Who likes to cat BIG fish??? Because if you do, now is that time to fish Manasota Key, Palm Island, and Boca Grande!!!  Giant tarpon are all over our fishery, and feeding hard on the falling tides in our passes.  Free lining of crab, is the ticket to getting tight, but you have to play the tides to win at this game. Beach fishing has been harder than typical. We have incredibly clear water throughout the fishery, and the beach bite has been tough in sun lit conditions. The most productive time has been early morning, when the light is low, and the fish can't "study" the bait. 


Big snook fishing has been rough over the last few weeks. Bites are aggressive, but again due to the clarity, the fish are spooky. We have still been able to land some good ones, but the anglers on the rod, must capitalize on the opportunity of the bite!!!

It's an incredible time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

We are look forward to getting back fishing after hurricane Ian!!! With Palm Island Resort opening up to guests in the month of March, myself and the guides of PIO are looking forward to some great spring time fishing. With rising water temperature we anticipate bait any day, moving into our bays and Harbor.

With that said we are still fishing our winter trend. The nearshore bite has been the "go to" when conditions allow. On a 2 boat trip today, we were able to catch triple tail and pompano inshore, and grouper and sheepshead nearshore.  With the warm start to February, it's a fantastic time for fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

The fall season has arrived... With lots of rain this month, the water temperature has started to fall. Lots of snook are starting to move and stage in close proximity to our passes, and the outer edges of the backcountry. Large schools of redfish are being found throughout the harbor and bays. Trout are being found over the deeper grasses in high flow areas. Tarpon are staging in the deeper pockets of the harbor for a late season feed before winter. For all those reasons, fall is a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

We have had a good week of fishing around Palm Island and Manasota Key Florida. Warming water temperatures and clean water  has opened up the fishery. We are catching lots of pompano throughout the bays, deep channels and bedded grass with tide flow helps.  Warming water has led to Redfish and snook to start moving out of the creeks, and staging for a spring feed on nearby grass flats. Nearshore, with prevailing East winds, we have had calm seas that has allowed for good triple tail fishing.  It's your choice what flavor you want to try and catch, and as always....  It's a FANTASTIC time to go fishing in Southwest Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Early November cold fronts have started to decrease the water temperature fairly rapidly around Palm Island and Manasota Key.  This has moved some of the local guides to start fishing their winter trends.  For me, that takes my attention off of the usual suspects (reds, snook, and trout) and turns my attention to some "food" fishing.  Triple tail and pompano are on my menus for winter time.  Both are delicious, and fun to catch.  Both have a fairly abundant population locally, and both can be caught on either live bait or artificial.  As it gets cold up north, it becomes a fantastic time to go fishing in Southwest Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946