"My son and I sight fished the waters of Charlotte Harbor and the surrounding estuaries with Captain Les and we caught thirteen species on one day and a half trip! A few snook and redfish, so many sea trout and ladyfish (sometimes two at time) that we got bored, a small shark, jacks, small grouper, a flounder, and even a cast at a tarpon... all on light tackle with artificial lures. This is how God meant us to live."

Bob Collett

I can't guarantee that you will have this kind of day on each trip.  If you catch one or more snook, a redfish or two, some trout and lady fish all with top water lures and jigs bouncing along the bottom you will have had a great day. Most of our fishing is catch and release, but if you want dinner, let the guide know, and you will certainly fresh fish for dinner tonite.

Aside from great fishing experience, you will learn about the saltwater fish species living in these peaceful estuaries, where you might spend hours in water that is no more than a few feet deep.  Your guide will point out Ospry, the occasional American Bald Eagle, and the numerous water fowl that in compete for the fish.

Your guide knows the mangrove islands, oyster beds (the favorite redfish food), and how to put you on the fish.  He will point them out off in the distance and teach you the difference between Mullet almost jumping nearby your boat and snook or redfish hitting bait. He will show you how to see the more productive holes (a deeper area typically 8' to 10' deep withing the turtle grass flats), how to spot moving bait, a redfish swirl or a tarpon rolling.

Popular fish in the area include Snook, Redfish, Sea Trout, Lady Fish, Flounder, Jack, Spanish Mackeral, several varieties of shark, Pompano, Permit, Sailfin Catfish, Bluefish, Mangrove Snapper, small Grouper, Tarpon, and numerous other species depending upon the time of year.  We have caught all of these and more with light tackle, using jigs, jerk bait, and spoons.  If you have no experience casting a jig, you will find it does not take long to become proficient.

You might also want to fish with live bait and you might do even better. You will find that everyone eats live shrimp, and about 90% of the fishing guides use live bait when taking out first time clients.

When fishing on your own, remember the baitfish move with the tides, and the gamefish move with the baitfish.  When fishing from the beach or a pier such as the one right next to the Fisheries Resaraunt, I usually find the fishing most productive beginning about and hour before to an hour after the tide change.

Occasionally, I will keep some fish for dinner. (Your guide will let you know the season and legal size requirement for each fish you might catch.)  I might even ask my guide clean enough for tonite's dinner. More often after a great day of fishing, I head over to Fisheries Restraunt near the Boca Grand Causeway.

Your package includes a Fisheries dinner voucher for each person in your party.  Take along your rods, because the Placida Fishing Pier is off the same parking lot as the restaraunt.  

(Be sure to bring mosquito repellent, suntan lotion, and a flashlight if you want to fish after dark.  Mosquitos are usually nasty just before sunset.  Once the sun goes down, they tend to go away.

Want more great fishing... take the ferry or your boat over to Don Pedro Island (just across from Cape haze Resort) , or boat to Palm Island (at Stump Pass). Then fish from into the surf from the beach and hour before till and hour after the tide change.  Use live shrimp or catch some bait with a casting net.  You never know what might hit when the tides are changing.