The fishing in SW Florida is heating up as is the water temp. The water has risen into the 70's this past week which is turning on the fish.

Tarpon have moved into the back bays and are laying up if it's not too windy as well as some of the passes. We've been hooking tarpon in the bays on live bait as well as flies. For live bait, pinfish, thread herring and live ladyfish are working. For flies we hooked a few fish on the black death and taron bunnies this past week Sight fishing tarpon to me is the greatest fly fishing there is. It's tough fishing as it's sometimes tough to see them, they move from day to day and your cast has to be acurate but...when it comes together it's a blast. With live bait I've been drifting and staking out and letting the baits cruise.

I've been seeing some snook on the beaches and we've been catching them on white bait and clouser minnows for flies. The water has been very clear due to the east wind we've had this past couple of weeks especially at high tide.

For action surgical tube 3/8oz chartreuse and white jigs are the ticket. Fishing in about 5' of water near the passes and shoals we've been catching pompano, trout, small sharks, bluefish and plenty of ladyfish and jacks. Great action.

Give me a call if you'd like to go fishing.

Capt. Mark Ward
239-450-9230 c