Report: We are still awaiting info on our state record Oscar. We have noticed that the Oscars and Bluegill are very active and aggressive with the bites this month. The winds have still plagued our area as we are seeing 15 to 25 mile per hour winds every other day. But with the layout of the mangroves and canals we are able to duck out of the winds and still have great days out on the water. The winds have actually helped in allowing us to get closer to the fish and not spook them as the rippling effect on the top of the water cuts down on the fish’s ability to see us. Okay on to the report…

Saltwater: Inshore and backcountry areas are producing still, but not as good as last month. It seems that the fish are noticing the warmer water and are starting to move out to deeper ledges off of the flats into deeper pockets. The Trout and Snook have shown up on the flats and potholes on the flats with the best bites occurring when the tide is incoming. We are still seeing Trout above the slot range and are best caught on jig heads tip with a soft plastic. Our clients and our guides have had the best luck using soft plastics on a 1/8 to a ¼ ounce jig head. Trout are responding well to these baits in mostly natural colors. Start with the lightest weight jig head and then work up to a heavier one if needed - especially if you have lots of wind. Our Redfish bite is still producing well on spinner baits.  The Redfish are found mostly on the cuts and troughs just off the flats on outgoing tides and they are feeding up on the flats during the incoming tides. Our clients have also caught Redfish well on Texas rigged soft plastics with the hook tip buried which produces a weed-less approach.
The Snook are a little more predictable as we are seeing them on points and shorelines on sunny days with good incoming tides. We have seen Snook in the slot range and above and the best catches falling to weightless and weed-less rigs. Snook have a hard time tolerating cold water temps and have found stable water temps in deeper canals and back country areas. As the weather continues to warm up we will see them out on the flats and in potholes a little more. Our clients have been blessed with large boils of jacks in the canal systems and Bluefish out on some of our flats in the Pine Island and Matlacha waters. Tarpon are finally making an appearance as we are starting to see them more. We have seen many pods rolling in the canal systems. Our clients have jumped Tarpon several times this month but have only had a few get to the boat. The month of May should give way to finding and catching these elusive creatures as our waters continue to warm up. As the summer months kick in with higher temperatures we will have Tarpon daisy chaining along our beaches and in the passes. I can’t wait!!!

Freshwater: Well as mentioned earlier we caught the biggest Oscar Florida has on record as of yet. The Oscars are being caught on shallow running cranks baits in blue and green patterns. They love cover and heavy cover at that. Most will charge for the thick cover and as soon and you set the hook on them. Cichlids, Oscars and Bluegill have all found crank baits to be their bait of choice.  It’s what we’re using to get hit consistently. If you are planning on taking the kids out to fish for these critters, you can have the kid’s fish crickets under a bobber in and around thick cover. Largemouth Bass are mostly finishing up with the spawning cycle now. In May I expect to see Bass still on beds and at the tail end of the spawn as most of the fish started fanning out their beds a little later than past years. We have had a weird season of weather and cold fronts. I do believe this will extend the traditional spawning time frames. Please if sight fishing for bedding Bass please practice C.P.R. (Catch, Photo and Release). These bigger females are the only insurance that the gene pool will stay strong and provide successful spawns each and every year. Keep in mind not all the Bass will spawn at the same time. You will find that during the spawning cycle of the largemouth Bass on most bodies of water, that not all the Bass will go to spawn and the ones that do will do it at different times of the year. I know most anglers heard that spawning is usually in the early and late spring time, but I have witnessed Bass on beds and spawning as late as June and as early as January on different bodies of water. I figure that is due to water temperatures, locations and the previous month’s food availability.  If you must take a Largemouth Bass home for the table take only the 2 to 3 pound fish. Not only are they tastier and less gamey in flavor, but this practice will provide bigger and more trophy sized fish in your waters year after year.

Kayak Charters has seen the most success for Largemouth Bass this month on crank baits and soft plastics. Gary Yamamoto soft plastics such as the Senko, Creature baits and their new Phenix Jigs have all been producing very well but must be fished slow on warmer days. The best colors for April and May will be natural colors like watermelon and pumpkin color combinations if fishing clear water like we have had here in southwest Florida. You can find stained and muddy water on wind-blown points and flats. When faced with color in the water we go with more visible colors like chartreuse, white and black or dark colors. I also like to use lures that will produce a lot of vibration in stained or muddy water as this helps the bass locate the lure easier. Chatter baits and spinner baits fit this niche well.

We look forward to bringing you news, tackle techniques and reports for the Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Pine Island and Matlacha areas next month. The new Lamiglas rods are in and I must say… WOW! These new salt water rods that Lamiglas has come out with are lighter and more sensitive. The IRFA rods which are the Indian River Series Rods are lightweight and unbelievably sensitive. Please go to www.lamiglas.com to check them out and order yourself a couple to try. We have found a wonderful new product for kayaking, kayak fishing and any outdoor activity for that matter. The item is the Over-Board waterproof back pack. It is small in size but big on comfort and capacity. It fits any hatch or tank well and allows us to carry our water sensitive items in a dry and safe location. We have tested this product and have found no flaws or problems with the back pack. It comes in two sizes and can be found at www.waterproofstore.com under the link waterproof backpacks. If you have any questions on this or any other Over-Board products contact me through our website. Next month I will discuss a few more items that Over-Board produces and give you my feedback. Please visit www.kayak-charters.com to see our website and how our clients have been doing and the latest testimonials on the services we provide. We are now offering Split Charters that allow our clients to fish a half day freshwater and a half day saltwater in the same day. This gives our clients and out of town clients the best of both worlds and a trip they will not soon forget. We have some of the most affordable rates in the world for what we provide. You will fish with a Professional Angler with over thirty years of experience and a Professional Kayak Fisherman and kayaker with over 18 years of experience. I am a fishing instructor, author and pro staff for some the world’s top fishing and kayak companies in the world. Call 239-425-7823 and or e-mail and book your trip today.

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