Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

[Kymasabe]

I suck at fishing. There, I said it, now everyone knows.

I live right near Matlacha Pass, Pine Island Sound, Boca Grand Pass, I bought a boat a couple of months ago, a little 16ft Cobia. We've tried fishing by the channels, by the mangroves, incoming tides, out going tides, plastics, Gulp, live shrimp/pinfish/greenbacks and I can't seem to catch a damn thing!
Well, not true, I did catch two small snappers by the mangroves and a tiny blowfish, but that's it. Why can't I catch snook, trout, reds, shark, tarpon or any other damn thing like anyone else?
I've got a charity tournament that I'm fishing in two weeks, is snook/red/trout tournament, I'm dead meat. I might as well not even launch the boat, I'm cursed, I'm incapable of catching fish.

Help. Anyone?

 

[gstanton]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

I share your pain! I've been "learning" salt water for a couple of years now. Seems like the best combo so far is ~15 lb test line, a 1 or 2 circle hook, wire leader and live shrimp.

In no way am I doing any kind of tournament. My wifes comments are bad enough!

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

what electronics are you running?
you have nautic charts right?

 

[tnduc]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

You can't go wrong with cut mullet under a rattling cork for reds and cut mullet on bottom rigs for just about anything else. I fished coastal SC for years and always caught with mullet. Moved to Texas and tried all the lures, live shrimp, topwaters, Gulp, etc... that everyone recommended and did not start catching anything until I went back to the 'ole cut mullet .

 

[Kymasabe]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

Justintime, for elec's I'm using a Garmin 498 GPS/fishfinder combo.
tnduc, thanks for the mullet tip, I'll try it this weekend.
gstanton...I'm using 15lb PowerPro braided, with 1/0 circle hooks and live shrimp and a 1/2oz split shot about 2-ft above the bait.

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

have you dialed in your electronics?

the reason i ask is that sometimes fish are there but not on the finder

cut mullet worked for me on every red-fish

 

[EJ3]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

I am fairly new to fishing as well but loving it!

I will tell you what has been working for me. I use 20lb braided line (spiderwire), 30lb flouracarbon (tripplefish) for a leader, size 1 circle hook (owner brand), and a 1/2oz splitshot just a few inches above the live shripm baited hook.

This setup fishing the flats here on the West coast of Central Florida has caught a number of fish. They include redfish, spanish mackrel, seatrout, mangrove snapper, ladyfish, and, unfortunatly, a few catfish here and there with quite a few keepers that found their way into my gutt!

My method of finding spots to fish is asking the bait shop owner that I always stop at the hot spots. The other is to get a satelite image of the area I am going to launch around and fish on the edges of the channels and flats withOUT sandy bottoms (ie rocky, grassy, etc.). I have always had luck fishing 2 hours before and after high tide, especially a fast moving tide change.

Like I said I am new to this as well and not sure if I am using the right methods of finding and catching the fish, but I have caught enough to keep me looking forward to each weekend! Hope it helps!

 

[EJ3]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

Oh, and mullet I have been told are a good sign of other fish in the area!

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

Went out last Saturday around Fort Desoto and got some Mackerels and little Tuny on spoons...

 

[moterboat]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

Went out last Saturday around Fort Desoto and got some Mackerels and little Tuny on spoons...

you launched at fort desoto?? evrytime I launched there my truck starts sliding into the water down the ramp,and have to get people to push the truck to get it out,all 4 wheels sliding,a lot of 2 cycle oil on that ramp from the tides..

 

[m&m252]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

nice catch /remember no bananas on board/ fishing taboo 101

 

[tnduc]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

That's a nice catch. I went out with a couple of guys Thanksgiving night fishing. Weather was terrible- 45 degrees with 25 knot winds. But, we caught a bunch of redfish and black drum using cut mullet. The biggest I got was a 26 inch red.

 

[ebear]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

I remember those days. There's lots to learn in salt. EJ3 had it right. skip the wire for now. (you have to catch a fish in order to have your line cut off) Use a 30 # leader with a circle hook It's harder for the fish to see and the circle will keep the line out of their mouth. as for line , lighten up a bit. I've been using 10# to 12# line for years in shore and never been spooled. Breakoffs are usualy my fault. Then once your set up go find some spot grass
( mostly grass with sandy spots) and drift fish with a 1/4 to 3/8 jig head and berkley gulp. Remember " match the hatch"
start there and do alot of reading, You'll get there.

 

[amp1]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

I can HELP born and raised in Port Carlotte and fished Charlotte Habor, the sound, and the Pass for 20+ years.

1. braid line 20lb test. I like Suffix performance Braid.

2. florocarbon leader 30lb test.

3. 1/0 short xx hook.

4. live shrimp.

5. popping cork 2-3 feet above hook.

6. find water 3-4 feet deep over grass.

7. catch trout till the cows come home!!!!!!!

8. Redfish instructions to follow soon

 

[Kymasabe]

Hey Amp!

Hey Amp!

Thank you...thank you..thank you.
That is EXACTLY the kinda advice I need.

Wanna go fishing?

 

[amp1]

Re: Southwest Florida WORST fisherman.

The rod you will need should be a 7'-7'6" spinning rod. I like 7'6" med heavy action 12-15lb test rated. you can't go wrong with a St.Croix, Shimano or Redbone Hurricane. Get the cork handle they seem to hold up the best.