Fishing Report- week ending 11/07/2009
Our second cold front of the season arrived yesterday bringing some breezy and dry weather. In the meantime we are looking over our shoulder toward the Gulf at tropical storm Ida building strength wondering if it will spin up to a hurricane and affect us here in the 10k.
Earlier in the week we found some nice snook on the beaches off Cape Romano crashing on pilchards. There are a few small tarpon way in the back but larger fish have moved on from their usual haunts. Schools of Spanish mackerel are spread out in Gullivan Bay feeding on schools of glass minnows. Be on the lookout for tripletail hanging on the crab traps. These guys are a great target on the fly.
We have had some ideal tides for sight fishing this week. Low and clear on the outgoing. Just as the cold front arrived yesterday I was staked off at a small creek mouth watching for fish following the outgoing. In the waves created by the current meeting the wind, I thought I saw a flash. I waited a bit and sure enough the fish fed again only this time swirled in the waves with some bait skipping ahead. I put on a size #2 Neon Knight and on the first cast the fish ate it hard. After a good fight, the snook measured 30″ and offered a lesson to pay close attention to these small areas where currents collide and fish lie waiting to ambush bait following the tide.
These cold fronts can provide great fishing. They move fish to warmer locales with readily available food. Look for both and you will find fish.
All the best,
Capt. Bill
