Boca Grande, Fl. Report

Boca Grande, Fl
14 March 09

Transition is the right phrase. Beginning last Friday throughout this week the weather changed from winter to summer. Temperatures consistantly in the eighty degree range brought us into the most productive season of the year. Snook began showing signs of feeding regularly, redfish are roaming the flats and mangroves, tarpon are rolling in Pine Island Sound and there are pompano, bluefish and seatrout everywhere.

Fred Ward and his daughter Heather fished early last week taking just a few seatrout and ladyfish on a slow day. On Saturday, Ray Schwable from upstate New York caught several seatrout and a nice redfish on a Puglisi pattern in Whiddens Creek. See attached pic. Monday saw John Prince and family spin fishing in the back country. They had good success on flounder and seatrout fishing jigs near Turtle Bay. Brian Petrie caught seatrout, ladyfish and bluefish in Placida Harbor.
On Wednesday and Thursday I had the great pleasure to instruct Terry Randall, a businessman from Maryland. Terry is a strong advocate of catch and release and is a member of the DNR advisory board for the state. It was interesting to discuss the conservation efforts in other places with a knowledgeable friend.
Jesse Jones and Bill Ricardi of Longboat Key fished Friday catching a couple of nice pompano, lots of seatrout and ladyfish on fly in Gasparilla Sound. Most were taken on a Clouser minnow.
This week will be the beginning of tarpon hunting for my clients. Those that can handle a 12 wt. rod and cast fairly well will have opportunities to catch their first tarpon of the year. Snook fishing will continue to improve as more and more fish migrate to the edges of the backcountry. Action will be rated "excellent" during the next week.
Fish Hard,
Capt. Pete
www.floridaflyfishing.com