Alpha and Omega Fishing Charters

Fishing Charters Charlotte Harbor Florida

July 2025 Fishing Report

Hello fellow anglers July in S.W. Florida the tarpon should be close to migrating out into the Gulf to spawn. These are the ones that have traveled from the Caribbean to Boca Grande Pass . The pass is a mile wide opening and Charlotte Harbor is about twenty miles long North and South, and ten miles East and West. The Peace River and the Myakka River flow into the Northern section. This a big estuary where there all kinds of juvenile fish that grow up here. And with the tides that come in and out these fish get pulled out to the pass which acts like a big funnel. Remember it is only a mile wide. And for over 100 years people have fished for the Silver King Tarpon. I have been told in the early sixties  there were tournaments for tarpon held in Harbor Heights. And the old Princess Hotel in Punta Gorda is where some of the rich folks came to stay and fish for tarpon. And around 1900 Usseppa Island housed folks that came to tarpon fish too. I have seen artist drawings with a launch/power boat towing six to eight 20ish foot long canoes with one angler and one oarsman. They would fish the tides and when the tides changed they would round up the canoes and tow them back and get ready for another trip. Today there are several different ways to target tarpon. There the traditional live baiters most of these are power boats that drift in Boca Grande with crabs, shrimp, mutton minnows, squirrel fish and even pin fish. They use conventional style reels to do this. And then you have the artificial bait tarpon fisherman they use jigs and soft plastics to target tarpon. Most of these are daytime fishermen. Boca Grande Pass can be a dangerous place with the current and hundreds of boats drifting for tarpon. One piece of advise NEVER anchor your boat in the pass the current and waves make it very dangerous. And if there all these tarpon here what part of the food chain are they in? Well the biggest threat to tarpon is sharks! Yes the sharks follow the tarpon because it is a great food source. So some people like to target sharks to have a battle with some of these large creatures and to get a photo. And this time of year the snook should be all along the beaches and near the Gulf in there spawning mode. They can also be found around structure just inside the passes along the coast. If you travel out into the gulf away from all the tarpon anglers there should be some nice snapper, lane, mangrove, and yellow tail to target so as to have some fresh fish for dinner/lunch. There should be some red grouper too, all of these you should be able to find from fifty to eighty feet of water. So get out there and get after it and ketch them up. If you would like to come along with me Capt. Bart Marx give me a call or e-mail me. 941-979-6517 or e-mail me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com And if you are new to S.W. Florida and would like me to come on your boat for a training session call me. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{