2010 June 19 Venice/Englewood fishing report

 Monday started out with Skip Powers catching a big tarpon and then a red hot snook bite. I was worried when he showed up late for our predawn departure but we got lucky and found some hungry fish after daybreak. We stumbled into a bunch of big snook and spent awhile catch and releasing them.  It was great to see bunches of healthy snook after all the press about them being wiped out by the freezes here last Winter!  We even landed a redfish but it was too big for lunch.  We found more happy tarpon schools but could not get them to eat the flies we tried. It is exciting to watch silver king giants chase a fly.  Many anglers want to try tarpon on fly but you must be able to accurately cast about sixty feet to have good odds at a bite and hook up. It is amazing to silently sneak around the schools and present the tiny 3/0 fly.  You can pick out individual fish.

 Tuesday Bob and Revel Proferes of Venice managed to immediately out do Skip with an instant bite and then double header of big tarpon.  It was Bob’s birthday and he was blessed.  We found a very happy school of big fish right away.  I baited with a live crab and the school was so thick the crab stayed at the surface; so the take was like a big bass “POW” a huge surface explosion.  Bob quickly realized he concern about seeing his small cork in the magic hour was nothing to be concerned with. After his fish slowed down we were still surrounded by three happy schools of silver kings.  Revel was excited and I handed her a baited pole but the fish took off before she was ready. No problem I re-baited and she was ready this time and hooked her own.  We played back and forth for almost and hour before releasing both fish boatside.  Then we added a few nice snook. It was exciting to see the big fish eat our greenbacks right by the boat, in crystal clear waters.  We also caught a few drum for fresh fish lunch at the marina grille.

 Wednesday was more challenging; tarpon were everywhere, but scattered so George decided we should travel to chase permit.  We left lots of fish to look for fish, usually a mistake.  But as we pulled up to our reef destination things looked great. We could see mangrove snapper, spadefish, barracuda, and a dozen permit at the surface. Unfortunately they teased us and then disappeared. We went back after tarpon and finally got one to eat. It was a classic shine as she rolled while sucking in our bait but then she ran right towards us and spit our crab back at us.  We saw lots of fish and caught few today. The early bite is hot when it works and fish have been slowing down as the sun gets bright. Then turning on again mid day during the sea breeze or evenings.

 Friday Dr. Theriault of Venice, and his friend Randy came to get in on the hot action. Randy wanted a tarpon and got it right away; again on live crab.  The fish disappeared as usual with the bright sun so we headed off shore.  Fish were everywhere but it was calm and they were too smart for us; even with live and frozen chum.  Slick calm conditions are challenging to fool smart fish.  We came back inside and caught some fat trout for lunch and enough for their dinner too.   We had a twenty, twenty one, and twenty five inch speck; plus some smaller ones.  We used live whitebait minnows for bait with rattle corks to attract hungry fish.

 Friday afternoon Darren and his friend Eric joined me to catch tarpon.  We found plenty of fish but they just teased us mostly.  The few bites we got early crushed crabs but missed the hooks. 

this is better than Iraq for Army R&R

Darren finally hooked a big tarpon and they got some great video, I hope they share it soon?  Eric got his silver king just before dark and we headed home with a tired captain. 

 Saturday morning came early but was perfect.  Justin Lee and his father-in-law Keith we early and we started out before the weekend crowds.  I locked in on a happy bunch and we got set up for perfect presentations.  The fish looked but swam on by. After two shots without takers I switched to a smaller bunch near by and we got bit first cast.  We missed a few bites but did get Justin hooked up and he released a nice fish early.  Then it got interesting with plenty of company.  The interesting fact is that most folks are easy to fish around but many of the “professionals” with fancy sponsor wraps show no consideration for the fish or others. Sponsors are spending money with these “PROS” to turn off potential customers! If they only knew; please tell these sponsors! We finally got alone with a school and hooked Keith up to make our Father’s Day trip complete.    

 Sunday and Monday I was recuperating! Englewood and Venice tarpon, snook, and inshore fishing is great and will continue! Let’s Go Fishin’ now.  Captain Van Hubbard www.captvan.com Ph 941-740-4665