Florida Tarpon Fishing Flats Fishing Report

With the new fishing regulations coming into effect for grouper, I decided to take a quick fun trip offshore over the holidays. I accompanied Dr Dan Moenning and his father and father-in-law in search of dinner. we traveled west for over 12 miles before we ever found bait a stark contrast to my last offshore trip when bait was thick as molasses. After a few stops we had a couple of dozen squirrel fish and about a dozen hand size blue runners. On the first grouper hole we managed 1nice keeper red grouper, we moved to another and picked some under size gag grouper. On the third and final stop of the day 2 more short gag's and 3 nice keeper red grouper. We also caught around 15 nice lane snapper up to about 2 pounds.

On a side note to any on out there with some old TD numbers they have held on to, Dan had acquired a new program to convert TD numbers , having tried this on a number of occasions, without success, we reluctantly fished some spots we converted with the new program. This new program converted our numbers dead on the money. At the moment the program is unavailable to the public, but will be coming as an update to certain manufactures GPS systems in the first part of 2009. I will report the names after the release, so anyone looking for it will know how to get it.

Also tarpon season is around the corner I have been booking trips already, but have a lot of availability. Give me a call to discuss any dates the end of May is already pretty jammed up. But the beginning of May and June is mostly open.

Hope Every One Had A Great Christmas And Looking Forward to A Prosperous New Year

Capt Andy Boyette
1-888-880-0006

Every year at this time, after spending some great fishing days inside the backcountry flats and tarpon filled holes of Charlotte Harbor, I take a annual trek offshore. With a break in charter action and the right weather conditions Capt Scot Hughes and myself took a break and headed offshore in search of the annual kingfish action. With light winds and warm air temps and water temps in the low 70s we headed about 12 miles west of Boca Grande to an undisclosed wreck. With no bait in sight in the harbor we figured we could sabiki some bait offshore and slow troll it near the wreck and pickup some Kingfish. About halfway we found a nice pod of threadfins about the size of two football fields and proceeded to fill the live well. Once on the wreck we immediately marked plenty of suspend fish on the color machine and deployed some frisky baits behind the boat. First fish to the boat was a small king about 7 lbs. Not exactly the kingfish we where hoping for but kingfish none the less. Next couple of drifts bring the same size king fish, when suddenly another hookup looks to be much bigger fish. Not running like a kingfish, after about a 20-minute, fight and some imaginative guesses about what could be on the end of the line, we boat a 25lb Amberjack Really great action on the light tackle we where using with multiple fish landed over the next hour, the largest about 40lbs

Kingfish should hold in the area for another few weeks and the Amberjack we encountered will stay on these near shore wrecks until the warm weather returns in the spring. The grouper bite has been fair close to shore along with the snapper and like the amberjack should stay close as long as the weather stays cool.

Inshore fishing will be in a transition until water temps stabilize. With the bait supply drying up your favorite plastic and jig combination should bring plenty of trout action. Big redfish should start showing in the potholes where chumming with cut bait like ladyfish will pay off. Snook fishing in the canals and in the rivers should be good. After cold mornings warming afternoons will be the best time to be on the water.

A short video of our amberjack action can be seen at http://flixoutdoors.com/play.php?vid=194 Look in the members section under captandy

Capt Andy Boyette
1-888-880-0006

Prior to the cold front that past by first of the week where temps dropped into the 40s Pine Island Sound was stating to show some decent action with Snook and Trout with the occasional Redfish. Bait fish was making a good showing but unlike the past few years it is not in the usual spots. Tarpon began showing in small numbers on the beaches and I have heard from other guides they have been catching a couple a week. I went in to the big Pass today and marked a handful of tarpon and there where several boats drifting live bait.

Bull and Turtle Bay have been fairly reliable with a mixed bag, but I struggled to put fish in the boat today. Several of the trout we caught did not even fight, indicating that the cold must have affected them more than I thought.

Upper Charlotte Harbor has a steady supply of bait in and around the two bridges. Snook fishing continues to be good in the rivers and canals, and I expect until we get a week or longer of warm days they will be in no hurry to leave.

I have been steady booking tarpon trips and have very limited availability for May. I stll have openings in June so if you are planning a tarpon trip this year you should be getting your plans together. I expect another phenomenal season