Local boat ramps open for business

March 27, 2020

Early Thursday morning calls to downtown Cape Coral and Pineland Marina indicated that the boats ramps are open.Matlacha Community Park didn't respond but their website stated the park was open.Call ahead before planning your trip in case there are changes.D & D tackle in Matlacha also told me they were open with live bait available and waiting for "us."Two or three anglers making the trip in the same tow vehicle obviously is not the best plan. Arriving solo would help with the better option being fishing alone.The best choice for everyone, especially for seniors or those with ...

If you are selling a boat, beware of scammers

March 20, 2020

If you're selling a boat online through one of the sites, be aware of the various scams that people are using to get into your wallet.In my case the potential "buyer" was very interested in my boat and decided to buy it. Great! He liked the boat so much he didn't even want to negotiate on the price. He sent me a bank cashier's check for the full amount plus a few thousand extra to ship it to him. The easiest sale I've ever made!The deal was to deposit the check into my account and to send "the shippers" the extra $2,000 right away! I asked if I could just give it to the shippers when ...

Weather again proves tricky for local anglers

March 13, 2020

The weatherman got us again! Last week every local weather station called for a Friday cold front lasting into early Sunday but ending with a pleasant Monday. Believing that information I was relieved as clients had already booked a trip for that "pleasant" day.By 1 p.m. on Monday, the wind was gusting to near 30 mph across wide open Pine Island Sound, the water a chalky white and filled with strands and bunches of slime algae that's actually taking over and killing many areas of vital sea grasses throughout the harbor. Conditions too rough, actually dangerous to stand up and fish, we ...

Replacing rods, reels and other equipment today can be costly

March 6, 2020

While I was dipping shrimp from the rear livewell and Dad was getting drinks from the cooler, I heard a distinct splash.Six-year-old angler Jimmy decided he'd had enough fishing for the day and simply dropped my favorite ultra-lite rod and reel combo over the side and sat down on the deck.Not to be outdone, his 7 1/2-year-old brother Eric instantly followed suit giving his outfit a toss out and into the deep dark waters of Charlotte Harbor.Dad wasn't pleased and soon a successful fun day turned into a not-so-fun discipline day as we hauled two now very upset and tearful young anglers ...

There’s still time to fish for snapper and sheepshead

February 28, 2020

Good company and beverages, a mixed plate of baked crab-stuffed sheepshead with a side of lightly breaded pan-fried snapper always puts the crew in a great mood.Fix them how you like them and enjoy them while you can as both are available right now at a near and offshore ledge or rock pile near you.Interesting to note, that both the sheepshead and grey snapper (mangrove) world records where both taken in the state of Louisiana.Back in 1982, Wayne Desselle caught a whopping 21-pound, 4-ounce sheepshead, which would probably be larger than a trash can lid. Imagine the set of dentures on ...

Sheepshead still around despite weather

February 21, 2020

With our February summer weather pattern holding strong, some species like sheepshead, which are normally top winter cold species targets, aren't as plentiful for many inshore anglers this season. Off and nearshore boats are doing better when looking for these delicious champion bait stealers, which, for beginners, are often hard to hook.Sheeps-head novices are puzzled as to why the people in the other boat are using a flat shovel to scrape barnacles off bridge pilings. It's called shovel chumming. This sudden release of hundreds of tasty tidbits into the water column can really draw the ...