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Place by place, Fishin Report
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Peace River
"Fishin History"
Harbor Heights & upriver along with Shell Creek
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Getting slower. There are small tarpon and small snook, and the rain may activate some action around the Shell Creek dam, but warm water means this will be only an OK spot for the next four months or so.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — A couple small snook, a lot of juvenile tarpon.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A few snook, diminishing. Lots of baby tarpon 10 to 50 pounds. Try live freshwater shiners.
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Darst Park boat ramp — I-75 bridges "boat only"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — No reports.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — No reports.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Nothing.
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41 bridges - ..... Live Oak Point park "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Quite a few snook, mostly at night. Mangrove snapper and trout. A couple cobia. May be some tarpon around at night.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Some small mangrove snapper (no keepers), a couple whiting, a few Spanish mackerel, a few baby bull sharks (no blacktips!), a few short cobia and one keeper. Snook and tarpon of assorted sizes at night. It sounds better than it is, really — let's call it sporadically good.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A little better. Two keeper cobia and several shorts were caught this week, so a whole bunch of anglers have turned out. Small bull sharks, some snook at night, a few whiting (cobia bait), and a couple juvenile tarpon.
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Laishley Pier "Fishin History River Side
Robert & Capt. Josh 02/18/2023 — Closed until further notice due to hurricane damage.
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Bayshore pier "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Two short cobia reports, and a couple baby bull sharks (no blacktips).
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — A couple short cobia, a couple small bull sharks (no blacktips!), a couple small tarpon, a couple small snook very early in the morning.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — One short cobia, a couple small bull sharks, one trout, one snook, one small redfish. Lots of teeny baitfish fry around.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Some snook at night. A couple cobia (one short, one keeper). A few trout, some short and some legal.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Snook, redfish, tiny mangrove snapper, short cobia, baby bull sharks (no blacktip sharks!).
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Some snook, one cobia, a small shark, a couple small trout.
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Port Charlotte canals salt/brackish
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Fairly quiet, but there are lots of baby tarpon rolling that are frustrating everybody. Small snook, mangrove snapper and black drum are around, and a few of the drum are even biting.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Some sand bream, very small mangrove snapper, some black drum seen but not caught, some baby baby snook. Lots of sailcats, and they've even been hitting soft plastic baits and topwater lures.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A lot of little snook, a lot of juvenile tarpon, black drum starting to school up. Some baby sharks also.
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El Jobean Pier "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Snook at night. A few juvenile tarpon that aren't eating. A few trout from the seawall. A few Spanish mackerel around the bridge.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Kind of slow, but there are some snook and tarpon at night, and the early mornings have produced a few tarpon and some big jacks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A lot of nocturnal snook, juvenile tarpon early in the morning, and big jacks around at random times. Mangrove snapper reports are sparse.
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Myakka River area (the bridge all the way to Marker 8) "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — A few trout at the north (west) end of the Myakka Cutoff.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Several Spanish mackerel, plus a ton of tiny baitfish.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A few Spanish mackerel. Should be some sharks and cobia, but none reported.
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South Gulf Cove canals "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — A few snook, mostly small, caught on the troll. There are more seen on the lights. Tilapia are visible but not feeding.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — No reportos.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Lots of Mayan cichlids and a few tilapia on shrimp and worms. Some smaller snook and tarpon seen but not caught.
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The West Wall "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Lots of little snook. A few trout. Quite a few manatees. Very clear water.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — From Trout Creek south, some snook, a few redfish, and some trout on top of the bar. A couple small cobia seen but not hooked.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — It's been quiet, partly due to so many people tarpon fishing. A few cobia seen, a few pompano and trout on the outside of the bar. Some dink snook and redfish caught under the mangroves. The water is very clear here.
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Cape Haze Bar "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Bonnetheads sharks, trout, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, occasional pompano and flounder.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — A good spot, except for Flipper. Jacks, Spanish mackerel, trout, bonnethead sharks, blacknose sharks, sharpnose sharks and a couple pompano.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — In 4 to 6 feet, some bonnetheads, bulls of mixed sizes and Spanish mackerel. Shallower, we have trout, bonnetheads, ladyfish, small bluefish and a few mackerel. A fun mixed bag.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Lots of snook in the bays, along with quite a few trout. There are small bull sharks up to about 6 feet and lots of bonnetheads. Redfish reports have dried right up.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Some small and medium bull sharks, a lot of snook in groups (several males to one female), decent but not great redfish and trout. The trout seem to be more on the outside, since the water has got warm.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — The best spot for snook and redfish, mainly under the bushes eating shrimp and cut pinfish or ladyfish. Trout are here but not super thick. Bull sharks and bonnetheads of mixed sizes.
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Cape Haze Reef & Danger Reef "Fishin report archive History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Spanish mackerel. Blacknose and sharpnose sharks too.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Spanish mackerel and a couple smaller sharks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Spanish mackerel, troll or cast with spoons or silly jigs.
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Gasparilla Sound "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — From Three Sisters to Whidden Bay, there are trout in 2 to 5 feet, lots of snook along the shorelines, a few sheepshead in the clam leases and oyster bars, and Spanish mackerel in 4 to 8 feet.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Three Sisters and Whidden Bay have trout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, and a few tarpon. Snook and some redfish are under the oyster bars and trees.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A good spot. There are snook, redfish, trout, ladyfish, sheepshead, small sharks. Robert says it's theoretically possible for a juvenile oarfish to exist here.
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Placida
"Fishin History"
Placida Pier
—
Placida
Trestle
—
Coral Creek Pier
—
Gasparilla Pass
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Lots of snook at night. A couple sharks, 3 to 5 feet, bulls, sharpnose and blacknose. A few sheepshead and mangrove snapper during the day, along with quite a few trout.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Tarpon, snook, a few redfish, some sharks, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper (including some minimal keepers) and a few trout.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Some sheepshead in the mornings, plus some mangrove snapper and a few Spanish mackerel thru the day. Snook, oversize redfish and some sharks at night.
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Stump Pass — Lemon Bay Park — Indian Mound Park
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — A bunch of little tiny snook have been caught. Some bigger ones have been seen but not hooked.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Some snook, redfish and trout.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Trout around Lemon Bay Park. A few Spanish mackerel. Snook seen but wouldn't commit.
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Englewood Ainger Pier
(next to Tom
Adams bridge) "Fishin
History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Some Spanish mackerel, blacknose and bonnethead sharks, a few snook at night, and a few juvenile tarpon seen but not caught in the lights.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Blacknose and bull sharks, a couple small snook, a couple trout, a couple ladyfish.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A couple sheepshead, a couple Spanish mackerel, one bonnethead.
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Gulf of Mexico bottom
fishin' & trolling
Reefs & Wrecks
"Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Spanish mackerel are from the passes out to about 15 miles. At 15 miles, we're seeing grunts, porgies, lanes and mangrove snapper. Out deeper, a couple red grouper, but not many.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — At 15 to 20 miles, we have lane and mangrove snapper, grunts. porgies and sheepshead. Red grouper are not good; even boats going out to 30 or 35 miles are struggling to limit, but they are getting a few yellowtail snapper. A few sailfish spotted. One reports of tiny mahi. Big sharks and jewfish on most of the reefs and wrecks. The occasional cobia.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Red grouper fishing sucks right now, for reasons not fully understood. But the mangrove and lane snapper are doing great at 25 to 30 miles, along with some yellowtail snapper. A few cobia randomly popping up. Sheepshead, grunts and porgies at the Palm Island Ferry and some other reefs. Troll a skirted bait between reefs and see if you can hook a sailfish (seriously).
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.
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — No reports.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — No reports.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Some Spanish mackerel. A few snook showing up. A couple sheepshead reported this week also.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 02/04/2023 — No reports until further notice.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — A lot of snook. A few trout on the inside, and a few tarpon around beach side.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 02/04/2023 — No reports until further notice.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Tarpon and snook, plus more tarpon in the evening. Also, a few Spanish mackerel.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Tarpon, snook, a couple silver trout.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Some snook, a handful of tarpon, sharks of assorted sizes and species, good numbers of Spanish mackerel.
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Boca Grande Pass "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — All we've really heard are tarpon. A couple Spanish mackerel and bluefish, but mostly tarpon. The afternoon bite is probably better than the daytime.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Tarpon (duh), but also Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, a few cobia, some big sharks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Lots of tarpon, and more coming. Some very big bull sharks and a couple hammerheads. Spanish mackerel all over the area. Snook around Cayo Costa.
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Walkin' the Gulf beaches,
from Sanibel
to Venice. Anywhere along the Gulf shoreline.
17th
street
Stump
Pass Park "Fishin
History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Boca Grande, Englewood and Stump Pass beaches all have snook in the evening. A few Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and pompano have also been caught.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Blind Pass, Stump Pass, Gasparilla Island and Sanibel are producing snook, pompano, Spanish mackerel, whiting and jacks. Tarpon are visible occasionally but really hard to catch.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Snook at Lighthouse Beach on Boca Grande, and all over the place really. All up and down the coast, we've seen jacks, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, pompano and a couple over oversize redfish. Avoid Stump Pass on weekends due to all the sandbar partying.
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Indian Fields — Smokehouse Bay
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — No reports.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — The algal bloom continues but is more annoying than anything else. Some trout are still biting.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — An algal bloom has been reported here from Indian Fields to Two Pines, with the water milky and some possible sea sawdust going on.
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Pine Island Sound, south end
Robert & Capt. Josh 02/04/2023 — No reports until further notice.
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Pine Island Sound,
north end
"Fishin History"
Rat and Cat keys,
Mondongo & Patricio
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Better trout fishing, a whole lot of snook, and decent Spanish mackerel.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Trout, Spanish mackerel, assorted sharks, a few tarpon, cobia seen but not hooked, a few small permit mixed in with some pompano.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Spanish mackerel. Lots of trout from 14 to 24 inches. An assortment of sharks. Tarpon seen but not eating.
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Jug Creek
Shoal &
Bokeelia "Fishin
History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Quite a few Spanish mackerel and a few trout. A few blacknose and sharpnose should be around the mackerel and cruising the flats.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Spanish mackerel and trout, plus a couple smaller sharks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Trout and Spanish mackerel.
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Burnt Store &
Two Pines "Fishin
report archive History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — A lot of snook along the shorelines. Ladyfish in top of the bar. Tarpon and and small sharks outside the bar.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Snook and redfish inside the bar. Spanish mackerel and ladyfish outside the bar. Trout scattered all over.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Small snook, a few mediocre redfish, a few trout, a few random sharks. Nothing overly exciting or amazing.
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East Side
"keys"
"Fishin History"
Cormorant Key — Bay Back Key — Sneaky Creek
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Bonnetheads outside the bar and smaller snook along the shorelines. Trout and redfish reports are few to none.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Just a few snook, bonnetheads and trout. Lots of manatees having a party, and a few cobia with them.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Lots of little snook. A handful of small to barely legal redfish. Very few trout. Small sharks. A mating herd of manatees has been spotted between here and Alligator Creek; try to avoid running over them.
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Alligator Creek "Fishin
History"
Poachers
Cut
&
The
Skating
Rink
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Some small snook scattered all over.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — A couple black drum seen. Snook at the Riviera Oyster Bar.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Not worth fishing here.
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Ponce de Leon Park "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Small mangrove snapper. A few black drum and jacks.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Black drum. Itty bitty teeny weeny yellow polka-dot mangrove snapper. A lot of trout, mostly south of the park.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Black drum and snook seen, not hooked. Very slow.
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P.G.I. canals &
Punta Gorda
"Fishin History
P.G.I. canals —
Elizabeth Park
Barge Canal
— P.G. Nature Park
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Lots of small snook, big black drum, a few mangrove snapper, and of course those pestiferous juvenile tarpon.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Juvenile tarpon rolling all over; a few hooked on small lures or whitebait. Some snook, a few jacks, many black drum sighted but not caught yet.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Snook, juvenile tarpon, black drum, a few jacks. Average.
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Gilchrist Pier "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — According to a customer, the pier is now open. This info needs to be verified.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 03/25/2023 — Closed due to hurricane damage.
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Alligator Creek Reef
AKA Concrete
Reef, 1 Mile Reef,
Charlotte Harbor Reef, 41 Bridge Reef
"Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Nothing.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — A few Spanish mackerel. Slow.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — A few Spanish mackerel and a couple short cobia.
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Deep holes in Charlotte Harbor — AKA the 20-foot holes "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Spanish mackerel, some smaller sharks, random bait pods.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Spanish mackerel and a few sharks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Spanish mackerel in fishable numbers; look for the bait and then troll or cast.
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Baitfish
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Lots of butterfish (Atlantic bumper) schools scattered all over the Harbor and out in the Gulf. Scaled sardines (whitebait) are off and on by Markers 1 and 2, and scattered near Devilfish, but quite a few around Jug Creek Shoals. Threadies are scattered from the U.S. 41 bridges to Jug Creek. Leatherjacks (skipjacks) are mixed in with all of those. Pinfish are showing up around Whidden Bay.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Nettable whitebait is very scattered in the upper Harbor but more possible at Jug Creek Shoals. A few threadfins are showing up, but not many yet. Glass minnows and tiny whitebait fry are all over, but too small to throw even a small mesh net on.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — For nettable whitebait, Bokeelia and Jug Creek Shoal are the spots. Lots of tiny fry scattered all over but too small to net. Bigger threadies in the 20-foot holes and between Bokeelia and Burnt Store. Pinfish are hard right now. A few pass crabs are moving, but not too many.
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Freshwater canals, creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes "Fishin History"
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Some bluegill, but mostly tilapia and Mayan cichlids. If you want bass and crappie, look for moving water.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — We still have no shiners or minnows, plus it's hot and there's been no rain, so it sucks.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Few reports, besides a handful of tilapia.
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Tarpon reports 
Robert & Capt. Josh 06/03/2023 — Most of the fish are concentrated around Boca Grande Pass right now. This is their biggest spawn of the year. You may find a few on the beach.
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Robert & Capt. Josh 05/20/2023 — Most of the fish are in Boca Grande Pass. Gasparilla Pass and Captiva Pass are also producing. Fish were on the beaches as of last week and probably will be later this week as well.
Robert & Capt. Josh 05/13/2023 — Once again, Boca Grande Pass is pretty much the spot, and crabs are pretty much the bait.
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In memory of Capt Angel 1975-2010
Angel remains here with us,
He was my friend, I miss him
Fishin Frank-----
It would be hard to picture life without fishing.
People who do not fish do
not understand the
therapeutic value of fishing, losing yourself to
the motion of the waves and
just relaxing.
The best things about fishing is where you do it,
and that you do not carry a score card.
Since 1984 when I first walked through the door
here at Fishin Franks,
I found the people / customers to be the best part of this job,
and all these decades later that is still true.
You all are the best part of the day.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives so many years
Fishin Frank
