Home Forums Fishing Saltwater SW Florida fishing advice

My wife and I will be spending the first 2 weeks of February in Ft Myers. She gave me a fishing trip for Christmas. I'm looking for advice on areas or if you have any favorite charter captains.
I'm looking for eating fish to enjoy in the condo. I've been on the party boats and have had enough just catching little fish. This time looking for more substantial fish. I'd also be interested in sharing expenses with any of the locals that may want to venture out.

Thanks for your replies!

257, I grew up on the west coast of FL. Isn't much you can't catch from shore on a live shrimp or pinfish. Artificials work good, too. As for artificials Mirrolures, Capt Hank Brown jigs, YoZuri silver minnows, and Gulp shrimp are what I use most for snook, redfish, trout. Squirt some scent of your choice on the hard plastics and jigs and you may up your chances a bit. If you want a shot at a big lazy snook or a tarpon, take a frozen mullet, step on it's head near the gill plates and throw it out with a sliding sinker and using a circle hook off the beach and let it sit. Live mullet will work, too. If you've got a small net pilchards also work great, but don't stay alive long in a bait bucket. Great bait, though.

Light to medium spin tackle is all you'll really need. 10 to 17 lb test braid and a fluororcarbon leader. Use a loop knot on the business end of your leader to get better action out of your artificials and live bait can move around better. If you wade or surf fish, this tackle will be more than adequate and remember, you don't have to throw it a mile. They're often right in front of you.

Suggest you get on Florida Sportsman BBS and start perusing and make the same post there.

Hope this helps. Good Luck and Have a Ball!

Thanks so much!

Had decent luck on Snook, trout, and reds down there with rubber crabs, Carolina rigged or on a stand up jighead....for artificials. I don't 'know' the area, by any means, but my ventures have taken me through that area, and seems peeler crabs were high in the fish menu at that time, with swim baits second. Jigging a crab seems to get neglected inshore, and I'm just as guilty.

257, h4whiskey has a good point. If you can figure out what they're favorite prey is, your miles ahead. Down here we call it "Match the Hatch".

Great advice. I'll be sure to check it out!

Get the Sun Waterline Edition app for your tablet or cell phone. It is a weekly fishing magazine that covers the Charlotte harbor and Pine Island areas. Weekly fishing reports, charter ads, etc. A really nice resource. Fishin Franks website out of Port Charlotte is a good resource too. Probably won't be any Tarpon around but there are always a lot of fish in and around the harbor.

If you want a charter call Fishin Franks (941) 625-3888 and ask for Billy Barton. He is a young charter captain that is a go getter.

Hey, don't get Billy so busy I can't get him when I'm down there! We've been using him for six or seven years and he will flat put you on the fish.

Awesome guys. Thanks for the intel!

Curious, 257wby. How was your trip?