We changed the fishing up a little last week. We changed the type of fish we fished for, the located where we fished, and of course, Mother Nature changed the weather we fished in. The weather has moved many fish around and even made some of them go crazy. By crazy I mean we have gotten on some bites where it seems like the fish want to eat the boat. We've had big numbers of fish as well as some great size fish lately. We fished different areas outside of Manatee County a few days and did very well, but really not any better than we have done the last few weeks around here!
The great Red fishing has gotten as good as the Snook fishing over the past few weeks. Some days you can only catch great big fish, where it's hard to find a keeper Red, and then other days all the fish fall in the slot. We have found these fish in a different area each day. Some days there way up on the flats and other days they are laying on the edges of the bars. These fish have been doing a lot of moving around and they do this is for a few reasons… change in wind, tide, and water temperature, which are all big factors for these fish. We definitely haven't had too much trouble getting on a really great bite the past few weeks. Take a look at the picture.
Snook fishing has stuck right in there with the Red fishing. We have managed to catch Snook on some of our trips without having to pull the anchor. Sometimes the Red fish will push the Snook out and sometimes the Snook will push the Red fish out. The Snook have been getting bigger lately. We have started catching a lot of fish that are just a little too small to keep - about 27-27 ½ inches. Keeper Snook have to be 28-33 inches, so the top of the limit has come down a little. Although, this rule is making it a little harder to catch Snook to keep, it's just as much fun to catch and release these fish. As Fall gets closer we usually start catching a lot more fish that will satisfy the big size limit and that is something to look forward to over the next few weeks. If it's that big Snook you're looking for you better book those trips now before you have to wait until next year.
Trout and Tarpon fishing have been good, but we haven't had a chance to do any of this type of fishing. Rumor has it that there are some big Tarpon around, so I am going to try some of it over the next week. We just need the wind to let up a bit. There is still a lot of Trout around. The big Trout we have been catching have been mixed in with the Snook and Red fish. Start booking those fall trips now before it gets to late - November is just around the corner. Visit www.castawaychartersinc.com for pictures.
