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.
Fishing Myakka River/Charlotte Harbor, Florida Thursday, January 29, 2009
Fish Caught: Sheepshead, Snook, Lady Fish, Catfish, Spadefish
High Tide: 6:00 PM 1.25 FT Low Tide: 11:50 AM -0.25 FT Wind: 10-20 S Air Temp: 60/81 Water Temp: 71/73 Clarity: murky
The day was so nice and the forecast for the next few days was so bad that we decided to get our fishing trip in today. A front coming through tonight, heavy wind from the south and a steep rise in the tide was so much like our trip on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 that I had to think we'd have some fun in the same spot we fished on the 13th. So I made the trip down to El Jobean Bait & Tackle Shop and got a couple dozen shrimp.
We were a little early for the tides so we stopped and fished the tail end of the outgoing tide by the docks at the end of our canal. It was so windy it was hard to get the boat right but when we finally started drifting shrimp up under the dock the action was immediate. I'm sure we made a lot of mangrove snapper very happy. They know how to get shrimp off a hook without touching the hook. But we did find a couple very nice sheepshead, one was 14 inches and the other went almost 17 inches. That's enough for dinner for two.
I also got a small snook, about 20 inches and a spadefish that was pretty big, about 13 inches. We weren't sure about size limits or even if spadefish were any good to eat so we let it go. But I see from a Google search that some people really like them, but I guess they're hard to fillet. Maybe next time we'll try one. There doesn't seem to be any size or bag limits in Floorida.
When the tide was really rushing in we went over to the oyster beds where Bimini and I did so well a couple weeks ago. The tide was really rushing in and the water was just about as deep as when we had all our luck with snook. I put some shrimp out into the very fast current and started getting action immediately. I got a couple catfish before I noticed the same big swirls in the water that I had seen on the trip with Bimini. So I put on a Gulp Swimming Mullet and started casting. On my second cast I saw the swirls very near and head towards my lure and, as I said so out loud, I got a nice hit on my Gulp. It was a nice snook that we manged to net and measure at just shy of 29 inches. I put an X on the side of the boat, we'll be back for that fish when it's in season. But they are so much fun to catch even when you have to let them go.
We fished on to catch a ladyfish, several more catfish and Karen got another smaller snook on a shrimp. We finally used up the shrimp and headed home to clean our two sheepshead for supper. Another great, sunny day on the water. I really hope my experiences on the Myakka River can take some of my northern friends out of that harsh world for just a little while. From what we see on TV it's a tough world up there this year. Come on down and take a break!
High Tide: 5:15 PM 0.9 FT Low Tide: 10:15 AM -0.5 FT Wind: 5-10 N Air Temp: 44/75 Water Temp: 60-64 Clarity: clear
The day was so nice after the cold snap we've endured (I know that'll bring a chuckle from my reader's up north) so we made a last minute decision to spend some time on the water. I ran to El Jobean Bait & Tackle Shop and picked up a couple dozen shrimp, we jumped in the boat and shoved off by about 10:00 AM.
The tide was still moving out slowly so I anchored to drift my shrimp under the docks. I immediately started getting the tiny taps of the professional bait stealers, the mangrove snappers. They were so persistent I couldn't get a shrimp on my second rod but I couldn't get a fish in the boat either. But just as I almost had a shrimp on the second hook my first rod bent over with something a little bigger than the snappers. Karen helped me net a nice little redfish that was only an inch under the 18 inch minimum.
When the tide went slack we moved to the oyster beds (which were dry) and started drifting shrimp in the channel along side. Again I found the little snappers along with lots of lazy mullet. I noticed that the water temperature was rising quite steadily under the bright sun in this shallow water. I noted 60 degrees when we left the dock and it was now 64 degrees. But I guess the big fish didn't need the warmer water. I got a few rays and fed a few snapper and decided to move.
I only had a half dozen shrimp left and I used them up a little closer to home in a deeper hole. I finally landed a nice 11 inch snapper and on my last shrimp a redfish that made the 18 inch minimum and would find itself along side the snapper on a plate for dinner.
I can't help but wonder if I had more shrimp if that was the start of the better fishing time. It was about 2:30 when I threw the red on ice and pulled anchor, another great day on the water.
Fish Caught: Redfish, Snook, Lady Fish, Jack, Mangrove Snapper, Catfish
High Tide: 6:30 PM 1.1 FT Low Tide: 12:01 PM -0.75 FT Wind: 20-30 S Air Temp: 53/77 Water Temp: Clarity: murky
My neighbor, Bimini, asked if I'd like to go out fishing with her. Of course, even though I have an awful lot of work to do, I couldn't say no to that offer. Bimini is know for her fish catching abilities and I wanted to learn anything I could from her.
So I ran down to El Jobean Bait & Tackle Shop and got some shrimp, packed up some lunch and fishing gear and stood on my dock with my thumb out. Bimini slowed as she passed my dock (she didn't want to waste any fishing time) and I jumped aboard..
The tide was rushing out when we reached the end of the canal. We anchored up so we could drift our shrimp under the docks and started feeding little mangrove snappers. In the first couple hours, on a tide running out very quickly, we caught several small snapper, Bimini got a redfish that was just over the 18 inch minimum by 1/2 inch, a small snook, a huge jack and finally a very nice snook that was about keeper size. It took me a while to get the hook out so I didn't take the time to measure it before returning it to the water but I'd guess about 27 inches.
When the tide turned in we moved to the upstream side of a very shallow oyster bar and anchored so we could drift our shrimp over the bar to a deeper trough. I got tired of feeding shrimp to the little snappers and switched to throwing a white Gulp Swimming Mullet. The wind was really blowing out of the south by now and the tide was moving in extremely fast. The water was all churned up and we kept seeing these big swirls and tails flashing in the chop. Finally my casting efforts paid off and I hooked up with a nice big snook and a real fighter. I got him to the boat twice only to have him take off again dancing on the water before he at last gave in on the 3rd approach and Bimini scooped him in the net. He was hooked right in the corner of the mouth so we took a few seconds to measure him at 31 inches and then got him right back in the water. I'll come back looking for him again when snook season opens.
I got one more snook about 25 inches before the rain came and we headed for the dock tired and cold and smiling from ear to ear. Another great day on the water.
Fish Caught: Redfish, Lady Fish, Mangrove Snapper, Skate/Ray
High Tide: 6:00 PM 1.0 FT Low Tide: 10:00 AM -1.0 FT Wind: 0-5 S Air Temp: 46/79 Water Temp: Clarity: murky
It's been hard to find time to get out on the water lately, too much work and other events. But I've been told redfish are all over the Myakka River, Charlotte Harbor area so I just decided today was the day to get away from responsibilities and GO FISHING!
So I went down the the El Jobean Bait & Tackle Shop and picked up a few dozen shrimp. Randy and Patricia, the owners, are wonderful, hard working people and they love fishing. I was surprised to see fiddler crabs and pass crabs (new to me) among the very healthy shrimp and pinfish. Patricia threw a few fiddlers and pass crabs in my bucket of shrimp to let me try them.
We left the dock about 2:15 PM and headed down to the end of the canal. The tide was very low and there were several other boats out there already but we got into one of our favorite low water areas and drifted bait over the oyster bar. Action was immediate but it seemed we were just feeding some very small Mangrove Snappers. Most just stripped the shrimp and the few I got in the boat were well below the 10 inch minimum. I finally did get one that went about 12 inches, great eating fish.
The pass crabs and especially the fiddler crabs got gobbled up within minutes of reaching the bottom. I never managed to hook anything with them but by the bite I'm guessing it was the master thieves, the mangrove snapper, that was feeding heartily on the crabs. I'll definitely try them again but the pass crabs are a little too expensive for me at $20.00/dozen. Patricia says they are used mostly for tarpon down in the passes around Boca Grande although I imagine if tarpon is what you want to catch they are around the El Jobean bridge quite often. And I would think big snook, redfish, sheepshead and grouper would love these little crabs as well. I only had a couple and they were taken from my hook quickly.
I poled the boat around some and finally found the redfish in the shallows. I missed a couple nice hits but did finally get my one keeper, just over the 18 inch minimum which we'll enjoy with our snapper for dinner. As the sun was setting a huge moon came up directly over the other end of the canal. We headed right into it on our way home about 6 PM, another wonderfully relaxing afternoon on the water.
