It’s December in S.W.Florida and most of the snowbirds/white pelicans are here for the winter. This means Christmas is coming quickly and if the FWC has not changed it, gag grouper stays in season until 1-1-2017. Make sure you check before you take some to shore that the rule has not been changed. If they did not change, it will be closed til 6-1-2017. I like the method of trolling to harvest the gag grouper. Rapala, Bommer, and Manns are a few deep diving lures that I use to harvest gags. While trolling you may encounter a cobia as well around the artificial reefs. Check the stone crab trap buoys in the Gulf where there may also be some triple tail nosing up to the line. There may be a few king or Spanish mackerel to harvest while you are trolling too. This is also the time when the white grunts and snapper are piled up on  the reefs, artificial or natural bottoms. For bottom fishing you should start at each spot with frozen baits and have a variety. As the bite slows, and then use your shrimp, pin fish and white bait if there is any to be had. Most of this happens in 50 feet or less this time of year. Moving from the coastal waters to inshore Charlotte Harbor, the sheepshead and flounder are gradually migrating toward the Gulf. Flounder will be found in the sandy areas on the Western side of Bull Bay moving closer to the ICW and other similar areas. The sheepshead will start to bunch up around the docks and pilings west of the ICW. This would include the trussles, bridges, and boat docks. Up on the grass beds there will be some hungry speckled sea trout waiting for some kind of bait to attack. The old tried and true popping cork and shrimp on a jig will tempt these guys to eat. They will also eat plastic like a mirrodine lure, Catch 2000 and some soft plastics like flukes. There are several kinds of popping lures that you may tie a jig on and add a gulp bait - that lasts much longer than a shrimp. This is a great way to get some young kids started fishing and when you find them it can get very busy. Black drum around bridges can be lots of fun using crabs as bait. Snook may be closed but catch and release around the bridges and lighted docks can be lots of fun too. Red fish along the sides of the harbor and deeper holes when the temperature drops. Christmas is almost here, so if you would like to get a gift certificate for someone, you can contact Capt. Bart Marx 941-979-6517 or captbart@alphaomegacharters.com or you can have me come on your boat if you are new to the area, to shorten your learning curve. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{

Hello fellow anglers - it is December once again - time to celebrate Christmas and to be thankful for family and friends. Depending on when you receive or read this article it may be too late. What I am talking about is Gag Grouper season which closes on 1-1-2017. I like to troll for these great eating table fare. There are artificial reefs close to shore in 30 to 50 feet where you can troll using deep diving lures. Mann’s makes the stretch series that can reach depths of 45‘ using 30 lb. braid.  Rapala also makes the x-rap that reaches 30 foot depths. There are also some ledges on the South side of Boca Grande that can be trolled in 25-30 feet of water. When these fish hit, they put up a good fight so even trolling, as you are fighting a gag, slow the boat or shift to neutral. Please learn from my errors - don’t stop the boat over another piece of structure because the fish will find it to seek shelter and cut you off. There are lots of stone crab trap buoys to search for triple tail. Try to have a few live baits and a rod that can be cast to a buoy, because fish are usually hanging by it. It looks like a plastic bag on the rope as you drive by. That is when you turn the boat around and get ready to cast the live bait. Inshore as you travel along the shore lines, look for pompano jumping in the boat wake. This is also where you turn the boat around and then cast some pompano jigs. Bounce it off the bottom as you retrieve it. Over by the ICW in some of the sandy places you can find flounder as they journey closer to the Gulf as they go offshore to spawn.  They will eat shrimp on a jig retrieved slowly across the sand areas and even some white baits if they are still in the area. Trout fishing should start getting better as the waters cool down. These guys tend to get fired up. It is fun to take a fly rod along with a top water popper to harvest some of these toothy critters. Lets not forget that it is becoming a busy season and with Christmas coming, Capt Bart has gift certificates that you can get and give to your loved ones. Or if you have someone coming into the area, a gift to go fishing is a wonderful way to spend time together. You can contact Capt. Bart Marx at 941-979-6517 or captbart@alphaomegacharters.com.  I also go with “new to the area” anglers on their boat to shorten the learning curve of learning how to fish Charlotte Harbor. And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{