Coastal Angler Magazine | Naples Marco Island Everglades Bonita Springs March 2026 Edition

The Best Infatable Fishing Boats

Best For Lightweight Solo Fishing

The versatility of the FishSUP™1210 is unmatched! Use it bare bones with just the board, a paddle & your !shing gear or deck it out with swivel seat, side pontoons, casting bar, motor and more! Incredibly stable, extra wide, swallow-tail !shing SUP holds up to 500 lbs! The FS1210 takes electric and gas motors up to 3 hp. There’s even an option for a bow trolling motor.

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Best For Lightweight Tandem Fishing

Perfect for !shing rivers, lakes and bays. The STS10 is a lightweight, roomy 1 or 2 person pontoon boat that’s packed with features anglers need & love including 2 built-in !sh rules, 4 built-in rod holders & 2 Scotty® mounts for more rod holders, anchor locks, camera posts or any other Scotty® accessory. Now available with a drop-stitch in atable oor or wooden oorboards.

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Best For Lightweight Fish Ski! for 1, 2 or 3 Anglers

This “low-rider” gives you access to the water to reel in and release !sh easily. With a new patented outside, in atable, rigid keel the FSK16 glides through the water at speeds up to 21 mph to get you to the !sh fast! Perfect for 1-3 anglers and room for plenty of gear.

Choose From 9 Packages

Starting At Just $2999

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By Will Schmidt

Tere were birds diving, porpoise rolling and he y yellow n tuna skyrocketing like Fourth of July reworks. Both on the water and in the boat, the energy was palatable. With one angler on the bow ready to cast a top water plug into the fray and me in the stern with ready to deploy live bait, the boat throttled back. !e plug went ying, meanwhile I simply dropped my bait behind the boat and started freelining. Almost instantly the plug was blasted in the air but not connecting. Meanwhile, I tossed a handful of baits o the back of the boat. By now the fray had subsided but the sh were clearly still looking for an easy meal. 50 feet behind me one of the chummers was blasted overhead by a 150 pound yellow n who was skyward bound a er it. Just below I could see my bait franticly swimming as another engulfed it, leading to a great battle before releasing the 100 pound class sh.

While top water shing for tuna is all the rave right now, it really makes sense to deploy multiple tactics to take advantage of these opportunities, as the school o en retreats as the boat nears. Our back up plan is very simple and almost always produces sh. As the boat gets into casting range of the school, we drop live bait o the stern and free line them. We always keep a couple ready to go. !is way, if the school disappears there are other baits ready for those who have been plugging.

For bait google eyes or blue runners, rigging them on a 10/0 circle hook is ideal. Bridling the bait and using a non-slip loop knot presents the most natural movement as the baits ee. Also, tossing a handful of chummers in, as the surface activity disperses, usually brings shing looking to pick up stragglers into the strike zone. Chumming really helps keep the sh around, so make sure you have plenty of bait. When you get hit, give it a ve count real tight and hang on!

I like to use a bit heavier tackle with the live bait, as we o en seem to nd bigger sh. My go to is Shimano Terez BW Roller Striper medium heavy with a Talica 25A. I use 80lb braid to 80lb mono. !is is a great set up that’s fun for sh from 40 to 140 and can handle the occasional really big one. the rod with a better ghting angle. It also helps to keep the line away from the gunnel as a spiraling sh ascends. !is is a great asset for many anglers on these tough sh.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about shing for more than two decades. Follow Will on Instagram @saltynstrong.

Florida’s Spawn Transition: Where the Giants Get Caught

In Florida, we don’t wait on spring the way the rest of the country does. Our bass start thinking about the spawn early, and that in-between window when they’re moving from winter patterns to-ward the beds is one of the most exciting times to be on the water. It’s not full-blown bed fishing yet, and it’s not the deep winter grind either. It’s the transition. And if you hit it right, it’s when the biggest fish in the lake are at their absolute heaviest and most catchable.

During this phase, big females don’t just rush the shallows. They stage first. Think outside grass lines, ditch intersections, shell bars, canal mouths, and hard-bottom spots just off spawning flats. They want easy access to both worlds shallow enough to move up when conditions warm and deep enough to slide back if a cold front rolls through. Instead of randomly covering water, suc-cessful anglers focus on these “inbetween” areas where bass pause before committing.

The fun part about fishing the transition is that these fish are still in feeding mode. They’re fueling up before the hard work of spawning, which means reaction baits can shine. Swimbaits and

TYLER WOOLCOTT

lipless crankbaits are great for covering water along staging edges, especially around submerged vegeta-

tion. If they’re holding tighter to cover, slowing down with a Texas-rigged creature bait or a wacky-rigged stick worm can seal the deal. The key is not getting too shallow too fast; a lot of an-glers run straight to visible bedding areas and skip right past the best fish.

Florida weather adds another layer to the puzzle. A few warm, stable days can push fish forward in a hurry, while a stiff north wind can reposition them just as quickly. The calendar matters less than conditions. Watch water temperature trends, pay attention to wind direction, and look for areas that warm first, especially protected shorelines with darker bottoms. Transition bass adjust daily, some-times hourly, and the anglers who adjust with them are the ones holding up the heavy fish.

For me, this window is one of the most exciting times of the year. You’re not just sight-fishing beds, you’re hunting moving giants that are feeding and positioning with purpose. They’re thick, strong, and aggressive enough to commit. When you connect with one during the spawn transition, it’s not just another bite it’s often the bite that defines the season. And in Florida, that fish can show up on any cast.

Capt. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler, as well as owner/ operator of Florida Big Fish Adventures, providing bass and saltwater guided fishing trips: www.floridabigfishadventures.com.

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2026 WINTER FISH FREEZE

By: Caitlyn Gatrell

Winter has been a bit rough for our local waters during this 2026 season. Rough in the sense that it disrupted our marine environments, put a damper on fishing trips, and even killed off some of our wildlife. The temperatures have been pretty low a lot of the days, and the cold isn't something our area is used to too well. Here and there, yes, but this has been more intense, and our fisheries have been feeling it. Not to mention, there have been some pretty low tides displacing species as well.

The early February freeze brought chilling temperatures to Southwest Florida, some areas in the feels-like of the 20s. Water temperatures have also even hit the 50s at times, making it pretty uncomfortable for some species. Species such as catfish, snook, and tarpon have been found dead in various areas of Southwest Florida due to the cold. Some regions have even seen deeper wildlife like mutton snapper floating at the surface.

The freeze definitely has affected the fisheries, as it made lesser chances at hooking up to fish. Some are still biting, but others are hiding, moved to warmer areas, or unfortunately didn't pull through.

Not to mention, the cold temperatures and windy conditions don't make for the best trips on the water. If you have the right gear it's doable, but as someone who's braced it before, it's not very enjoyable. And for businesses that rely on fishing, like fishing charters, this time is a little harsh.

If anything, right now is a better time for sight-seeing trips, island walks, shell searching, and camping trips. Take time to immerse yourself in nature with a break from the heat (but make sure to stay warm!). It also will help maintain fish populations with their sudden impact by not further decreasing anything.

We haven't been out much this winter, especially right now, but I’m really looking forward to the warmer temperatures and fishing trips soon. I want the fisheries to bounce back and for marine life to thrive. I also think it'd be a good idea to monitor the populations if the freezes continue and more fish lives are lost. Perhaps even temporary regulations can be put in place to make sure they can repopulate before fishing is good again or people harvest hurting species. Time will only tell what will occur!

Snook & Tarpon

By: Capt. Roanz

Snook season is upon us and no better bait to break out than the Mega and Magnum Minnow by Reel Nautical Jigs. These Ultimate Swim baits are designed with big snook in mind. They come in 4 colors and two sizes; Mega minnows are 4 inches long and are 3/8 ounce and magnums are 6 inches long and are ½ ounce baits. They both come in 4 colors including White, Arkansas shiner, Pimp Daddy,

and Glass Minnow which looks a lot like a little lady fish. They are phenomenal for all types of species but are one of my favorites for snook and tarpon in our passes or on the nearshore reefs and wrecks. You can swim them or jig them, doesn’t matter they crush and are durable since the bodies and heads are adhered to each other and then the heads are resin encapsulated. We use extra strong Mustad Ultra Point hooks for excellent hookup and fish holding power especially if you must pull a big snook out of a reef or wreck.

March is a great month for both snook and tarpon fishing, first snook season is just opening and you can keep one per person between 28 and 33 inches. Tarpon are starting their migration north from the keys along our beaches and the local fish are inhabiting our near-shore bays. You cannot eat them like a snook but are sure a hoot to hook and catch. This is one of the best months to catch a big snook either on the beaches or our passes and river mouths or on our nearshore reefs and wrecks. Wreck fishing for snook has become much more popular in this day and time due to increased offshore populations that stay on the offshore structure year-round. Invest in a side scanning sonar or 360 sonar if you want to really dial in the schools. If you do not have side scan, try and set up a drift to hit the down current side of the structure. You might have to make a couple passes till you find just where the schools are holding. Here is a great recipe if you do happen to catch a keeper: Start by fileting the fish but leave the skin on lay it in a backing pan on two sheets of foil skin side down. Cover meat side with Helmann’s Mayo and sprinkle with soy sauce. You can also sprinkle with dill or pepper flakes if you want. Bake 350 until flaky at end hit it on broil to brown up the mayo on top a little serve by spatula taking the meat off the foil but leave skin.

Come see our full line of Mega and Magnum Jigs at one of the local Bait and Tackle stores like Mikes Bait House, Marco Island Bait and Tackle, and The Bait Shop of Lake Placid or check them out online at www.reelnautical.net or drop us an email: reelnautical239@gmail.com

GO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

By: Capt. Tim Ramsey

There I was. Panama. The wind was calm. The sun shined brightly. The aroma of steak and lemon trees wafted past. I saw fish swimming along the rocks at the end of the Amador Causeway, an iconic 6-kilometer stretch that gracefully crosses over and connects Panama City to four Pacific islands: Naos, Perico, Culebra, and Flamenco. I had no fishing rod.

Twenty-seven rods in Florida and what good were they? I had only four rods in country. Both my travel rods had broken eyelets. My sevenfoot two-piece was so old the reel seat was cracked in half, and a case of “the dumbass” led to breaking my fourth rod while putting it in the car. What to do?

With no tackle shops nearby with anything less than “import prices,” I drove over to a local hardware store called the “Do-It Center,” a place I think they modeled after Ace Hardware. They had only three rods, all combos. The best one was a one-piece, 6’6” Diawa combo that cost a whopping $26. Yep, you read that right. Fast-forward, I caught three jacks and a small Sierra (what Spanish Mackerel are called in Spanish-speaking countries). Bottom line, like Gunny Highway said in the movie Heartbreak Ridge, “you improvise, adapt, overcome.” I did that and caught a few fish off the side of the road and had a new rod. That’s going with what you got.

Then we went fishing with a guide on Gatun Lake, the body of water created when the Panama Canal was built. My wife (the first lady of fishing) prefers short-handled spinning rods she can reel while keeping the rod butt near her hip. All six of her rods were in the states. Luckily, I had such a rod…from the hardware store. Bonus. It wasn’t our first trip with a guide in Gatun. We tried to keep costs low, resulting in trips spanning the gamut of expertise and equipment

from a fat dude with a ratty old aluminum Jon boat and no rods, to two locals in an old deck boat, up to the guide on our last trip. He had a YouTube channel, tackle sponsors, a SeaDek covered bay boat and matching Quantum outfits. Great guy, but he spent more time fishing from the bow than anything else. Since all his rods were spooled with braid and my wife hates that, we went with what we had. I tied a red and silver Monte’s bucktail on the hardware store rod and my wife caught the best Peacock bass of the day.

My point in all this is sometimes you don’t have the rigged-out flats boat or the custom surf rod with fat tire beach cart, chest waders and solar powered bait bucket. Sometimes it’s some dead shrimp in a plastic bag in your pocket and a 30” kids pushbutton spincast rod. Maybe it’s a tired old boat rod with nylon Penn conventional reel, or a casting rod so old there is no ceramic in the eyelets. You’d like to have a brand-new St Croix or G. Loomis rod with a Stella or Saragosa on it, but you have an Angler rod with a Piscifun Chinese reel you bought off Amazon. So what? That setup catches fish too. Handlines work. Cane poles work. $12 telescopic rods work. The Popeil Pocket fisherman that looked like an electric knife worked. Get after it.

I once caught a twenty-seven-inch redfish on a four-foot kids rod with the handle and reel seat shaped to look like Donald Duck. I caught more bass in officer club golf course lakes with a Johnson “cast a country mile” combo than I ever will with anything else. I caught a fish with a handline off the front deck of a cruise ship. I caught a triggerfish with a floating plastic laundry basket. I caught jacks by putting French fries on the hook. I caught bluefish with tin foil wrapped around a hook. I’ve even caught fish with a twister mat. Long story. Like I said. Go with what you have. See you out there!

Changing Temps

by Capt. Billy Norris

Last month was a wild one! It felt like we went through three different seasons with all the crazy weather we’ve had. We saw plenty of 80-degree days, mixed in with cold snaps in the 40s, and even a few mornings that dipped below freezing. One day, we actually had to chip ice off the windshield before heading out! Despite the rollercoaster conditions, the fishing has been solid across the board.

O ffshore action has been all over the place. Before the big temperature drops, we were hammering the gag grouper. Even though

the season is closed and they have to be released, the fish have been impressive with lots of keeper-sized gags and quite a few topping the 30-inch mark. Big sharks have also been putting on a show, with tigers, bulls, lemons, and sandbars all making appearances boat-side. The snapper bite has stayed steady, too. Mangrove snapper have been the main attraction, along with a few quality lane snapper mixed in. A few years back, we were catching big lanes every trip, but the 2024 red tide really hurt their numbers. Seeing them return is a great sign their population is bouncing back. After the cold fronts in late January, the big sheepshead moved onto the nearshore wrecks and reefs and have been eagerly eating shrimp and crabs.

The backwaters have held their own as well. Winter isn’t always prime time for inshore fishing, but we’ve still been putting together productive trips. Sheepshead, black drum, snook, and redfish have been the steady performers. We were worried that the freezing temps might lead to a major snook kill, but thankfully we haven’t seen any signs of that here. Unfortunately, some areas just north of us weren’t as lucky as the cold hit hard and wiped out thousands of snook. It’ll take time for those fisheries to recover, but we dodged the worst of it in our area.

A ll in all, fishing has been great, the weather is finally shaping up, and there’s no better time to get out on the water. If you’re ready to make some memories and reel in some Florida fun, give us a call, we’ll get you out there!

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IN THE KITCHENwithJessica Tropical Wahoo Street Tacos

By: Jessica Hendrie

Wahoo is one of the most prized fish in South Florida, and for good reason! It’s fast, powerful and when it hits the deck, everyone knows dinner will soon be something special. Most people keep it simple with grilled, blackened or sashimi but Wahoo is clean and its firm texture makes it perfect for dishes that go beyond usual dock side dishes. One of my favorite things to make with wahoo are tropical street style tacos. After a long day on the water, the last thing I was is a complicated recipe. This dish comes together quickly, but they still feel like you put a lot of time and effort into them. The mild, buttery taste of the fillets takes on season beautifully, and when paired with a bright mango slaw and warm tortillas, it turns into a dish that’s equal parts fresh, sweet, and even savory.

Start with your fresh wahoo. Cut it into small, even strips and season them to your liking. I also recommend adding smoked paprika and brown sugar to your seasoning mixture. You can thank me later! Don’t forget to add a squeeze of lemon or lime. Heat your skillet with light olive oil and cook the wahoo for just a few minutes on each side. It doesn’t take long, once it’s flaky, it’s done. Overcooking is the only real mistake you can make here so be careful.

While that cooks, throw together a quick slaw with shredded cabbage, diced mango, thin slices of red onion, and chopped cilantro. Squeeze some more fresh lime over it and add a spoonful of mayonnaise or a dash of coconut milk for a light yet tropical dressing. The sweetness of the mango and brightness of the lime balance the richness of the fish nicely. Warm your tortillas however you like and start preparing them by layering your prepared foods. It’s a simple meal that feels like a celebration every time.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and use it as much as my family and I does! Take it, make it your own, change it, claim it. And as always, happy fishing!

SLOW IT DOWN

By: Joe Sheaffer

I

t has been a challenging season. Cold temperatures and low water have made it difficult to consistently catch fish. There are ways to work around these conditions. Finding areas that will hold fish during cold spells can be the key. Identifying these areas can make all the difference. I like to start with satellite maps along with local area channel maps to find these areas (hard structure, bridges, docks, patch reefs, to name a few) around deeper water. With colder temps, fish will relate near these areas. These tend to warm a bit quicker because of the nature of the structure, they also provide current breaks. Current is important but they definitely don’t want to fight the current. Figuring out how the fish will relate along these stretches is important. They will still face towards the current for feeding opportunities and will head shallow as the temperatures warm during the day. I like to keep my boat into the current working my presentation with the current. Slowing your presentation, using heavier jigs or weight will help. You will probably get hung up quite a bit but it can be worth it. Sometimes you almost need to hit these fish in the head to get them to bite. Many times I will pop my jig and let it sit for a while (15-30 sec), then pop it again. I have caught many fish, mostly Snook, Reds, Grouper, Sheepshead to name a few, using this tech. Once you pop (a quick lift off the bottom) your jig and let it sit, you may feel the thump. As the day warms, focus your efforts along the deeper edges of grass flats. Fish will move shallow to warm. The key to all this is slowing down. This time of year, bites may be few but they can produce some nice fish. Good luck and keep casting!

March Opportunities

By: Capt. Bart Marx

Southwest Florida had a record-breaking winter and The Gulf of America water temperature was below 50 degrees last month which puts a lot of stress on some of the fish species. North of our area there were reports of fish kills. One of the species that does not do well is our snook population. There may be some changes to the harvest of this species, therefore, it is important to keep your ears on the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) to determine if they will make any rapid changes for snook fishing. During the month of March, we can look for some migratory species like the mackerel kings and Spanish mackerel, and on the near shore small ledges there should be sheepshead spawning in 30 to 50 foot of water. Around these areas where there is sand, you may find flounder on the sandy side of these ledges. Flounder will eat shrimp and you may even encounter a hogfish as they love crustations, small crabs and shrimp. There also should be plenty of white grunts and some porgies too. If you head out to 50 plus feet, lane snapper, yellow tails, and even a keeper red grouper are targets. Inshore there should be plenty of redfish along the edges of the mangroves and in the small tidal creeks. Trout will be scattered throughout the grass flats. They like to lay in the edges of the sand holes and wait for an unsuspecting bait to swim by and make it into a meal. I like to drift along the grass flats and cast an artificial shrimp with a cigar bobber to pop on the surface to get their attention. Trout are very good eating if you eat them fresh not frozen. If you would like to learn some of these techniques, Capt. Bart is available to go with you on your boat and show you where you can get safely without destroying the grass beds or your propeller! Call 941-979-6517 or e-mail me captbart@alphaomegacharters.com. Learning from an experienced fishing guide will help shorten your learning curve if you are new to the area!

NEW SPOTTED SEATROUT REGS TAKE EFFECT APRIL 1

At its February meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved new management regions and regulations for spotted seatrout shing in the State of Florida. e rule changes establish nine management regions for spotted seatrout as well as regional regulations for recreational and commercial shing.

ese new regulations will go into e ect on April 1, 2026:

OPEN/CLOSED SEASONS

Recreational

» Panhandle: Open March 1–Jan. 31; Closed February.

» Big Band, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast: Open year-round.

» Indian River Lagoon: Open Jan.1–Oct. 31; Closed Nov. 1-Dec. 31.

Commercial

» Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: Open Jun. 1–Oct. 31; Closed Nov. 1–May 31.

» Indian River Lagoon: Open May 1–Sept. 30; Closed Oct. 1-Apr. 30.

» Northeast: Open June 1–Nov. 30; closed Dec. 1–May 31

BAG LIMITS

Recreational

» Big Band: Five (5) sh per person.

» Panhandle, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast: Four (3) sh per person.

» Indian River Lagoon: Two (2) sh per person.

Commercial

» 50 sh (1 SPL);100 (≥2 SPLs) in all regions.

SLOT LIMITS

» Recreational - 15-19 inches

» Commercial - 15-24 inches

OVERSLOT ALLOWANCE

Recreational

» All Regions: None. is regional management strategy has been implemented for some of Florida’s most popular inshore species, including red sh and snook, and now spotted seatrout. ese regions and regulations are part of the FWC’s holistic management is approach takes a more holistic view of the shery by evaluating multiple metrics, including shing, stakeholder experiences and environmental factors, at a smaller regional scale. It improves our understanding of regional di erences in environmental conditions and stakeholder experiences and provides greater exibility to address localized concerns.

» Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: One (1) sh over-slot allowed per vessel or per person if shing from shore

» Indian River Lagoon, Northeast: None

Commercial

For the full FWC commission meeting agenda and links to background reports, go to myfwc.com/about/commission/commissionmeetings/. For current spotted seatrout annual reviews, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Spotted Seatrout.” ese documents provide a summary of the management metrics in each new management region.

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PREDICTING THE RUN

By Capt. Jim Ross

s a charter captain, as well as a regular contributor to the Brevard County, Florida edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, every year there are certain events that happen that I try to predict in advance so that clients and readers can catch more !sh. However, there are many times that even we so called “professionals” don’t get it exactly right. Obviously, my crystal ball isn’t 100 percent correct all of the time...maybe it needs a tune up. LOL!

ings like the giant black drum schooling up, spring cobia run, June tarpon run, fall mullet run, and winter pompano run aren’t things you can pin down to a certain day of the month, but most of the time we can at least predict the month. Hopefully, I can achieve at least a 90 percent e ciency rating a er doing this report for the past 25 years.

I was just telling my clients one day last week, a er catching a bunch of small trout and a couple of lady!sh, that the big uglies were probably going to show up in a few weeks and if they had a chance to come back out with me then that they may have a shot at catching some much larger !sh than the ones we had landed that morning. Just !ve minutes a er saying this I spotted something unusual about 500 yards up the at. It was exactly what I had just been talking about- a 300 !sh school of 30 to 50-pound black drum.

e !sh in this big school were happy-tailing and waking as they pushed their way down the at. We eased up to them, cast our shrimp in their direction, and as you !gured, the battles were on. All three anglers were hooked up to huge drum that had absolutely no respect for them. Drags screamed, rods doubled over, and dozens of yards of line dumped o their reels. Grunts and groans were heard between laughter and smiles as they worked to tire these beasts. e boat deck looked like a country bar dance oor as anglers shu ed and two-stepped under and over each other in an e ort not to lose their prized catches.

We ended up extending the trip from a 3/4 day to a full day outing because each !sh took 15 to 25-minutes to land.

e moral of the story? Don’t ever count on !sh to be there and don’t ever think that it’s not quite the right time to catch them. e bottom line is just go !shing every chance you get. at is the only way that you can be sure to catch your next memory.

Capt. Jim Ross is owner/operator of Fineline Fishing Charters on Florida’s Space Coast and host of “Catch a Memory Outdoors” live radio show and podcast. www. neline shingcharters.com • www.catchamemoryoutdoors.com

COME JOIN

PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES

Top 3 Mistakes

So many anglers have a “go-to” color lure that they swear by. What they do not understand is that the color of your lure barely makes the top three most important factors for catching tons of !sh.

Mistake #1 - e number one mistake anglers make is ignoring the importance of the size and pro!le of the lures they use. When snook, tarpon, red!sh, speckled trout or ounder are feeding, they o en become laser focused on that particular forage species. In other words, if they are feeding on a 6-inch mullet your 3-inch paddletail or shrimp lure will probably be ignored.

PRO TIP: Have a few of your rods rigged up with various sizes and pro!les of lures on them. I like to have a 3-inch paddletail, an arti!cial shrimp and a 4- to 5.5-inch jerk bait ( uke) rigged up when I can’t determine what bait is around. Try all three sizes and pro!les of lures until you !gure out what the !sh in the area are feeding upon.

Mistake #2 - e number two mistake most anglers make is thinking one retrieve style works best for all of the !sh all of the time. ere are so many di erent factors to consider when retrieving your lures. Here are a few to consider:

• Is the water cold or hot? Fish are cold blooded and move more slowly in cold water. is means that you have to slow down your retrieve when the water is cold. Conversely, you want to move your lure faster when the water is hot.

• What species are you targeting? Di erent !sh species like di erent retrieves. For instance, the best retrieve for a red!sh is slowly bouncing your lure o of the bottom. A tarpon likes a low and steady retrieve. A ounder likes a very slow bounce/dragging retrieve no higher than 12 inches from the bottom. A speckled trout likes a vertical jig and will usually hit the lure as it falls through the water column. Snook like a fast and erratic retrieve most of the time.

• Is the water clear or murky? Low light, cloudy skies and murky water scenarios makes it harder to get a !sh’s attention. Use a retrieve or lure that creates vibrations and ashes in the water. You also want to fan cast the area keeping your lure placement close together because they are less apt to seek out your lure. When it is sunny and the water is clear it is easier to get the !sh’s attention. You can make your casts further apart and make the !sh come to your lure.

Mistake #3 - e third biggest mistake is thinking !sh care about lure colors. A saltwater tackle box with white lures and something dark like root beer or purple is all that you need to catch any !sh. PERIOD. e bottom line is that if you want to catch more !sh, switch up your sizes and pro!les and vary your retrieves for di erent species and conditions. I GUARANTEE that you will catch more !sh.

Capt. Mike Smith is owner of Fish Your Ass O Charters.Reach him at (561) 339-2317, contact@ shyourasso .com or shyourasso .com.

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