Recent unstable conditions have made it challenging to plan our fishing trips.

Captain Van did get out on the third for a half day trip. He found plenty of trout but many were smaller, just a few keepers. The threat of rain kept us close to home port around Lemon Bay, but we did see some active areas. Baitfish were tough to find and part of this was because of the overcast sky which made it harder to see down into the water. Charlotte Harbor and surrounding areas have had numerous heavy rains recently and the creeks are dumping a lot of rain runoff so our waters are darker especially with outgoing tides. The surf was stirred up then so we didn’t go out into the Gulf to look for mackerel. The Captain has catch up on some errands, he also went out Sunday.

Sunday’s trip did require us to adapt because we did have some Red Tide fish kills around area passes; from Venice Beach to Boca Grande. So far nothing inside the bay area has been affected and I did not have any trouble with baitfish in my well or see any fish dying anywhere. Lots of bad press has not contributed to the fishing but so far we can work around any old fish that float nearby. We fished down in Charlotte Harbor yesterday and had no problems with Red Tide. Fishing was not up to par but we did get a mess of trout for dinner. The main thing to remember is to enjoy the ride while we scout out hungry fish. Some of Captain Van’s top trips have been while working around the fringes of red tide blooms; because it concentrates fish!

Weather conditions influence our game plan in the Fall time of the year also. We may desire to target fish outside like mackerel; however sometimes the conditions just don’t cooperate. That’s exactly why Captain Van has the boat and equipment to fish inside or near shore when he can’t get outside. If weather and conditions allow we can go out to the reefs and other structures for mackerel, cobia, barracuda etc…. He also has the productive option of fishing inside protected waters for snook, trout, reds, etc… Of course it’s fine to plan an inside fishing adventure if that’s your choice. Occasionally, you may even be able to try some of both; it’s fun if it works out. When conditions are just right the big king mackerel come in close and you can catch them within a mile of the Venice, Englewood, and Boca Grande Beaches. Our fishing depends on Mother Nature’s mood more than normal in the fall transitional conditions; especially right now.

Captain Van is still anxious to get the new Evinrude E-Tech motor up and running. It’s at the dealer being rigged right now to be picked up this week; we just don’t have an exact date to pick it up yet? Meanwhile his backup Dorado is ready to go and services us well. Let’s Go Fishin’ now, colder weather is not far off! Help Captain Van put some time on that new engine! Please call or email if you are concerned about fluctuating conditions for up to date information. Thank you,

Captain Van Hubbard’s  web site is www.captvan.com

or Phone at 941-740-4665