Tarpon

July 17, 2013 By Blake Matherly

Sanibel and Fort Myers Florida Fishing Charter Report

Fishing the Sanibel and Fort Myers area is a great way to relax on your vacation. The waters of Pine Island Sound are teaming with different species waiting for your fishing line to hit the waters.

Lately the fishing has been like the roller coaster rides we remember as a kid. The weather has been anything but predictable. Non typical rain patterns and lots of wind but fishing this coast is in my opinion the best place to get out even on bad weather day. We have lots of Island to find the Lee side of, and lots of creeks to tuck into to be able to turn a “would be cancellation” into a day to remember.

So be the case with my old friend and author of “Drawing Dead” Ben Shelfer. Ben called to have a day out with his girls, Angel and Karen. We’ve fished before, but Ben heard about some hard fighting Jack Crevalle that I’ve been on, and wanted a piece of the action with his daughters. So let the fight begin.

We chummed them up and presto, magic we were in them. Jacks are pound for pound, one of the toughest and most aggressive fished I’ve ever seen. They hit bait, flys, topwater lures and sometimes the kitchen sink (if you can get it out there)! We had multiple triple hookups, and some funny episodes to remember for a lifetime.

Thanks Ben, Karen and Angel for a day to remember! Hope to see you soon.

Get out on the water, take a kid fishing and always remember that “it’s great being us”!
Capt Blake <*(((><

April 12, 2013 By Blake Matherly

Sanibel Fort Myers Fishing Charter Report

“TGIF”! When you love to fish the back country or fishing the flats around Sanibel Island or Ft. Myers Florida that acronym takes on a lot of different versions. Thank God I’m Fishing, Thank God I’m in Florida, or in the life of Snook fishing, Thank God It’s Feeding”!

Today the Snook bite finally turned on! We’ve had a lot of very unusual weather and the Snook population has had a terrible case of the shivers (water temp has been below 70 degrees) but today marked the first great day of Snook fishing for Team FlatsFish’r.

Long time customer, Dan McConlogue brought his good buddy Dan Buckley, both from the Forest Country Club for a great day of fishing/catching. The day started with making sure that “Mama Rose” packed a generous supply of her famous sandwiches for the guys. With the cooler securely stored we set out for our journey.

Our first stop proved to be a great one with both Dan’s hooking and landing multiple Snook. It was great seeing the Snook enjoying the “snicker bars” tossed out and having multiple busts on the baits soon after landing in the water.

Next we headed up to big Jack country. With some hunting and chumming, we finally got Mr. Jack going. After a while Mr. Jack got both guys to cry uncle and waive the white surrender flags.

What a great day with a couple of great guys and feeding the Captain with some famous Mama Rose’s sandwiches will always get you to the best and most secret spots!

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

Capt Blake <*(((><

April 7, 2013 By Blake Matherly

Sanibel Fort Myers Florida Fishing Charter Report

Back Country Flats Fishing in the Fort Myers Sanibel area has a lot to offer. You have lots of decisions to make. Where to go, how

to fish, what species is your target. This week my client Rich Thompson from Minnesota told me he was bringing his son Ryan, and wanted Ryan to have a great day catching fish with his Dad.

So that was the the goal for the day. We started seeing if the Snook were ready to end their winter fast. Okay, maybe you’re still on your diet. We fished a couple of other spots and caught some Snapper and Sheepshead. Then we found some Jack Crevalle. They were tearing the water up going for a free meal of their favorite food, live threadfin herring.

Throughout the bite, Ryan and Dad, had multiple double hookups and laughter broke out many times doing the “two step” trying to keep lines from tangling and not being the one that lost his fish. Ryan developed the “Ryan Technique” for catching fish by leaving the bait by the boat and watching the Jacks attack the bait boatside.

I had a great time with a great kid and his dad and look forward to next years spring break to have Ryan and his “Technique” back on board the “Egret” charter boat.

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

Capt Blake <*(((><

March 4, 2013 By Blake Matherly

Fort Myers and Sanibel Island Florida Charter Fishing Report

Stalking and finding fish in the Back Country around Fort Myers and Sanibel is like hunting for Quail back in the fields of North Carolina where I grew up. You keep looking till you find what you came for. That’s what Ron and his brother in law encountered while fishing the Flat’s around Sanibel and Captiva Island in Pine Island Sound.

We start like always, fishing the tide. If it’s low, we fish pot holes or deeper cuts. If it’s high we fish the mangroves. We found some fish in a creek near Sanibel. First we found the Snapper. Then we came upon some smaller but nice size Black Drum. They kept coming, one after another. At times we had double hook ups. Seeing the rods bent almost doubled is the greatest site a fishing guide has ever seen. Hearing the reel scream like a sewing machine on steroids is the greatest sound. Combine both and you have a “happy, happy” Captain!

After a number of fish in the boat and time running out, we together decided we’d try to find some more, but different fish to bother and play with for the rest of the trip. We found some trout (a few very nice ones) drifting the grass flats. After playing a while with those guys, we moved to the trouble makers of the day. Yes, the Red’s and Snook were there but boy did they have a bad case of “loose lips, sinks ships”. They just would not partake in our fun and enjoyment.

The day ended, but we all enjoyed a beautiful day on the water. Ron and Rick were good fishermen and great guys. I had a great day with both and they both were gentlemen.

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

Capt Blake <*(((><

February 24, 2013 By Blake Matherly

Fort Myers and Sanibel Island Florida Charter Fishing Report

Flats fishing the back country waters of Pine Island Sound near the Island of Sanibel just off Fort Myers Florida, is a great place to land a number of species. It’s also a great place to hunt for a certain species to add to your bucket list. It could be the Spotted Sea Trout, maybe the Snook or Tarpon.

As for Author Ben Shelfer, his quest was for the elusive Red Fish. We’ve fished a number of times stalking the Red Fish from the tailing Reds on the grass flats, to the Red Fish in the mangroves. It seems that each time we’re looking for Reds, we find and catch all the other species but not the Red Fish. This day we were around Sanibel Island working the grass flats and mangrove islands.

While out fishing, we decided to try a mangrove shoreline for whatever (Ben had finally come to the conclusion that Red Fish was the water version of the Southern Snipe). Bam! Fish on! The fight was on and even though I thought the fish was fighting like a Red Fish, my lips were tighter than a oyster in Alaska in the winter time, till the fish was in the boat. It was, finally, Mr. Red Fish. The only problem was that fish was caught by, yes you guessed it, Me! Okay, we’ve located some Red’s, so Ben cast his DOA Cal lure towards the mangroves and Bam, Fish On!

We caught a number of Red Fish before the bite calmed down and off we were, stalking and hunting the Snook (another Snipe?). To be continued.

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

Capt Blake <*(((><