NAUTICAL MILE

P  U  B  L  I  C  A  T  I  O  N  S

Capt. Rob writes "Reflections on the Water", one of the most popular columns we have. They are

stories from his day-to-day adventures in our local waters, with a little touch of personality. He is a full time back-country guide who's been fishing the waters of South West Florida since boyhood. He specializes in both light tackle spin and fly-fishing and supplies all the necessary gear for your charter. You'll spend your day aboard SoulMate, an 22 foot Skeeter that can navigate the shallow waters of Pine Island Sound and Estero Bay while searching for snook, redfish, trout and tarpon. Capt. Rob not only welcomes the accomplished angler, he encourages families with youngsters to join him for a day on the water.

January 2008

Everyone loves a good fishing story and because of my profession, as a fishing guide, I get to hear more than my share.  Some are believable and, well… some are not, but I’ve noticed that the best stories offer much more than just the “big fish” as a punch line.  They usually involve a journey with good friends and lots of laughs along the way.  Here are a few of mine from years past.

In the spring of 1999 my wife, JoNell and I along with our friend Steve, were fishing the back waters of Islamorada in the Florida Keys.  The target for the trip was tarpon and most importantly this would hopefully be JoNell’s first tarpon.

The weather was incredibly hot so we decided to get a very early start. We were on the water just before dawn.  After leaving the Matacumbe Marina we headed over to a small bay called Little Basin.  We were still in sight of the docks at the Islamorada Fish Company when we noticed there were tarpon rolling everywhere!  I made several cast with live pinfish and shrimp but all were refused.  Steve was using a couple of different artificial baits with the same luck.  It was madding!  They just wouldn’t eat.  I pretty much knew that the tarpon were in the area because of the fish scraps the Fish Company dumped in the area each morning.  With that in mind, I cut up a pinfish and tried that.  It was more of the same; no takers.

While Steve and I were discussing what to do next, JoNell found a small crab in the bait well and announced she was going to give it a try.  I told her it wasn’t going to work because the fish here in the basin were use to eating scraps and I doubted very much that they would go after a crab.

OK, I admit it.  She was right, I was wrong.  The crab wasn’t in the water 10 seconds and a tarpon sucked it down!  The fight was on and for the next 30 minutes or so she fought the fish like a pro.  It weighed in at around 75 lbs.  She had played and landed the first tarpon she had ever hooked.  Not many folks actually land their first poon!

Steve and I unsuccessfully threw those fish crabs and lots of other offerings for the rest of the morning while JoNell looked on and coached.  The tarpon continued to roll all around us and if they were so equipped, they would have thumbed their noses at us.

During the summers of the mid 1980’s a very good friend of mine, Garry from Kentucky, introduced me to small mouth bass fishing in the creeks near where he lived.  It was an eye opening experience for me.  I could actually go wading without the worry of being eaten (no gators) or stung (no stingrays).

We spent a great deal of time in the Little Kentucky River near Frankfort.  It was a beautiful place with huge birch, maple and oak trees and the rocky bottom of the creek was home to literally hundreds of small mouth bass.  We fished with ultra light spinning gear consisting of a 5 foot rod, small reel and 4 lb. test line.  There was no need for a leader.  I’ll never forget the first time he handed me a rod.  We wouldn’t even attempt to catch bait here in Florida with something so small!

The lure of choice was a small plastic Rebel Crawdad with a plastic diving lip that you cast and then retrieved slowly, bouncing it among the rocks.  The power of the strike was amazing!  I’d put it on par with any good size saltwater fish.  The fight was also surprising considering that most of the fish we caught were between 1 an 2 pounds.

On one of our trips we encountered a cat that apparently owned the section of the creek we were fishing.  He was big and tiger stripped and quite friendly for a wild cat living in the woods.  It didn’t take long to figure out why he was stationed near this particular fishing hole.  Every time we caught a small bluegill (they are a colorful version of our pinfish) he would come out of the woods and meow and give you that doe eyed look that said, “Please give me that fish.”  We’d toss it in his direction and he would catch it on the fly and then proceed to devour it, bones and all!  After 3 or 4 he would lay down by the creek in the sun for a nap.  We continued to find him there for quite a few years after that first encounter.  He’s long since disappeared but to this day we still refer to the area as the “Catnip Hole”.           

In the summer of 1978 my brother and I decided it would be fun to sail a couple of sailboats around Sanibel and Captiva on a kind of circumnavigation trip that would somehow also involve fishing.  Pete commandeered a 28 foot Irwin from a friend and I rented a 27 foot Catalina from the Sanibel Marina.  We loaded the boats with supplies (mostly beer and munchies) and set off around the Sanibel Lighthouse on what was suppose to be a week-long adventure with our wives.  We trolled the Gulf and managed to come up with quite a few spanish mackerel.  While anchored off of Cayo Costa, for a couple of days, we caught snook in the surf and lots of jacks and ladyfish.  

On day 4 the Catalina had a major mechanical malfunction and we decided the best thing to do was to sail back to the marina and pick up another boat.  Unfortunately there wasn’t another one available so we were forced to scrap the rest of the adventure.  Well, sort of.  The girls had had enough so they headed for home, but Pete and I decided to sail the Irwin back up the Caloosahatchee River to her home dock.  I’m not sure why we left the marina after midnight.  Well, maybe I do know why but there’s no need to point fingers.  Once we were underway I fired up the stove and started cooking a big pot of boiled shrimp.  We were just about to start eating when the blue lights came on and the boat was bathed in bright light from big spotlights.  We were being stopped by the Florida Marine Patrol.

Those were the days of big time smuggling.  I’m not talking about illegal aliens, I’m talking about drugs.  I have no idea why we were even suspected of being pirates.  Maybe it was because we were the only boat on the water after midnight and had no running lights, Jimmy Buffett music was blaring on the stereo and the smell of shrimp (bubble, bubble, bubble) was coming from the portholes.  I don’t know.

Shortly after the patrol boat tied up along side of us I offered the officers shrimp and cold libations.  After a momentary hesitation they refused the beer, saying they were on duty, and accepted the offer to join us for fresh cooked Gulf shrimp.  After a bit of friendly conversation and a quick check of the boats safety equipment, they sent us on our way without even writing a warning ticket for the lights.  The moral of the story is:  If you are going to smuggle anything into U.S. waters in the middle of the night make sure to bring plenty of fresh shrimp.

February 2008

Southwest Florida was recently on the receiving end of a cold arctic blast from up north that the locals now refer to as the “New Year’s cold front.”  We had record and near record low temperatures throughout the Fort Myers area.  The thermometer at my house dipped to 31 degrees and cold damaged a lot of our tropical plants.  Water temperatures dropped to the mid 40’s in the bays and back water areas of Pine Island Sound causing a fish kill that included a lot of snook.  

As I write this we are bouncing back with warm days and cool nights that are much more representative of our normal winter weather.  However, it still feels much colder to those of us that live here year round.  My brother reminded me that before I took up guiding for a living we use to avoid fishing in the months of January and February.  It was just too cold for man or beast to be on the water!  Because of this we really never had to think much about tactics for finding fish in the winter months.  We spent that time tying flies, repairing boats and fishing gear and watching football and basketball on TV.  

Our time for fishing was in the spring, summer and fall looking for tarpon, snook, redfish and trout.  It was easy.  We caught live shiners; we put them on a hook and threw them in front of the fish.  Fish on!  OK… Maybe it wasn’t quite that easy but it was a whole lot better than putting on three layers of clothing and not even seeing a tarpon or snook the entire day.

But then I decided to take fishing on as a profession and because of the proliferation of winter guests during that time of year, I was forced to deal with the less than ideal weather and to learn the patterns of angling in January and February.

So here is a bit of what I’ve learned.

The best bait for winter fishing is live shrimp; period.  Fish love shrimp, especially in the cold water months.  It moves slow and provides an easy meal.  Fish really don’t want to chase anything fast moving when the water temperature drops below 65 degrees.  Their metabolism has slowed down so they are in no way as aggressive as they are in warmer water.

The two best fish to hunt for in January and February are sheepshead and spotted sea trout.  Both not only do well in the colder water, they seem to enjoy it.  Sheepshead can be found around dock pilings and oyster beds as well as in deep pockets under mangrove overhangs.  While I’ve heard a bunch of suggestions on how to catch them, I keep it pretty simple.  I like small 1/8 oz. purple jig heads with 1/0 hooks.  I then place half of a live shrimp on the hook and then cast to the target.  The trickiest part is the hook set.  You’ve got to almost anticipate the bite to be successful.  They are the best bait stealers in the business!  My youngest daughter’s advice is this. “When you feel a sheepshead tap the bait, count to 3 and go on 2.”

Trout fishing in the winter is a bit different than going after them in the summer months.  They move from the shallow water flats to deeper areas often very near to where you would normally find them in the warmer months.  I suggest starting in depths a little better than 4 feet.  The best areas seem to be where you have some grass beds mixed in with small sandy potholes.  For example, check out the flat just to the north of the power lines in Pine Island Sound.  My favorite way to fish for them is similar to going after the sheepshead.  I use a 1/4 oz. yellow jig head with a 1/0 or 2/0 hook.  I take the tail off of the live shrimp and then thread the hook through the opening where the tail use to be. You can run the hook up through the body or down toward the legs.  I’ve found it really doesn’t matter all that much.  Make a cast and use a very slow jigging action while retrieving the bait.  You need to get down near the bottom but not so close that you are picking up grass on the retrieve.  The winter trout bite is not much more than a dull bump so if you feel anything at all, set the hook.  Oh yeah, I use the yellow jig because you never know when you are going to come upon a pompano while trout fishing. It seems their favorite color is yellow.

While these 2 species are what I’d target on the coldest days, they are by no means the only fish out there.  The water temperatures are going to move up and down quite a bit during February and this will bring the opportunity for catches of spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, ladyfish and a lot of small sharks.  All kidding aside, it really is a great time to wet a line and it beats sitting inside watching fishing shows on television!

March 2008

“Estero Bay has no fish.”

That’s an old inside joke that’s been passed around for quite a few years now among those of us that would really like to keep the place a big secret.  Truthfully, it is a tough area to learn to fish but it’s worth it if you just take the time to figure out the bait and fish movement patterns.  

I was introduced to Estero Bay many years ago and promptly left for what I believed, at the time, to be more productive fishing grounds in Pine Island Sound.  But after moving to south Fort Myers I took a renewed interest in the Bay because it was now in my backyard.  I also ran into a couple of avid fans of the Bay and they were kind enough to at least steer me in the right direction and give me some tips on what to look for.  I’m not going to give any spots away but I will try to provide you with enough information to start you off on the right foot.

Estero Bay is unique in that it is relatively small and can be covered from one end to the other in a day of fishing.  It has just about everything an angler could want for fish habitat.  There are large grass flats, oyster bars, small mangrove islands and a myriad of small creeks and rivers that make up the bulk of the area.  There are also docks, passes and near-by Gulf beaches.  I believe that the toughest part of fishing Estero Bay is deciding where to start!

There are basically three public launch areas that have access directly to the Bay.  Mullock Creek Marina on the north end, Week’s Fish Camp on the east side and Carl Johnson Recreation area on the west side near Lover’s Key.  The Carl Johnson ramp will handle larger boats for both bay and off-shore fishing while the other two have draft restrictions especially during the winter months when the low tides are at their lowest.

I like to fish an incoming tide, especially when I’m learning a new area.  It’s nice to have water coming in instead of going out if you accidentally run the boat aground.  The best place to start is right in the middle of the bay.  The area to the south of Mound Key, all the way down to Bird Island is mostly grass and the depth runs anywhere from 2 to 4 feet at normal median tide.  There are lots of ditches and underwater cuts found here with spotted sea trout located in and around them.  You can use everything from popping corks and shrimp to artificials to locate them.  You’ll also get ladyfish, puffers and it wouldn’t be a complete day of fishing without a catfish or two.  My personal favorite trout bait for this area is a pink tandem Love Lure.

North of Mound Key there is an area called Rocky Bay.  There’s a reason for the name!  Just about everywhere you look you’ll find oyster bars and small underwater oyster islands.  This is where I head if I’m looking for redfish or sheepshead.  Local knowledge is required to navigate the area so for your first couple of times in, take it slow.  If you run aground here it’s going to hurt!  The most fun way to fish this area is with soft plastic artificials on off-set hooks or with small jig heads.  I like to put the trolling motor in and run along the bars nice and slow and try to cast into areas where the current is moving through the crooks and crannies of the bars.  This area is also known to hold very large jacks.  I picked up a 16 pounder there last year and what a great fight that was!

All of the rivers and creeks hold fish.  Really!  You have to be quiet and stealthy and you have to be willing to work hard for fish in these areas.  My personal favorite is Hendry Creek but the Estero and Imperial Rivers are good too.  I spend a great deal of time in the rivers during the winter.  The water tends to be warmer there and that’s where you’ll find quite a few winter snook.  They won’t be very big but they are still a blast to catch.  Again, my bait of choice is a soft plastic jerk bait like the Bass Assassin or the Exude.  Fish them quickly in the summer and slowly in the winter.

My favorite place in all of Estero Bay is Hell Peckney Bay.  It’s located at the North West end and is what backwater fishing is all about.  Hell Peckney is comprised of lots of small bays within bays and lots of small creeks that lead to who knows where.  It’s an easy place to get lost in and not for the directionally challenged.  It takes years to learn but in the log run is truly worth it.  When talking to my fishing cohorts the best stories always seem to come from Hell Peckney.  It’s the only place that I’ve caught the elusive Grand Slam of fishing not once, but twice, consisting of a tarpon, snook, redfish, and sea trout all landed in the same day.

Remember, fishing is not always about catching fish.  It’s about enjoying the outdoors, exploring new areas and the feeling of satisfaction you get when you finally find that special fishing hole.   

By the way… “Estero Bay has no fish.”

April 2008

“There’s a Hole in the Water.”

I’m sure that most of you have heard the saying that a boat is a hole in the water in which you throw money.  I’m here to tell you that the statement holds a lot of truth!  I’d also like to add this saying as well.  A boat trailer is a frame on the driveway at which you also throw money.  It seems that no matter how much care you take to maintain the boat, motor and trailer, there is always something to fix.  It may be as small as a loose screw in a hinge to replacing the power head on an outboard engine.  

Let this be a warning to all those that are contemplating boat ownership.  You will be fixing stuff shortly after your first trip on the water.  It’s just the nature of the beast.

In light of this inevitability I’ve decided as a courtesy to future boat owners, to help you through this uncomfortable transition from landlubber to boat handyman.

We’ll start with the engine.  This one’s easy.  Find a good mechanic.  Once you find one you like and can trust, make sure to keep him happy by showering him with gifts at every holiday.  There’s nothing more important to a boat owner than a good marine engine mechanic.  There was a time when the average mechanically inclined individual could actually work on an outboard motor but those days are long gone.  About the only recognizable parts on a modern outboard are the sparkplugs and even they can be hard to find or get to with a wrench.  Heck, my new Yamaha outboard has three fuel pumps and I’m not even sure where they are located!

There is one thing you can do to eliminate a lot of future problems with the outboard.  Make sure to flush it with fresh water after every outing.  Just doing this one little bit of maintenance will clear sand and grit from the water pump impeller which will keep it from excessive wear.  A cool running outboard is a happy outboard.

Now we’ll move on to the boat.  There are so many things that can break I’m just going to hit the essential stuff.

Bow lights.  Those are the green and red lights that are used to keep you from being run over by other boaters at night; red on the port side and green on the starboard side.  The one thing I can guarantee is these little buggers work about half the time.  There’s something inherently wrong with trying to put little bulbs near saltwater.  They just don’t mix.  So the solution is to have lots of replacements on hand.  Here’s a tip for you… Don’t try to replace the bulbs while on the water.  This is a job that needs to be done on dry land unless you are good at using a screwdriver while standing on your head.

Bilge and live well pumps.  One is very important and the other not so unless you are trying to keep bait alive.  They both have a tendency to quit working at the most inopportune times.  Keep a couple of spares on board.  The manufacturers now have new “pop-in” cartridges that will allow you to change them while on the water.  But remember; you need to have an outside water shutoff valve before removing the pump cartridge, otherwise you’re going to need to use your lifejackets.

Hydraulic steering.  It’s a great invention and makes steering a heavy boat with a heavy engine so much easier.  However, there is the word “hydraulic” involved in this type of steering and that means that there are fluid levels to be monitored and maintained.  With time the seals on the ends of the steering unit become worn and they begin to slowly leak.  The first symptom of this is a “loose” feeling while operating the boat.   My rule about “feeling something funny” while driving a boat is to stop immediately and check the equipment.  Steering loss is bad.  Shoot, a boat doesn’t have brakes so adding no steering is a recipe for disaster.

Last but not least is the trailer.  It’s a fairly simple piece of equipment but it comes with a problem that really can’t be avoided.  In order to launch a boat you almost always have to completely dunk it in saltwater.  That means that the trailer lights and wheel hubs are continuously being submerged.

I’m sorry, but I really don’t have a sure fire solution for keeping the trailer lights working.  I’ve tried everything.  I’ve run individual wires to each lamp.  I’ve used “waterproof” lights only to find them full of water.  I’ve attached the rear lights to the tops of the trailer guide-on post only to have the wire running up to them fail.  I’m convinced that there is some sort of conspiracy with the lamp manufacturers to keep us coming back to the stores for more trailer lights!

Remember one thing when it comes to the wheel hubs on the trailer.  Keep them full of grease.  The more you use the trailer, the more often you should check the grease.  I’ve been bitten by the “wheel hub failure bug” more than once and in most cases it was entirely my fault for not keeping enough grease in the hub.

Grease, grease, grease.  Got it?

Seriously, enjoy the boat and the water.  At least you’re not maintaining an airplane…

May 2008

As I was crossing the Sanibel Bridge on my way to Mom’s house on Easter Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the island looked from up on top of the “A” span, the first and biggest of the three new bridges that make up the Sanibel Causeway.  As you leave the mainland you ascend over seventy feet above San Carlos Bay to a spectacular view of Sanibel and the small mangrove islands at her doorstep.  Off to the right is Fisherman’s Key and Picnic Island and to the left you can see the open Gulf of Mexico and the historic Sanibel Lighthouse marking the way.  What a fantastic view!

And to think...it almost didn’t happen.  The building of the bridge, that is.

The construction began in August of 2004 but before the first piling was driven into the sand of San Carlos Bay there were many hurdles.  Most were caused by the citizens of Sanibel Island.  It seemed they liked the charm of the old smaller bascule bridge and thought that it would be better to restore it and not even consider a new alternative.  They believed it would bring even more unwanted traffic to their island and would allow huge ships to enter San Carlos Bay.

Now that the new bridge has opened the worry of more traffic has all but been forgotten.  Sanibel still has lots of visitors but not the increase that was advertised by the local residents.  A couple of hurricanes, higher bridge tolls and a slowing economy has seen to that.  But even when things settle down, I feel confident that life will go on as usual on the island.

My personal favorite anti new bridge rumor was the one envisioning San Carlos Bay filled with large ships due to the increased clearance and width of the new “A” span.  The opposition seemed to ignore the fact that the average depth of the channel is 7 feet.  It would be a bit tough to bring a “ship” into that shallow a depth.  Heck, I’ve seen plenty of skippers in 60 to 70 foot yachts have trouble navigating our local waters, much less a cruise ship!

The construction is now almost finished.  There is a bit of touchup work remaining but the new crossing is complete and the ride to and from the island is better than ever.  There are quite a few new improvements, some completed and some not.   There will be a large recreation area on the middle island with new restrooms and lots of parking.  By the way...the fishing in that area is quite good!  The Punta Rassa boat ramp has been updated with lots of new parking spaces, new restrooms and a soon to be opened state-of-the-art fish cleaning station.  You’ve got to see it to believe it!  A new fishing pier is in the works.  It will be located right next to the “B” (middle) span and will give walking anglers access to some of the best fishing waters in our area.

The residents of Sanibel were wrong.  The new bridge is a spectacular gateway to Sanibel and Captiva Islands with a much more breathtaking view than the old bridge.  As you reach the top of the “A” span the trials and tribulations of the mainland are quickly left behind and replaced with thoughts of white sand beaches, beautiful shells and a cold libation.  

Take time off on an upcoming weekend.  Make the trip over to the islands and take in what our out of town visitors travel thousands of miles to enjoy...our backyard.

June 2008

I honestly can’t believe it’s been a year since Dean-o Hicks passed away.  Time really does fly.  We lost him to cancer last May and ever since then there’s been a hole in the fabric of the fishing community.  Not only did he own one of the best fishing stores in Lee County but he was forever in the forefront of the sport of fishing.  

I was thinking about him while on the water a few weeks ago.  I had a good day jumping and landing tarpon and as I’ve done many times over the past year, I looked up and thanked him and my father for another great day on the water.  You see, they both watch over me while I’m out there doing what I do.  I also know that they both test me from time to time.  When things don’t go as planned I usually work to correct the mistake and then mutter to myself that I should have played this tide or that wind direction a bit differently only to hear Dean-o say, “Well yeah!”  That was his version of saying “Duh!”  

Damn, I miss him...

Dean-o had lots of “fishin’ missions” but the one I believe he was most proud of was the South Fort Myers Lions Club Children’s Fishing Jambo.  The outing was all about kids and getting them involved in the sport.  He knew that starting them young would insure a new stock of anglers for the future and help keep fishing alive and well for years to come.  He donated equipment and time to the endeavor and most importantly he pulled in resources from other areas of the County.  Early on he got two of the largest fishing clubs in our area involved.  The Brooks and the Bonita Bay Fishing Clubs have played an instrumental part in the success of the event.  He also asked other tackle retailers to help out with donations of equipment and time and he worked tirelessly to make each and every event bigger and better than the year before.

The 7th Annual Children’s Fishing Jambo is being held from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on June 21st in memory of Dean-o Hicks.  The event is going to be at the Miromar Outlets Lake just off of I75 in Estero.  There will be prizes for EVERY child as well as free food, fun and fish for everyone.  Volunteers are needed to help!  Call Diana Pinto for information at 239-898-1921 or E-mail ESFMLC@yahoo.com.

Get involved.  Do it for Dean-o.  Do it for the kids.

July 2008

What happened to the bait?  Specifically, what happened to one of our favorite summer baits, the pilchard? The good sized ones seem to be missing in action.  I’ve heard lots of different theories but the best one came during a conversation with Capt. Mike Smith.  He pointed out that we were getting nice bait all winter and now it’s left for cooler deeper water and it’s migrated out a bit earlier than usual.  What’s been left behind are thousands of small white bait that does nothing more that foul a net with hundreds of “gillers” and it’s going to be 4 to 6 weeks before it grows enough to be useful.  So what’s an angler to do?

How about artificials?

It seems to me that there is a generation gap when it comes to the use of artificial baits  vs. live bait.  Thirty years ago when fishing for snook we didn’t even own cast nets to gather bait.  If you wanted to use bait for snookin’ you’d catch ladyfish and cut them up or buy big, hand picked shrimp.  But that was time consuming and costly, so most of us would rely on artificials.  Every snook angler had an opinion about what worked best but I always relied on the Bomber lures, specifically the Long “A” in red and white or chartreuse.  We’d fish them around docks and seawalls at night and it never failed to produce a couple of nice fish on an outing.  We also used several different MirrOlures as well as chuggers and darters.  It was easy...No mess, no fuss.  You grabbed the tackle bag and a couple of rods and you went fishing.

Times have certainly changed and there are all kinds of new lures on the market so I thought it would be fun, in light of our current live bait situation, to give you my go-to’ list and perhaps even convince some of you to actually use them!

In the mid 1980’s a new lure was introduced to bass fishing.  It was called the Slug-Go and it was the first soft plastic jerk bait.  The bait was designed to imitate the erratic action of a dying live baitfish.  What made it work so well was the fact that the angler had very little control over what the bait would do during retrieval.  After casting to a target zone you simply let the lure sit for a few seconds and then retrieved it using very small jerks with the tip of the rod.  This caused the Slug-Go to dance about like a baitfish in distress.  Trust me on this.  Snook love wounded bait.  The first time I used one here in Florida was after a fishing trip for bass in Kentucky in 1988.  A friend of mind introduced me to it and I brought a bag home.  A few weeks later my brother and I were fishing in Shell Creek and I rigged up and casted one up under the mangroves.  Boom! A big snook clobbered it.  To tell you the truth, I was stunned.  Several snook and a couple of bar jacks later my brother and I were convinced we had found something special.  We soon discovered that we could catch just about any backwater gamefish using it.  Although there are now many imitators on the market, I still carry Slug-Go’s as my main soft plastic jerk bait.

In the early 1990’s I read an article about a lure company called D.O.A.  They had recently come out with an artificial soft plastic shrimp that virtually every angler was talking about.  The lure was truly unique.  It looked just like a live shrimp and included a small 1/4 oz. weight and an imbedded hook and was pre-rigged and ready to fish.  At the time, one of my favorite ways to go after spotted sea trout was to use a popping cork and live shrimp.  I bought some of the D.O.A. shrimp and simply replaced the live bait with the artificial.  To say it worked would be an understatement.  They not only worked they actually out-fished the live shrimp.  Here’s why.  If you get a hit and miss on live bait you have to reel it in and check to see if you still have bait.  If you get a hit and a miss on a D.O.A. shrimp you simply give the cork a couple of small pops and the fish will almost always take another whack at it.  They can’t pull it off the hook!  My favorite colors are clear with gold glitter and avocado with red glitter.

Several years ago Dean-o Hicks’ son, Clayton, introduced me to a new MirrOlure called the 19MR.  It was a unique addition to the conventional hardbodied treble hook lures that were made by dozens of manufacturers.  The 19MR didn’t have the usual plastic diving lip.  It was designed to be used like a soft plastic jerk bait.  The sides of the lure were inlaid with a luminescent insert that flashed when retrieved and they also added large red eyes and colors that looked like real bait.  About a year later MirrOlure introduced the 17MR.  It was the same design but because of it’s more rounded wider body it better resembled the bait that are native to our waters here in Southwest Florida.   I use both of them regularly and suggest you start with the “Greenback” version.  They are deadly on snook at the beaches and trout on the grass flats.

Last but not least is Love’s Lures.  They have been in use in Florida since 1978 and are still one of my most used artificials.  This one’s pretty simple.  Get a pack of their red and white 1/4 oz jig heads and their pink curly tail grubs and you are good to go.  Cast them under mangroves or on open grass flats and retrieve them like a jig or with constant reeling.  In other words, be creative with your retrieve.  I caught one of the biggest snook I’ve ever landed on that combo in the mouth of the river about 20 years ago and I can’t begin to tell you how many trout I’ve hooked with this simple lure.

OK, now you have the list.  Get out there and quit worrying about the lack of live bait on the flats.  After you hook a couple of nice fish using artificials I’m sure you’ll be “hooked” as well.

August 2008

The lazy, hazy days of summer are upon us and it’s time to put down the fishing rods.No, really...Just for one trip on the water.  Honestly, when was the last time you just loaded up the boat for a day on the water and didn’t pack the fishing gear?  I’m pretty sure it was over 2 years ago for myself and perhaps longer. I recently took a small group of folks on a sightseeing trip that, by their request, involved circumnavigating Pine Island.  They had seen an article in Soundings Magazine, that I was involved with, and wanted to recreate what the author and I had done for that piece. I was reluctant at first but then thought, “What the heck, I don’t have to net bait for a sightseeing trip!”What we did that day was a lot of fun; for me and them.  

We cruised the Sound looking for dolphins and birds and other wildlife.  We ran a couple of backwater areas and then blasted across open water flats.  I took then into the Ding Darling Wildlife area and used the trolling motor to show them out-of-the-way places that only a shallow water craft can navigate.  We saw gators, stingrays, tons of mullet and quite a few big fish.  

We then headed north on Pine Island Sound and stopped along the way so that they could indulge themselves in libations and munchies at ‘Tween Waters, The Tarpon Inn and Cabbage Key.  We made a quick stop at Foster’s Bay so they could walk across the narrows of the former Charlie Pass and do a little shelling. After visiting Cabbage Key I took the group up to Jug Creek and we navigated that until we popped out on the north end of Pine Island with a view of Charlotte Harbor.  Then we headed east and then south into Matlacha Pass.  

We stopped at Bert’s for a late lunch and then continued south through the Matlacha Wildlife Refuge until we arrived at Picnic Island.  By this time the afternoon thunderstorms were starting to build over the mainland and it was time to make the run for Punta Rassa.  As we arrived at the dock a huge rainbow appeared over Fort Myers Beach to cap off the trip.We live in a truly beautiful area with lots of things to see and do.  During the slower days of summer we locals pretty much have the waters and islands all to ourselves for a short time before fall approaches.  

There are many things to see and do on the water with your friends and family and it can be quite an adventure exploring new places along the way.So load up the boat with plenty of supplies, sunscreen and a camera and do as the tourist do... Explore our back yard.  And just this one time don’t pack the fishing gear.

September 2008

There is a fairly famous saying known to most prospective and current boat owners that goes something like this.  “A boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money.”  In some cases this is true.  Unless you are willing to do the continuous routine maintenance required of boat ownership, you may be purchasing a very BIG hole in the water.

This months article about fishing from shore is written for those of you that have managed to make do without having an enormous piece of fiberglass in your life.  Hats off to you and your continued sanity.

So in no particular order here are my favorite beaches for fishing on foot and what equipment you’ll need to have a successful day.

Keep your tackle lightweight and simple.  When fishing beaches I use a 7 foot G-Loomis live bait rod and a Diawa 1600 reel.  I spool the reel with 20 pound braided line and then i use a 30 pound fluorocarbon leader.  I carry a couple of small lure boxes that will fit in my fishing shirt pocket, a pair of fishing pliers and a small amount of spare leader and an extra spool of line.  I do my best to avoid having to deal with live bait while shore fishing on foot.  The less you have to carry and care for, the better.    

Lover’s Key is located on the Lee County coastline between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach.  It’s about 2 miles long and there is access off of County Road 865.  The park is open from 8 AM until sundown and it costs $3 to park for a single driver and $5 for a group.  The beach is mostly white sand with the usual small drop off near the edge of the water.  I think the fishiest place on the island is the north end up by Big Carlos Pass.  You never can tell what you might run into in that area.  Tarpon, snook, ladyfish, spanish mackerel, bluefish and sharks are just a few of the species I’ve caught while fishing the beach.  There is a natural backwash that comes in off of the pass during an inbound tide that traps bait near the shore line.  Fish hang out in that area ready to ambush anything that swims by.  My favorite lure is a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow with silver sides and a black back.  They imitate small mullet and seem to work better than the green or blue back lures of the same brand.  I’ve also fished with D.O.A. shrimp, both free lined and under a popping cork, and the clear with gold flake worked best for me.

While on Lover’s Key don’t forget to venture over to the bayside of the park and fish the shallow waters just off the highway.  There is walk-in access near the Bonita Beach water tower that leads down to a small bay.  There are also other pull-offs along the road that offer great access to wade fishing small mangrove islands and shoreline.

Just before the Sanibel Causeway toll booths there is an area on the left hand side of the road that most anglers refer to as “billboard beach.”  Just look for the advertisement billboards and you are there!  Parking is free but you need to make sure you pull all the way off the highway.

Wade fishing on this beach is probably the best in the area.  There is an enormous sand   flat that extends about 200 yards out from the beach to an 8 foot drop off.  The best time to hit this spot is at low water just as the tide is starting to come back in.  Wade out to the drop off and start fishing in the deep water.  You’ll find trout, ladyfish, spanish mackerel, bluefish, sharks, pompano and the occasional redfish.  This is also an excellent area to fly fish.  The water is shallow enough so that you don’t have to get in waist deep and there are no obstacles behind you to mess up a backcast.  The best fly is a chartreuse over white Clouser Minnow fished with quick, sharp strips to imitate a fleeing baitfish.

On spin tackle I almost always go with a Slug-go or Bass Assassin rigged on a 3/0 offset hook with NO added weight.  You want the bait near the surface and you’ll need to work it slowly, giving it lots of small twitches.  The lure should randomly zig zag when fished properly.  Another summer go-to lure is the Rebel Pop’R or Storm’s Chug Bug.  Pick a color...Any color.  Seriously, they all work!  In my humble opinion there is nothing better in fishing than a surface strike and these two lures are the best at delivering just that.      

Bowman’s Beach is located a little better than halfway up Sanibel Island.  Take San Cap Road toward Captiva and watch for the park sign.  It’s on the left hand side of the road.  Parking is $2 per hour and there is a parking machine so bring cash.

Bowman’s Beach is wade fishing nirvana for snook fisherman but you have to get there early before the shell seekers arrive.  The fishing seems to be best at sunrise and then there is a repeat performance in the early evening, just as the sun is going down.  If you are going to specifically target snook then you need to make a casting adjustment. Don’t cast your line and lure out away from the beach.  Cast parallel to the shoreline and do your best to keep your lure as close to the edge of the waterline as possible.  Snook are ambush feeders and they love working the small bait that is struggling in the surf line near the beach.  You need to imitate that with your offering.  My favorite lure for this type of snook fishing is the MirrOlure MirrOdine 19MR in silver.

I really don’t think you can beat a quiet morning on the beaches of Sanibel or Lover’s Key with a rod in hand and a small box of lures, looking for fish.  As I’ve said many times before...we live in paradise so get out there and enjoy it.

October 2008

Over the past month and a half we have had a run of some pretty awful weather.  Tropical storms, near misses from hurricanes and quite a few rainy days.  I hope that by the time you read this all of this rotten weather is behind us.  But if not I’d recommend a little study time.To often we anglers tend to fish the same old spots over and over again.  We are creatures of habit and once we’ve found what we consider to be the honey hole, it’s very hard to stray from the path.  I’m guilty of this.  My job is to find fish for my clients so I tend to go to the same areas in hopes of satisfying them, not me.  

But recently I’ve started doing a little research and development, especially on the days that I can’t be on the water.  Hopefully this article will help you think outside the box.Research?  That’s right!  On really cruddy days I like to begin my search for new fishing areas and spots at my desk.  I like to pull out old charts and look for areas that are interesting or have promise.  Mostly I’m looking for a spot that resembles an area that I’ve already had success with, and using that as a model, it helps me pick a new one.  The navigation charts I use are pretty basic.  They show the main channels and areas of grass flats and oyster beds but they don’t show a lot of detail when you get off the beaten track.  After all, most charts are used for navigation not fishing.  

But they do show contours between deep and shallow water and they also show the many mangrove islands and creeks that make up our area.From the basic navigation chart I move to a close-up chart of the area I’m interested in.  An example would be Waterproof Charts number 20E of Estero Bay.  That chart is an enlargement and shows much greater detail for navigation and most importantly, fishing.Once I’ve located something that looks good on paper I move to the computer and pull up Google Earth.  For you cave dwellers who are not familiar with Google Earth it’s time to join the 21st century.  

All kidding aside, this piece of software is probably the best thing that’s happened to fishing since the invention of the drag.Google Earth is a satellite and aerial photography piece of software that is free to use on the Internet.  Once loaded on your PC or Mac you can pretty much look at anything and everything on the planet earth, including the waters of Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass and Estero Bay.  The photographs of our local waters are fantastic.  You can zoom in and out on virtually any area you choose.  It’s like flying over the fishing spot you want to investigate but you don’t need an airplane.  What I mainly use Google Earth for is finding a way in and out of the area I want to check out.  As I mentioned before, the paper charts are used primarily for navigating channels and waterways, they are not intended for straying into shallow water.  Google Earth, on the other hand, provides a visual view of the small cuts and unmarked channels that traverse many of our shallow water flats.  These are exactly what you need to get to that special fishing hole.But you also have to do your research on the water.  

On the days that you get to go fishing all by your lonesome, make sure you take time out to hit a new spot.  This can be something you found while looking at charts or Google Earth or it can simply be an area that you have passed by but didn’t have the time to fish.  Don’t forget to take a look around you when you are fishing one of your holes.  If the bite isn’t happening that day the fish have to be somewhere else and there is good chance they're not very far away.  

Do a little exploring and you may figure out the migration pattern and boy does that make things easier!One last tip.  Do your water bound exploring when the tide is rising and not falling.  No, this isn’t going to make the bite better, it’s going to keep you from getting stuck on a mudflat or sandbar during your explorations.  It’s best to be aground with the tide rising not falling.Now hit the charts and start studying!

November 2008

I have to admit it.  I love fishing.  As long as my rod is bent and the drag is singing I’m a happy man.  I’ve found that to be true for a lot of anglers and that’s what brought me to this month’s topic... Trash fishing.

Seriously.  A ton of articles have been written about how to catch tarpon, snook, redfish and sea trout but I can’t seem to find a thing on the art of landing ladyfish, crevalle jacks or catfish; the elusive trash can slam.  So I thought I’d take it upon myself to enlighten the readers with what I’ve learned about the big three of trash fishing.

I’m really not sure how the crevalle jack got on the list.  Perhaps because it has little or no food value.  But it makes up for that short coming with more fight, pound for pound, than most redfish I’ve hooked.  They’ll readily eat just about any live or artificial bait and they don’t give up even when lifted out of the water.  The “jack attack” is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting things I’ve seen while fishing.  Imagine a school of about 50 fish cruising at about 15 mph hell bent on eating everything in their path.  It’s a ton of fun to throw whatever you can in front of this moving bus.  And that’s what it feels like when your offering gets taken.  You’ll swear you hooked a bus!  Any jack over 5 pounds is worth the price of admission.  They’ll blast off for the mangroves and then 3 seconds later light the afterburners and head for open water.  They move so fast I’ve seen anglers looking the wrong way for the fish and then ZING the line comes tight and the tip of the rod breaks off.  Now that’s fishing!

There are two places in our local area that I target big jacks.  Number one is the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and a close second is the north end of Estero Bay.  For some reason these two locations seem to always hold the biggest fish.  In Estero Bay they seem to school more closely together then in the river but both areas are target rich environments.  The easiest way to find them is to throw a few handfuls of white bait in the water and watch for explosions or you can simply blind cast a lure that looks like bait fish.  Always keep you eyes open for birds.  The terns and gulls will usually hang right over a school of jacks hoping to pick off whatever leftovers the jacks leave behind.

Ladyfish are fun.  Really!  When the going gets tough and you can’t seem to buy a bite from any other species, there are almost always ladyfish to rescue the fishing trip.  They are nicked named the “Poor Man’s Tarpon” for a reason.  They jump and somersault when caught and 75 percent of the time throw the hook.  But don’t worry.  Just as soon as your dislodged lure lands back in the water there is another ladyfish waiting to attack it.  They usually school up by the hundreds and they are relentless in their pursuit of your offering.  It’s not all that unusual to catch two at a time on a lure.

For those of you that don’t already know this... ladyfish make great cut bait.  I’ve caught just about everything catchable in Southwest Florida using a chunk of this fish.  Redfish adore it and a snook will pick it up off the bottom without much fanfare and swim off with it.  I’ve also picked up huge trout and cobia using ladyfish not to mention finicky tarpon.

Ladyfish schools move around quite a bit depending on weather and tides but the one place they seem to stay near is the grass flats out in front of St. James City on Pine Island.  Once again, look for the birds.  Ladyfish create quite a ruckus when feeding and they leave lots of leftovers behind for the birds to pick up.  They’ll hit just about any type of artificial lure that looks fishy but make sure you move it quickly.  They love a quick retrieve.

Catfish.  

Why on earth would I give you tips for catching catfish?  

Get out there and enjoy the water and go fishing!

December 2008

The holiday season is right around the corner and I’ve got a gift idea that I want to share with the readers of the Nautical Mile.  Why not give beaches, boats and far away islands to your friends and family in the form of music?  What could be better than sending someone to the Caribbean for as little as twelve bucks?  So here is my suggested gift list of what I call, “Boat Music”.   

In the early ’70’s the now famous Jimmy Buffett was nothing more than another troubadour playing in the bars of Key West.  He sang of nautical wheelers, hurricane season, life on the beach and the need to get back to the islands.  In 1977 he released the song, Margaritaville and as they say, the rest is history.  While I’m not that big a fan of his current material, I still love to take out the old stuff, load it in the CD player and go back in time to that place of sand, salt air and boats.  For a short while I was landlocked in Kentucky and Ohio and the only thing that got me through those midwest winters was a healthy dose of Buffett and margaritas.  The album A1A, released in 1974 , was one of the first Buffett records I purchased and includes one of my favorite tunes, “Tin Cup Chalice”.  It’s about wanting to get back to the islands after being away for a while.  I’m sure most boat people can identify so A1A is on the list.  Other Buffett titles to consider are “Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes”, “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor and the box set “Boats, Beaches, Bars and Ballads.”

Every boat music collection has to have at least one reggae disk and the best of the bunch is Bob Marley & The Wailers “Legend”.  Put on the song, “Stir It Up” and watch the whole place start dancing.  Enough said.

I honestly believe that the biggest threat to Jimmy Buffett’s boat music throne might be Kenny Chesney.  He most definitely has a better singing voice than JB and his songwriting skills are evident in his most recent release, “Lucky Old Sun.”  In the liner notes he talks about his discovery of the island lifestyle and how it now drives his outlook on life.  Wow... another convert!  Seriously, this disc is full of songs that speak of beaches and boats and along with his previous CD, “Be As You Are”, they are must haves on the boat music list.

At the Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West there is a local artist named Michael McCloud.  He’s been churning out boat music for well over twenty five years and still plays live almost everyday from noon to five.  He does a mixture of covers and originals and over the years I’ve become a fan.  Sitting at the Wharf with a libation, a fresh plate of oysters on the half shell and listening to Mike is my version of heaven.  He sings about both the sad and the happy things in island life and manages to do it everyday like it’s the first time on stage.  For a long while you could only enjoy his music live and in person but now his recordings are available on the Internet.  Start with his first release, “Gretastits” and work your way up from there.  Heck, they’re all good!

Hope this helps with your gift list and may you have a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Nautical Mile Publications

Capt. Rob Modys