2012-3-18 by Captain Van Hubbard.

Venice weather is great and fishing is fine.We are enjoying blue skies and crystal clear waters from Boca Grande up thru Englewood and North to Venice. I am fishing south one day and north the next following the fish along their migrations. Bait fish are not easy but available most days; I did struggle last Friday morning but found some in the afternoon? Backwards but glad to get em. Our fishing has been very good most trips and challenging on a couple. Fish are not acting normal yet; my guess is the unusually warm weather is confusing fish too? I’m just glad it’s warm; we have bait and many species of fish with visitors anxious fish. Dolphins and manatees are every where for additional entertainment!

Spanish and king mackerel are appearing most trips. Numbers are not consistent but we always find some action around the near shore artificial reefs. We use minnows and a chum bag to attract and hold feeding fish near by. It’s exciting to see feeding fish chase baits right by the boat in the clear water. You never know what you’ll see also; cobia, jacks, mackerel, tunny, sharks, barracuda, and more! 

Several times we even caught a fine mess of flounder by bottom fishing with minnows and cut baits on light spinning gear. Baitfishes frequently swarm our chum bag and draw the big ones right in to us. Try not to jerk your hook away before they close their mouths!

If snook and redfish are your thing we have enjoyed some great snook action and a few redfish with lots of trout mixed in. now that we have minnows and warmer waters the fish are on the move. This is an awesome time to experience or Gulf Coats fabulous Spring fishing. We have had some winds but days start of calm and a breeze from the East until later in the afternoon when it shifts to the westerly seas breeze. The breeze keeps it from getting hot and my T-Top provides shade if you want it. The technique here is to fish lively minnows with or without a small cork. I use a Bleeding Bait Circle hook to attract the fish with a Target Bead strategically placed about a quarter inch past the barb to prevent double hooking the minnow. My Daiichi hooks are the sharpest made and work great plus protect fish we want to release unharmed! Snook are closed but everything else we fish is open. 

Tarpon are due soon if weather patterns hold and they should. A few are already showing up around Boca Grande Pass and south. I expect good action early with great odds locally by mid April!

I am going to need to adjust my rates very soon to compensate for crazy fuel costs; so don’t wait to book your trips. Sometimes it works out last minute so always contact me to see but reservations are best. Thank you. Let’s Go Fishin’ now! Captain Van Hubbard.  <www.captvan.com>