fishing guides

November 16, 2012 By Blake Matherly

Florida Fishing Report, Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers Trout and Redfish

The waters are cooling and the fishing for Southwest Florida charter guides has shifted from Snook and Tarpon to cooler temperature fish like Trout and tailing Redfish.

We’re seeing, casting and catching tailing Redfish on the flats in all areas. I love fishing with artificial baits like the DOA shrimp for tailers. I rig the shrimp weedless so I can present the shrimp on the nose of the Red without hanging up in the grass. It’s a blast seeing the Redfish eat and take off in a foot or less of water.

We’re catching numbers of Trout all over Pine Island Sound using the same DOA Shrimp. Many of my Charters are catching 20, 30 and more Trout in a day of fishing.

Get out on the water, take a kid fishing and always remember that “it’s great being us”!

Tight lines,

Capt. Blake

September 9, 2012 By Blake Matherly

Fishing Florida using DOA Lures

When fishing the flats or back country around Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida, no matter what time of year, or how much you fish, you should always have a number of artificial baits (lures) that you have confidence in.

Bait fishing is a no brainer, but what happens when bait is hard to find. What about daybreak fishing. During the summer months in Florida you need to catch the early bite or you may be out of luck. If you’re spending hours catching bait, I will spool you on fish caught for the day, but if you fish using artificial baits you can start fishing as soon as you get your boat wet.

DOA Lures are my go to when it comes to artificial fishing. Between the Shrimp and the TerrorEyz I have caught every fish that can be caught in the Southwest waters of Florida. Shrimp can be fished on the grass flats or skipped under the mangroves. The TerrorEyz can be jigged in deep water in inlets or around bridges. You can use the smaller heads and fish shallower waters with less current.

Go out and give artificial baits a chance and you’ll gain confidence like I have.

Get out on the water, fish a little and always remember that, “it’s great being us”!

Tight lines
Capt. Blake

August 16, 2012 By Blake Matherly

Sanibel Island Snook Redfish and Trout Fishing

Met my client, Lorn Randall from California early at the dock on a beautiful August morning to fish the back country of Pine Island Sound and the Islands of Sanibel and Captiva. Lorn requested to go and see the process of catching bait before the fishing on the flats. After catching bait and seeing a beautiful sunrise the hunt began with our first stop at a mangrove island. Our first fish was a beautiful Redfish. Our second fish was the elusive Snook. Now I’m thinking we’re almost there to the big “Sanibel Slam”. Just one Trout and we have it. Naturally, I’m ready to get out of here and go to some grass flats to see if we can make it happen. Summertime can be a little tricky for Trout as the water is warmer and you really need to get them early or you may be out of luck. Our day was progressing (getting late) so I’m a little concerned about our possibilities.

We head over to a nice Pine Island Sound grass flat and the hunt begins. My buddy, Lorn, proves to be a worthy caster and we commence to bring in one catfish after another. We miss a couple of small Trout and then it finally happens. A nice Pine Island Sound Spotted Sea Trout. Bingo, a Sanibel Slam.

We both decided to try some mangrove fishing on the Sanibel, Captiva side of the sound so we’re off to another adventure. In stealth mode, we creep up to an Island off Sanibel and start casting towards and in the mangroves. A couple of nice snook and a beautiful redfish and my line goes tight and a huge snook has his way with my gear. I never had a chance to even get a look before he was in the next Zip Code. We re-bait and then it happens. Lorn hooks the granddaddy snook of the day. He jumps and I know it’s going to be a tough fight. This is a 35 inch plus Snook! I lift up the Power Pole and start motoring away from the mangrove to help Lorn with the battle. Minutes later, which seemed longer, we have the monster to the boat only to have him break the leader while we’re trying to have a conversation with him. Wow, what a day!

I bid farewell to my new friend and we both agreed that it is “great being us”, especially today!

Tight lines,
Capt. Blake

June 27, 2012 By Blake Matherly

Charter Fishing Off the Coast of Sanibel Island

Fishing the Gulf of Mexico is a unique experience to every level of sports fishing enthusiast. The Gulf is a relatively shallow body of water with man made reefs and a wide variety of fish species. This variety of fish is one of the things which attracts many fishing enthusiasts each year to the Gulf Coast of Florida. Sanibel Island is a barrier island off of the coast of Fort Myers. With its sister island, Captiva Island, it is a popular tourist destination because of its natural beauty and pristine beaches. Both Sanibel and Captiva Islands have made a commitment to preserving the natural beauty of the area by limiting development. This commitment to the environment has made fishing off of the coasts of the islands one of the best areas in Florida to experience the natural beauty of the state.

For most people, the best way to experience fishing off the coast of Sanibel is on a charter fishing boat. A local captain will know all of the best fishing spots and can make a fishing excursion a success. The type of boat is important, too. A Customized Egret 189 Flat Boat (what we use) is considered the top of the line in fishing boats. The carbon fiber and Kevlar construction make this type of boat sturdy and easy to manage in the Gulf waters. A flat boat is best for the Gulf waters because it gives the fishermen the best access to the water and can get into the coves, inlets, and fishing holes where the best catches can be found.

There are several varieties of fish which can be found off the coast of Sanibel. Each season brings its own unique fishing experience. This is one of the reasons the area is so popular and sets it apart from charter fishing experiences in other parts of the country. Offshore species include tripletail, tarpon, cobia, shark, spanish mackerel, king mackerel, barracuda, and snapper. Saltwater fly fishing yields large snook, tarpon, and snapper. Inlet and back bay fishermen will find snook, redfish, seatrout, and tarpon plentiful.

The tarpon is known for its fight and is one of the favorite fish for sports fishermen. The best season for tarpon fishing is spring, but if your captain knows where to fish, the season can last until the first frosts of winter. This is a very long fishing season for one of the most prized species in Florida. Tapron can be caught near the shore or out in the open waters of the Gulf. Tarpon are large and can weigh over 200 pounds. Tarpon fishing competitions are held in Florida and attract sports fishermen from all over the world. Another very popular species is the snook. Snook are another large fish prized for their fight and aggressiveness in the catch. Snook like to hang out near the coast and in holes. The best fishing season for Snook is during the warm months of summer since the fish tend to get sluggish during cold weather.

Charter fishing off of the coast of Sanibel Island in a private charter boat is an experience the rookie or experienced sports fishermen will not soon forget. The beauty of the area and plentiful fishing makes this area one of most popular sports fishing destinations in the country.