Hello all,
I’m new to the board. I’m heading to Bonita Beach, Fl, to visit some family for a few weeks. I’ll be flying out next Thursday and staying for 3 weeks. I hope to fish non-stop.
I was hoping some of you guys might have some experience fishing the gulf coast of Florida, specifically this area (Ft. Myers, Sanibel, Pine Island, etc.) I could use some advice on what flies to tie, what lines to bring, and general strategies for getting into some fish.
Thanks in advance for any help. I hope I can contribute to some of your discussions in the future.
Jonny
Being as I’m about an hour north of Bonita Beach, odds are that the same flies that work in Charlotte Harbor will catch fish there, except for the other cold front that’s due Wednesday & warming back up into the 70’s for the weekend. Basic fly selection on size 1 & 2 hooks of seaducers, deceivers, clousers, crabs, topwater poppers & bendbacks in natural colors should be sufficient. Most baitfish are white except those in the back waters, mottled brown/tan. Snook season ends in a couple of days & trout season is closed; so this is only catch & release fishing. An #8 WF-F should cover most of the waters unless you’ll be trying the 4-6’ channels where an intermediate fly line or sinking leader would be advantageous paired with a weighted fly. 2 flyfhops in Naples & 2 flyshops at opposite ends of Ft Myers. Check [url=http://www.boatingandfishing.com:67259]http://www.boatingandfishing.com[/url:67259] for a fishing report or the Ft Myers News Press.
tie white seducers, lots of them!
I fish in the 10 000 Islands out of Port Of The Islands near Naples, a few times each year. The fishing & the catching in those waters is nothing short of spectacular. Any of the flies mentioned are good producers, I used Clousers in Black, White, and Chartreuse/White a lot. [url=http://www.mangroveoutfitters.com:4338f]http://www.mangroveoutfitters.com[/url:4338f] & [url=http://www.evergladesangler.com:4338f]http://www.evergladesangler.com[/url:4338f] are the two local fly shops in Naples. If you are interested I can put you in contact with an excellent guide, and his price is considerably cheaper than most of the area guides.
Have fun!
Jonny, we’re starting to head into what Floridians refer to as “winter”. That means most baitfish are migrating to warmer water away from the flats. So brown or olive over white isn’t going to produce much.
What’s commonly called “Whitebait” will remain inshore, which is why chartreuse-over-white Clouser-style flies are productive if worked slooooooooooowly. I was guiding in Charlotte Harbor today and the water was 67 degrees and dropping because of a cold rain. Over the next three weeks, temps will continue to drop–which means moving flies slow and deep. Trout are on the grass flats in water 3-8 feet deep. Redfish will be around oyster bars and their surrounding troughs. Also in the deeper “potholes” near mangrove islands. Snook are moving back into the creeks, rivers, and residential canals looking for warmer water.
Shrimp immitations–I like the craft fur patterns in tan, pinkish and olive (mottled
with stripes drawn on with orange, red, black, and brown Sharpie markers)–are very effective winter patterns.
Small glass minnows (silver or white) also are good this time of year. And they’re absolutely THE pattern for catching lots of 20-to-24-inch snook under the lights at night.
Use an 8wt. Floating lines are fine, with a spare spool filled with intermediate sink. Bring waders and boots. Winter tides are the lowest of the year and The Harbor has fantastic tailing redfish in early morning skinny water.
Fleece vests, jackets, and pants are a real plus, too. So are fingerless gloves! It’s Florida, but the mornings can be mighty nippy–especially on a fast run out the the fishing areas. Obviously, rain jackets are a must.
I try to keep my fishing report freshly updated on [url=http://www.tightloopsflyfishing.com:641fd]www.tightloopsflyfishing.com[/url:641fd] or you can e-me directly for the latest info.
Merry Christmas and Tight Loops,
Capt. Tony
oregonjon: How was your fishing in Bonita Beach? Did you find that the white seducers were the best fly for you? What’s going on down there; any problems from the recent hurricanes?
Hey, oregonjon? How did you do at Bonita Beach?