This month we celebrate Christmas, when lots of relatives come to visit sunshiny Florida. One of the activities they come to participate in is fishing. This could be stressful for some. This is when I promote hiring a local guide like myself, Capt. Bart Marx. We have all the fishing gear, licenses and the knowledge to harvest some fish to share with your family and friends. Plus, you don't have to clean the fish or the boat  - that is worth paying a guide and for a fantastic Florida Fishing adventure. This month we will be in search for red fish, trout, flounder, and mangrove snapper. These you can use shrimp to harvest. I get mine from Fishin' Frank's in Charlotte Harbor. There may be some pompano cruising up and down the Harbor and they will feed on shrimp also. The reds, trout, and flounder wander along the edges of the mangroves and cuts where water flows to push the bait through. They also can be found in the creeks scattered all over the Harbor. Sheepshead will be around the pilings closer to the Gulf as they start to migrate out in to the Gulf to spawn. January and February are good as well. Pompano like it close to the passes where there is plenty of water flowing  - use a jig tipped with shrimp, and bounce it in the current or along the edges of the harbor just outside the bar. Keep an eye on the wake of your boat because they will jump and show where they are looking for food. For y'all offshore anglers,  kings and spanish should be on the move south. Try trolling the reefs or schools of bait to harvest these toothy critters. I like a planer with a spoon behind that is similar size of bait in the area. You may encounter a cobia doing this also and as you troll, look for triple tail hanging on the trap buoys. If so, return and cast a shrimp to the triple tail and hang on. Snapper and grunts will be in good supply and bottom fishing close to shore reefs and ledges, you may find some porgies there too. These I like to make fish tacos wit. Yup, fried fish, coleslaw and some type of salsa. I like mango salsa as it is quick and easy and a few fish goes a long way. So call Capt. Bart Marx to book a Florida fishing adventure for some guests and yourself at 941-979-6517 or e-mail me captbart@alphaomegacharters.com. And remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile.<*(((((>{

 

December is a busy month in S.W. Florida as there are lots of visitors that come here for Christmas and to escape the weather. I was brought to Florida when I was just 9 mos. old. My Pops had been frostbitten three times in Iowa and that was his limit. So, I grew up on the banks of Charlotte Harbor and that's where I learned to fish. This time of year I learned that the inshore bite is good. You can target some of the best eating fish in our waters. There are redfish, trout, black drum, and mangrove snapper that are usually along the deeper edges of islands and creeks. These can be targeted with shrimp that you can purchase from your local tackle shop. I use Fishin' Franks in Charlotte Harbor. The shrimp are plentiful this time of year because they come into the Harbor to live in the winter time. This will continue till Easter when they move back into the Gulf. Shrimp under a cork along the mangroves will produce reds, trout, and snapper. Shrimp in deeper holes around pilings will produce black drum and sheepshead. You can encounter whiting and flounder in the surf along with pompano that hang around the passes and the sand bars close to the passes. Use shrimp on jig heads for the flounder and whiting and small jigs tipped with shrimp work well when bouncing them in the current close to the passes or along the bars up and down the harbor for pompano. These are all great tasting table fare for a Florida fish fry with family and friends. You may ask yourself what is a Florida fish fry? Capt. Bart's definition is fried fish in cracker meal with adobo seasoning, home made coleslaw and some piping hot french fries seasoned with Old Bay seasoning. Then the kicker would be to have Key Lime pie to finish it off. This could make for a great outdoors meal this time of year. Looking offshore, as the waters cool down, kings and spanish mackerel will slide past us just off the beaches and out past the State waters, that is 9 miles. As you travel out in the gulf, keep an eye on those trap buoys and if you see what looks like a bag stuck on the line, it may be a triple tail. Slow down and return to the buoy with one of your shrimp on a casting rod with just a hook. Cast as close to the fish as possible but do not land it on his head. Then just let the shrimp do his thing and set the hook only when you feel the pull - not when you see the fish take it. This is a top water skill that takes some patience. You may also find cobia cruising around some of the artificial reefs in search of a meal. Bottom fishing for grunts, snapper, and porgies using frozen baits first then switch to live bait - it works much better. Have a bonus rod out for the king mackerel. For this you need to have wire on it - they have teeth and sharp ones too. Something live or a spanish frozen sardine will work. Put it 20 yds. behind the boat with a cork 6 ft. up with the drag slightly loose and wait till it starts singing. This is what we call a bonus rod. Usually you forget it is out there till it starts screaming. This is how they got the nick name smoker. If you would like to learn some of these techniques, call Capt. Bart Marx 941-979-6517 or e-mail captbart@alphaomegacharters.com.  I can go on your boat or we can go on mine. Always remember, singing drags and tight lines make me smile.<*(((((>{