The Tarpon fishing this week has been tough.  Slow tides during the day, and an evening fall has resulted in lackluster fish in the early morning.  Thus, again we turned our attention to another species for "bites".  The big snook fishing in the summer time can be some of the best fishing in the area.  Multiple bites, and still the opportunity to land quality game fish even on the "off" days of tarpon fishing.  With full moon tides on the horizon, and the tarpon spawn in progress... Next week can turn out to be a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Summer time fishing is in full swing!!! With the addition of a "new to us" boat to our fleet, we have been in consistent Tarpon and snook fishing. The tarpon fishing is being done in Boca Grande pass, and on the beach front. Our Parker 25' can accommodate a larger party, up to 6 anglers, and affords comfortable and stability.  Our snook fishing is being done out of the Pathfinder 22' and has all the latest technology to put your party up to 4 anglers on great inshore game fish.  It's a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

It's Tarpon time in South West Florida!!! Fish have poured into Boca Grande pass, and fed well on the last moon.  We will start to see fish migrating down our beach front, right off Palm Island and Manasota Key.  These schools can have numbers of 20-500 fish in crystal clear water Gulf water.  The Charlotte harbor area will have fish moving into the area from both north and south throughout the summer. There truly has never been a better time to be fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Fishing around Palm Island and Manasota Key Florida has been fantastic this April. Unseasonal cold fronts has held our water temperature in the "goldilocks zone" for a few weeks now. Snook, Spotted Sea Trout, and Redfish are being caught on almost every half day trip, and we are starting to see some Tarpon move into our area as well. As we creep closer to the coveted 80 degree mark for water temperature, we will continue to see our fishing improve. It's a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Spring has sprung, around Palm Island and Manasota Key Florida.  We are seeing spring like conditions throughout the fishery.  Bait is being caught throughout the harbor system.  That opens the door for a spring trend, fishing snook and redfish.  We are working deep edges during this transition period, to find nice sized fish on lower tides.  When the tide begins to rise, we are finding nice redfish along our grass flats and mangrove haunts.  It's a fantastic time to go fishing in Southwest Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Winter time in South West Florida?  We ask this question, because our weather has been anything but cold!  Palm Island and Manasota Key have had a beautiful Christmas run of fair winds and mild temperatures.  With that the fishing has been fantastic.  The afternoon when it gets warmer, has produced phenomenal numbers.  We had a family from Atlanta, on an afternoon charter today.  "We probably caught 50 snook" is what the client said.... It's a fantastic time to go fishing in Southwest Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Cold winter winds bring opportunity in Southwest Florida. With late fall cold fronts, our water temperature's have dropped considerably.  We have started an early winter trend around Palm Island and Manasota Key.  With bay and gulf temperatures being in the high 60s, we are targeting our winter species early this year.  Pompano and Tripletail are our target species inshore.  These trips offer anglers multiple site fishing opportunities, as well as high quantity and catch rate.  Great for a late fall or winter time fishing experience.  It's a great time to be 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

Finished up a busy week of charters, with the Redbone Celebrity Fishing Tournament. Which I, after 10 years of fishing the tournament, have the opportunity to chair. And, benefits cystic fibrosis research, a disease that affects children.

We had 38 inshore fishing guides, fishing clients from around the US.  Each client is his/her individual team with their assigned guide, 2 clients per boat. All boats were tasked with going out and capturing the inshore Grand Slam (Snook, Redfish,Trout, and Tarpon).  With the fall season offering great weather and fantastic fishing, the guides and clients alike enjoyed the experience and tournament format.  The catch numbers are impressive even without all boats recording their catch.  The big winner are they clients and guide teams that can complete the grand slam!  With most teams only fishing 10-12 he's over a 2 day period, catch 4 particular inshore game fish species is not an easy task. 

Congratulations to all the clients and guide teams that won a category.  And thanks to all that donated time and money for a great cause.  As always, it's a fantastic time to go fishing in SW Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

Fall fishing has been great so far, even with a small bout with redtide. Locally, the bays that are closest to the passes and the beach, seem to be taking a little more time to come back. But, the backcountry of Placida Sound has been producing good catch numbers, for all the marquee inshore species.  Schools of redfish can be found on almost any tides.  Snook fishing has been good when the water is moving.  And, we are finding random trout, Jacks, and mangrove snapper along the way.  It's a fun time to go fishing in South West Florida!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946