Boca Grande Tarpon Fishing Report, August 26 2013

The tarpon fishing in and around Boca Grande and Charlotte Harbor has been decent the last few weeks. Our area has experienced an above average year for rain fall which has the two main rivers that dump into Charlotte Harbor overflowing with freshwater. The freshwater tends to move the baitfish away from the base of Charlotte Harbor and toward the pass where the salinity level is higher. The tarpon do not mind the freshwater outflow from the rivers, but if the bait moves away from the fresher water toward saltier water then the tarpon will follow.

I expect the tarpon fishing to really pick up soon, the last few trips I have seen more and more bait schools move toward the rivers where the tarpon prefer to stage during the hottest part of the year. I have been using cut bait such as mullet as well as swim baits like the DOA bait buster. I really don’t have too much more to report on tarpon. Just remember, I fish for tarpon well into the fall so if you would like to book a trip for tarpon fishing I can absolutely accommodate you.

Now on to snook. Snook season will open for the first time in 3 years next week (September 1st). This is a little bitter sweet for me, on one hand I enjoy to eat snook on the other hand I enjoy to catch and release snook just as much. Last year (2012) was the best year in my lifetime for snook fishing. I caught more snook over 10 pounds than I have ever caught before, most days I was not even targeting snook and still catching true trophies. This year so far has been the same, the snook fishing is fantastic. Around docks, mangrove points in the backcountry and off the beach, there are big snook everywhere. I hope that the snook fishing remains good after the season is opened back up. I have been catching most of my big snook on live threadfins fished near structure (piers/pilings) around Boca Grande. Most of these snook have been upper to over the slot so be heavy tackle is a must.

The fishing is really heating up, as the water begins to cool just a touch next month and a hint of fall is in the air the fishing will go off. From the backcountry to offshore the fish will hear the dinner bell and be ready to eat until the cold fronts of winter chill the water. I hope to have another report in a few weeks. I’m pretty busy through the second week of September.

snook fishing in Charlotte Harbor

Boca Grande Snook fishing charters