Hook to Table Mackerel

Pine Island Sound was invaded by threadfin and the food chain followed These hefty Mackerel are a blast to catch with drag screaming runs on light tackle, and cooked fresh a variety of ways, in this case, 1 3/4 hours of buttonwood smoking, a delicious treat Some of this is destined to become some of the best smoked fish dip you ever ate.

 

Spanish Mackerel

December Pine Island Sound Mackerel

Smoked Spanish Mackerel

Buttonwood Smoked Spanish Mackerel

December Fishing Reports Sanibel & Captiva

El Nino has lived up to is forecast for warmer and wetter than normal winter so far We opened December with 82 degree water temps. The fall bait migration is still in full swing with massive bait schools in the gulf and the bays as well.

One of the more noteworthy standouts is the amazing Tarpon and Redfishing. The bait and warmer water Temps now hovering at 75 just ahead of a front coming through now, has held large numbers of Tarpon and a schools of hungry Bull Redfish making for some of the finest December fishing I can remember in a very long time. The artificial reefs are producing monster Cobia, Amberjack and all the usual cast of reef dwellers mangrove snapper, and king fish.

Inshore the upper slot trout are cooperating along with Pompano, and snook now moving into the backcountry for their winter residence’s  At this writing the coldest air of the year should hit us with a 55 degree low predicted for Saturday night. Winds Northeast wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph will slow things down a bit.  Below is a pic of sanibel island resident Bob Moyle on a recent trip, that produced three of these Reds to 40″‘s, Triple Tail and Scamp Grouper.

Bull Sanibel Redfish

40″ 29lb Sanibel Redfish caught by Sanibel Resident Bob Moyle on 12/11/15