Offshore Fishing in the Gulf off Manasota Key

A grownup Red Grouper from the Gulf of Mexico

Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands like Manasota Key can be found on the Southwest coast of Florida. Summer is considered the off season in SW Florida and great values and fun times can be found in this area between Tampa Bay and Fort Myers. Miles of mangroves and pristine waterways convey their commitment to conservation, and the saltwater fishing for grouper in the Gulf can be sizzling hot.

We used Sabiki rigs to catch live bait

Electing for a day of offshore fishing with Kingfisher Fleet, we left out of Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda for a two-hour cruise into the Gulf. Captain Rick Paolillo positioned our 35-foot vessel over live bottom, anchoring up so that our group of anglers could drop down a variety of baits looking for snapper and grouper. My rod received a mighty tug and was doubled over as angler and grouper entered in test of wills.

A long day on the water was followed up with a fresh fish supper at one of the many restaurants found on Manasota Key. The Lock and Key establishment welcomes anglers to bring their fresh catch with them so that the chef can prepare it either grilled, pan-seared, fried or blackened. The fellowship after a day spent on the water makes any angler thankful for the experience after encountering the productive bottom fishing found off of Southwest Florida.

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past entries about SW Florida click on Field Notes - Sustainable Seafood - Gulf Islands - 2009 Fishing - TIDE magazine

This is a keeper-size Lane Snapper

A Sunday evening beachfront Drum Circle
completed our sunrise until sunset agenda this day

Field Notes and Photos - July 2015

This Osprey - or Fish Hawk - Strikes a Pose

Field Notes is a column I began eleven years ago in the Charleston Mercury newspaper, but as the amount of newsprint space in the 'salmon sheets' has diminished, so has the space for my nature photography. Now when I have a fresh batch of observations I share them via Lowcountry Outdoors. 
Note: These images originate from Southwest Florida!

To view past Field Notes click on June 2015 - February 2105 - October 2014 -  September 2014 - August 2014 - June 2014 - March 2012 - February 2012 - October 2011 - September 2011  

Storm in the Gulf off Gasparilla Island Beach

Great Egret at Stump Pass State Park on Lemon Bay

Sea Turtle hatching from June 17 on Manasota Key

Palm Island offers some great shelling on private beaches

SW Florida Visit to Gulf Islands; Boca Grande and Gasparilla

Looking for Tarpon? This area looks promising!

My last visit to SouthWest Florida back in 2009 involved flying from Charleston to Fort Myers, and I chose the same travel option in 2015. It is an easy half-day of travel, which allows for plenty of afternoon time for sightseeing, dinner and preparation before the fishing begins first thing the following morning. My descent into Ft. Myers included a great overhead look from Sarasota down to Sanibel Island and I could see the clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico on the beaches, but I could also see the sounds and inlets that make this section of Charlotte County an ecological gem.

A snooklet caught from the Charlotte Co. 'snookery'

Checking in to the Wanna B Inn located at Englewood Beach which is a section of the county just North of Punta Gorda. Located right on the beachfront, it wasn't long before I was looking for sharks teeth and noticing a plethora of sea turtle nests on their shore. The main Beach Road here runs by a number of seafood restaurants and we dined at the Gulf View Grill establishment that has been family owned for 30 years. Blackened grouper and mahi mahi ended up being our choices, and we experienced good service in this high-end restaurant with the second story view of the Gulf.

Capt. Slattery tries to coax a snook from under the mangroves

The Wanna B Inn on the Gulf of Mexico in Englewood

The next day began with loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings on the beach making their timeless trip into the ocean waters, with a large crowd of tourists gathered to cheer them on. After that I met fishing guide Capt. Mike Slattery with Palm Island Outfitters and we left the dock at the hotel and motored into Lemon Bay to use whitebait in order to target mangrove snapper and small snook. We caught each species plus a pinfish but in general the fish were not biting. We even tried a secret spot to entice a larger snook using a large white mullet for bait, but we did not get a strike. Slattery is a Charlotte County native and knows the estuary, and it would be wise to consult with him before any visit.


To view past blog entries about fishing near Charlotte Harbor click here.

To view blog entries from SW Florida click on Offshore Fishing - Field Notes - Farlow's Sustainable Seafood