your net, and catch some ladys to go with them. They'll catch you some nice redfish!
Week Ending 7/19/08 (7/22/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Beautiful redfish were the order of the day!
[Sanibel,FL] Beautiful redfish were the order of the day!
Report for the Week Ending 7/12/08 (7/14/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Bait is still the big issue: It's tiny and it's everywhere! So much so that the fish don't have much reason to eat what we're throwing at them!
[Sanibel,FL] Bait is still the big issue: It's tiny and it's everywhere! So much so that the fish don't have much reason to eat what we're throwing at them!
Week Ending 7-05-08 (7/06/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Snook are all over the beaches, and tiny bait is everywhere, inside and out. It's hard to get them to eat.
[Sanibel,FL] Snook are all over the beaches, and tiny bait is everywhere, inside and out. It's hard to get them to eat.
Week Ending 6-07-08 (6/07/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] It was a short week that included one great trip with a great Mon and son team!
[Sanibel,FL] It was a short week that included one great trip with a great Mon and son team!
Week Ending 5/24/08 (5/26/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Wind and poor tides were again the controlling factors this week.
[Sanibel,FL] Wind and poor tides were again the controlling factors this week.
Report for the Week Ending 5/17/08 (5/16/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] The wind was again not our friend this week. I lost two of my four days to the wind.
[Sanibel,FL] The wind was again not our friend this week. I lost two of my four days to the wind.
What's Up With the Fishing In Pine Island Sound? (5/12/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] The fishing continued very tough in the Sound this week. From tarpon to catfish, it was hard.
[Sanibel,FL] The fishing continued very tough in the Sound this week. From tarpon to catfish, it was hard.
A Tough Week of Fishing, but Some Very Nice Fish! (5/04/2008)
[Sanibel,FL] Windy days and a general lack of interest from the fish combined to make things very tough!
[Sanibel,FL] Windy days and a general lack of interest from the fish combined to make things very tough!