After almost 70 days off the water due to an engine failure, I was able to fish a group out of the resort yesterday. We headed south into the harbor system, and fished inside Gasparilla sound. After a long intermission and due to having some redtide in the area, we caught bait around our first stop to fish, so we didn't chance running through "dirty" water with it.  We bounced around, prospecting on the rising tide.  Started by fishing bar edges and holes, and as the tide increased and the water level rose, we transitioned to shorelines. We caught lots of jack, snook, and a few trout. We ended the day finding a nice school of overslept redfish, that we worked for about the last hour of our trip.  It's a fun time to be fishing in South West Florida!

Capt. Mike Slattery
Palm Island Fishing Charters
941-626-6946

The wind has been brutal since memorial day weekend. So, the Tarpon bite has been lackluster to say the least.  Because of that, I tend to turn my focus on another "big game" species we have available in summer time. Big snook hunting can be some of the most fun and rewarding fishing we offer. Multiple bite days, often in the double digits, with the opportunity for the anglers to land a trophy sized fish. June is the month for catching big critters, and we have them in fantastic order. It's a great time to be fishing in South West Florida.

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
Palm Island Fishing Charters

Our Tarpon fishing is in full swing!  The entire fishery is "open" for bites.  The beaches, harbor, and passes all afford their own opportunity for catching the silver king.  This past week on the super moon, we concentrated our efforts on the beach and harbor fishery.  Our clients were awarded with shots at big schools of fish, and bites in the right conditions.  It's a fun and exciting time to go fishing in south west Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com

Tarpon fishing is starting off with a bang!!! The new moon tides proved to be very good on the slower portions.  Most guides fished heavily around the passes this week.  We started to see some migrating fish showing up on our beach front, and these fish are opportunistic, and not relegated to feed on tide flow.  Great opportunity to sneak in some quick bites!!!  It's a fantastic time to fish in south west Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com

The week started out on an absolute high note with that super moon on Monday.  We recorded our first "client" tarpon bite of 2021, and caught the "Grand slam" plus 2 keeper cobia.  We were able to successfully produce results on that same trend for a second day in a row on Tuesday.  Wednesday the tide slowed and the Tarpon fishing got difficult us. As the week progressed, we saw that the fishing tailed off a bit.  But, we still boated 250+ snook, more than 20 overslot redfish, and only the trout we needed to catch and secure the "inshore slam" ever day this week.  That being said, isn't it about time to go fishing in south west Florida?

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946

The South West Florida winter just doesn't seem to want to subside.  Moving into the middle of April, we are still seeing northern blows and weak fronts... But, they seem to have about run their course, and our trend looks to be moving along the summer temperature trend.  That means it's time to go TARPON FISHING!!!!  As a SWFL guide, we live for this season.  Giant schools of Tarpon moving into our area from the north and south.  We will hunt these giant groups of fish in crystal clear water, using live bait and lures.  There has never been a better time to book a Tarpon charter for summer time in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com

For the last week in March/first week of April, we had another cold front.  This spring has been a trend of getting right with water temps and trends, and resetting...  It's really has been a grind.  With the latest Easter front, our water temperature dropped 13 degrees in the bay.  So, we reset into a winter trend and caught pompano, spotted sea trout, and flounder. We are looking forward to the summer season, it's time for the water to get warm around Palm Island.  With that said, it's great time to book your adventures with Palm Island Outfitters.

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com

With some cooler temperature, we turned our attention back gulf side last week.  The plummeting Gulf water temps, moved some nice triple tail back into our area.  We were able to take advantage of calm winds and flat seas.  It has been a great winter season for this fishery, what a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida.

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com

With good spring temperatures on the horizon, the fishing is getting good around the bay and intercoastal waters. Guides throughout the harbor are catching pilchards, and transitioning into spring trends. That means snook are a main targeted species. We look for these groups of fish at "traditional" locations.  Because of the moratorium on inshore species, Snook are still catch and release in our region.  That means great numbers, and plenty of smiling faces with bent rods!!!  It's a fantastic time to go fishing in South West Florida.

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com

With warmer than typical air temperatures this month, our inshore water temperature has sky rocketed!  With that, and calmer winds last week, conditions set up for a good few days of inshore fishing this weekend.  Our good clients the Neimishine's, got a good look at an early spring school of redfish. These fish will push into our bays and flats as the water temperature continues to increase, flooding out of the creeks hungry and looking to feed.  This is a great time to go fishing in South West Florida!!!

Capt. Mike Slattery
941-626-6946
www.palmislandoutfitters.com
www.charlotteharborchronicles.com