Hello fellow anglers of Southwest Florida. It's March and once again our cool weather and winds have been very prominent this year so far. This is the time of year when the water temperature is very important to our fishing. The cooler temperatures keep the fish slow in their feeding habits and we need to learn to keep our presentations slow for artificials. Offshore there have been AJ's, red grouper out in 80 to 90 feet. Also depending on the temperature getting closer to shore, Spanish and Kings should be available. Kings vary in the water temperature between 68 and 72 degrees. Moving closer to shore between 30 and 50 feet there should be plenty of grunts, snapper, sheepshead, and flounder which all are good table fair. As you're driving out in the Gulf keep a close eye on the crab pots and you may find a triple tail nosing up to the buoy. If you happen to have a small crab or shrimp, stop and cast close to it and just let it sink. Most times they'll swim away from the buoy to get that bait or even for a small bait fish, they will swim away for those too. Looking at the inshore around the passes, there should be  pompano that will hit on jigs tipped with shrimp and they also should be scattered throughout the Harbor and Pine Island Sound. Should be plenty of  Spanish mackerel close to the mouth of the harbor were there birds feeding. You can troll for those with a spoon and a jig combination that you can catch two at a time. Reds, trout, and snapper should be feeding on the moving water close to the mouth of creeks and structure. Also this time of year I like to fly fish for the trout with top water on the backside of the bar where the grass flats start in the deeper water. Also for those of you that are interested, the end of March is the end of the lobster season until sportsman in the summer. You know who you are, so get out there and get your bugs before they close.
If you would like to fish with Captain Bart Marx call 941 - 979 - 6917 or email me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com. Always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{

Hello fellow anglers, and those that take the time to read my column. March is my birth month, born in Iowa raised in Punta Gorda, and Charlotte Harbor. I was brought here in November 1959 when things were a bit different here. I remember 41 as two lanes with a draw bridge over the Peace River, and then the old bridge that became a fishing pier. Best of all back then, we could walk to the draw bridge. I think it was called the Barron Collier Bridge back then and to fish during summer breaks there was a sidewalk on one side to fish from. My sitter was Mrs. Margret and her dad was the first bridge tender of the old bridge. I do not know or remember the name of that bridge but I caught my first snook off that bridge on the North end on the Chartotte Harbor side. That was a special catch to me as I mostly fished back then in he canal behind Pop's home for shiners. Just a little trip down memory lane when there were not so many people and boats in the Harbor. The fishing must have been awesome back then. I was in Junior High before I fished in the boat with Pop's. But I do know that in March there is good fishing in the Gulf. The shallow reefs hold sheepshead and flounder. These species like shrimp and little sardines and pin fish the size of a quarter. There should be some spanish and king mackerel around in the gulf too. Look for the large bait balls with the birds attacking from the top and the mackerel attacking from the bottom. In the harbor there should be reds and trout in the sand holes close to Placida, and reds scattered along both sides of the harbor. There should be pompano scattered along the bars and the passes. So, if it is not too windy, get out there and do some fishing. If you don't have a boat, call and you can book a charter. Or if you have a boat and would like me to come along, call or e-mail Capt Bart Marx 941-979-6517 captbart@alphaomegacharters.com. Singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{