I live in Port Charlotte, FL on a canal with access to the Myakka River near El Jobean, FL and Charlotte Harbor. I own a boat and I love to fish. I'm new to Florida so I'm learning a new kind of fishing and I thought a record of fish caught, weather, tides, etc. for each trip would help me to learn quicker. That record is what you'll find in my blog which I post as soon as I possibly can so check before you're going out, my success or failure might help make your trip more productive.
High Tide: 11:00 PM 1.5 FT Low Tide: 7:00 AM -0.25 FT Wind: 10-20 E Air Temp: 50/81 Water Temp: 71 Clarity: clear
I think Jim at Fines Bait and Tackle in North Port felt bad that the shrimp he had were on the small side and gave me twice as many as I paid for because I had at least a dozen left from the 2 dozen I bought on Saturday. So we decided to go back to the Apollo Waterway and use them up.
We got to the same dock that I caught that monster redfish yesterday and on my 3rd cast I hit the gap between the dock and the boat lift. Karen said "nice cast, that's the spot" and at that moment something picked up my shrimp. The line started that steady track under the dock that usually means a big fish. I set the hook and sure enough, it was another monster. Or maybe the same fish? It stripped line off my real for 5 or 8 seconds and then the hook came loose and I lost it.
We tried several other locations in that area and fed all our shrimp to little mangrove snappers without ever getting one in the boat. I had a couple other hits that may have been bigger fish but I just couldn't seem to get that hook to stick so around 5:00 PM we used up the last shrimp and headed home.
It was a little windy to be out on the open water but it was another beautiful day in the shelter of the canal.
I'm heading down there for a week on friday the 7th. Thanks for posting your reports they are very interesting. I've been coming down there for 3 years every march and staying with my grandparents on a canal near the myakka down there. I fish the canals alot and over in tippecanoe bay or whatever you call that huge bay just past the bridge. I love bass fishing but i hate that there isnt any launches on the river itself. So I stick with catching redfish and snook all week. So if you see a green and gold nitro bass boat around during the week give me a holler. By navbass09, At
March 5, 2008 5:59 PM
Thanks for the note. I am actually hoping to get out to Tippecanoe Bay today or tomorrow (Fri the 7th). I have been told that redfish are biting on shrimp in that area. Maybe I'll see you out there. I'm in a 23' Crest pontoon boat and I'll have a boat load of friends from CT. Where are you coming from?
P.S. There is a launch up at Snook Haven off River Rd near Rt. 75 exit 191 (I think) in North Port. By twlack, At
March 6, 2008 6:33 AM
Im coming from pensacola, fl. I know of snook haven but i think my boat is too big and my grandpa said the river is too low that far up. So i think we'll stay in the bay area. I've never done good near the bridge, always done good in a few select canals and back in the mangroves of tippecanoe. I've never tried apollo like in your posts but thats just up the bay from where we'll be so I might try that canal a few times. thanks. I'll look for you when im out. By navbass09, At
March 6, 2008 6:08 PM
I will be renting a place in EL jobean in Jan 2008. Any help on what to fish for or how to would help Is thr trout and sheephead fishing good this time of year? By LINDA R, At
March 7, 2008 3:57 PM
Hi Linda, Trout are always around some where. But catching them in El Jobean is not always a guarantee. We haven't seen very many around for a long time and when they have been there they've been small. I think it may be because of the unusually warm winter and maybe next year when you're here (I assume you meant Jan 200"9") the trout will also be around. As for sheepshead I don't usually fish with shrimp so I don't catch them. But on my March 1st trip I did have a nice sheepshead follow a shrimp to the top. I didn't mention it because I didn't catch it.
Follow this link for all the reports that include trout:
