Tarpon numbers are still good in Charlotte Harbor and Pine island Sound. Live bait fishing was best during morning hours with large Atlantic thread herrings and pilchards then soaking cut bait on bottom was a better choice during the afternoon. Sharks continue as a steady by-catch as they frequently intercept tarpon baits. Inshore most were blacktips and off the beach we caught blacktip and hammerheads. Some days the difficult part of hooking a tarpon is keeping the sharks, mackerel, bluefish and others off the bait long enough for a tarpon to find it.
We also caught several cobia and one nice gag grouper on live baits intended for tarpon in Charlotte Harbor.
The Spanish mackerel and sea trout bite was steady over deep grass flats around Bokeelia. A combination of a deep grass flat with large schools of thread herring was a deadly combination for steady action. The fish were very active over the incoming tide but the bite dropped off dramatically over the falling tide during the heat of the day.
With the arrival of summer and the heat that comes with it the best and most enjoyable fishing is the mornings. We have also fished several late afternoons for shark and tarpon with success but the afternoon thunderstorms are becoming more frequent.
For charter information please contact us at:
Phone: 239-283-7960
Website: www.fishpineisland.com
E-mail: gcl2fish@live.com
"Catch the Action" with Captain Bill Russell
