Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (tile, lawn, worst)

[Dukenyc]

Messing, What do you like to troll with? I have never tried trolling in shallow water.

You were in my neck of the woods on your last trip. I can't wait for the weeks of fishing and exploring to begin. Hopefully there will be a few fish left in April when I can get out there.

Nice write up in your blog.

[Messing About]

Originally Posted by Dukenyc

Messing, What do you like to troll with? I have never tried trolling in shallow water.

You were in my neck of the woods on your last trip. I can't wait for the weeks of fishing and exploring to begin. Hopefully there will be a few fish left in April when I can get out there.

Nice write up in your blog.

The lure I used Saturday is called the Storm Twitch. They are pretty widely available for about 6 bucks. I learned about it at one of Fishin Franks monthly meetings. You can cast it and use it as a medium jerk bait, slow retrieve and stop or even a trolling bait like I did. Another good trolling lure is the Rapala X-rap in the XR8 version. Colors of lures depend on the water but I've had good luck with colors from pearl white to black with green highlights. Get a few you think look cool but don't get them with too big of a diving spoon, otherwise they will be breaking off on bottom debris too often. No one wants to throw a bait that costs 6 bucks per cast, right? You could get some huge shrimp for that price. Good luck. Tell us what works for you.

[Salty Dave]

3 below this morning in Central Illinois,I need some fishing reports to help at least warm my thoughts...LOL

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by Salty Dave

3 below this morning in Central Illinois,I need some fishing reports to help at least warm my thoughts...LOL

Sorry, my wife had the flu, and I didn't get out. But, it is 80, if that makes you feel any better :-)))

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by Salty Dave

3 below this morning in Central Illinois,I need some fishing reports to help at least warm my thoughts...LOL

All I caught were some catfish off of the seawall, although my neighbor spotted a snook cruising near the surface and we see sheepshead nearly daily. Got some sunburn on the belly too (me, not the snook).

[SJNE17]

How big of a boat can comfortably fit through the Alligator creek cut through?

Anyone live in the general area of the "bird" streets of PGI, and care to comment on the "commute" (as it were) to Alligator Creek or Ponce de Leon?

Thank you.

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by SJNE17

How big of a boat can comfortably fit through the Alligator creek cut through?

Anyone live in the general area of the "bird" streets of PGI, and care to comment on the "commute" (as it were) to Alligator Creek or Ponce de Leon?

Thank you.

If you're talking about the area of Bluejay Ct. or Oriole Ct. you're looking at about 35-45 minutes to open water at Ponce Park. The same area, but on the east side of Whip-poor-will Blvd., adds about 10 minutes to the ride.
I've seen some nice 30+ footers back there, including trawlers and sailboats, but can't tell you what the max would be. Guess it depends on the draft and your skills piloting it.

[SJNE17]

i was told by someone (while visiting the town this past weekend) that anything up to 2.5' draft is safe, but that winter low tides can be iffy. i was hoping to hear from some experienced folks here as well.

[JollyOgre]

Went to Ponce park yesterday morning with my kayak about 8:30 or so and I was the second boat there.

I was going to hit the flats on the still falling tide but it was to windy so I headed up the canal. slowly trolling a shrimp on top with a popping cork and one just off the bottom. Went in the PGI canals and trolled up the mangrove line and back down. Not a single hit at all. Trolled some of the first few canals with the same result.

It was starting to warm up and the wind was dying down a bit so went to the mouth of the PGI system where I had good luck last weekend. The sheepies were there and biting. I landed a 13" one and took that as a good sign of things to come. The next 2 hours was nothing but 1-2 short sheepies and puffers

At around noon till about 2:30 the bite picked up. A lot of sheepies in the 8-10" range. Then I hit the mother load got one 2-3 lb at 15" then a 4 lb 17 1/2" one. I lost 3-4 in the same range near the boat or just after the bite. I was using #2 hooks alternating fiddler crabs and shrimp pieces.

Saw the guys across the channel get a small red, and I had a hit that had to be either a larger red or a black drum as it took off and peeled 10-20 yards before spitting the hook.

All in all a great day of fishing. when I went back to the ramp at 3:30 my rig was the only one in the lot. I am glad I did not go out in the harbor, as it was still quite windy and it was very choppy.

[wpc691]

Nice report, JO. The wife and I ran down to Burnt Store Marina late this morning for lunch and gas. Cruised slow through the Ponce channel and the back canal at Burnt Store, chatting with all the shore and boat fishermen we saw. Nobody reported catching a single fish - too soon after the front I think; tomorrow should be much better.