Weather and fishing are great down here in Venice and Boca Grande, Florida.

 I can not remember this good of weather from the Christmas Holidays and I’ve been guiding along this Gulf Coast for more than thirty-five years now.  Our fishing is good too. On trips just before and since Christmas we caught snook, redfish, trout, pompano, mackerel, sheepshead, flounder and a variety of fun fish. While the winds have backed off several days fishing inside is so good we haven’t even traveled outside into the Gulf recently. I did hear about a few tripletails but some ridding to locate them. It’s time to begin to think about setting up our Summer snook and tarpon trips if you want to get in on the action for May and June? I’m sure we’ll get some cooler weather soon but we things to cool down some because eighties everyday was hot! I am excited about the New Year and all the opportunities it brings. I am thankful for all the blessings and good catching I enjoyed with many of you last year. It’s great to live here and be able to share this amazing area with visitors.

 Don DeCessna and sons Brad and Jack plus grandson John joined me for their annual Christmas fishing trip. The ladies always send tasty cookies so we try to get a mess of fish to treat them. This year it was easy, they had redfish, pompano, and sheepshead to enjoy. Jack caught a nice trout we released but remember that trout opens on New Years and will not be closed in the future! I’m not seeing the larger reds now but several from about eighteen to twenty-two inches.

 Reds and trout have been cooperating most of the time.  These low tides help concentrate fish because the flats are bare most mornings this week. Warmer waters are providing more snook than we usually catch now. We are catching few mackerel and most days several pompano if we target them.

 Spring and Summer fishing will be here before we know it so think about your catch and release snook and tarpon fishing because it’s time to set up your dates and reserve em. Who knows how soon they could come if it stays mild?

 I am looking forward to New Years and keeping speckled trout next week! I hope you can find time to get down here and enjoy some of our weather and fishing soon. Captain Van Hubbard <www.captvan.com>