Capt. Rhett's May 2012 Fishing Report

The tarpon are here and we have had some really good days in the month of may. Some of the hill tide 4hr trips we saw more than 10 hookups. The sharks numbers have been lower than last year which is a nice break.
So far for this month our largest catch was a Tarpon over 185lbs landed on 50lb spinning gear in just over 15ft of water. This massive Tarpon was hooked up and put on one heck of an impressive show as it erupted through the glossy calm water. Each jump resembled the essence of a bull in a china shop as the silky smoothness of the waters were smashed with all the vigor and defiance the huge fish could muster. Once boat side she seemed to pose calmly as we admired her sleek lines and shimmering silver scales. With out as much as even lifting her head, I slipped out the 6/o hook and sent her on her way.

As for the later part of the month we have seen a strange drop off in hook ups. Partly due to the high winds and partly to who knows what. Now moving into June I look forward to better activity and more frequent hook ups. Hope to see all of you soon.

Wishing You Tight Lines,

    Capt. Rhett

Capt. Rhett's April Fishing Report

The fishing has been very consistent on and off the flats. Tarpon are now beginning to flood the area and as we move toward May 1st, more will be coming in. We managed to jump more than 10 fish in the past 2 weeks and even leadered a couple over 150lbs. Tarpon season is looking good and I am anticipating lots of hook ups and action over the coming months.
The flats are doing really well also with good number of Snook still showing up this year. For the first time in over 10 years, I think there are more Snook around this year than there where last year. This is very encouraging but if the season for killing these amazing game fish is not left closed for at least another 2 -3 years, we will not see any long lasting results. Think about how much it would be to go out and catch good numbers of 30in plus Snook again! Well this could be possible once again if the season is left closed. I know all of you agree so please take time out of your busy day to make a difference. Click the link at the end of this article and sign the petition to stop the season from opening again and save the Snook in Charlotte Harbor. Please spread the word about this important cause as we must make a stand soon if we ever want to see outstanding Snook fishing again.

I look forward to seeing those of you that are booked with me soon. Till then, I wish everyone all the tight lines and cold beer you can find.

Thank you all for your support,

Capt. Rhett Morris

http://www.change.org/petitions/florida-fish-and-wildlife-commission-stop-the-reopening-of-west-coast-fl-snook-harvesting-in-september-2012

Recent Events in Tarpon Conservation

Recently, a video was released regarding tarpon conservation and what has really been happening in our Boca Grande Pass. It's been a long time coming and knowing Rhett's strong stance on protecting our fishery, he plans on offering his full support. If this aggressive style of fishing continues taking place, the consequences will not just be felt by the fisherman, but also the local businesses that depend on the avid anglers that flock to our area during tarpon season. Attached is the link to the video that started it all. I encourage you to check it out and please forward it to anyone who might help our cause. And just for your general knowledge, the first preliminary study done in the state of Florida showed that tarpon season brings in over 650,000 million annually.

For more information more way to get involved, visit http://www.tarbone.org/sponsor-a-tarpon-tag/tarpon-migration-spawning-research-using-satellite-tags.html

http://youtu.be/tOG-p-yIkE0

Capt. Rhett's March Fishing Report

For all of you who have never experienced good Snook fishing, the chances for encountering more quality size Snook are better than ever. As a result of the much needed closure on Snook due to the 2010 freeze, the Snook population is on the rise for the first time in 10 years. We have been averaging between 20 and 40 Snook, Redfish, and Trout during every four hour charter. We are currently at least a month and a half ahead of schedule with warm weather, which is making the fishing as good as it can possibly be for this time of year. Along with great flats fishing, we are also starting to see the elusive Silver King on a more regular basis, and will be targeting them more seriously in the very near future. This years tarpon season is booking up very quickly, with most of May and June already taken. However due to the unseasonably warm temperatures, Tarpon season is very likely to be in full swing by early April. This means that all of you that have not booked early enough in May or June, should seriously consider April to meet your Tarpon fishing needs. If by chance I am booked for any dates you need, rest assured that I have a handpicked crew of very knowledgeable, highly experienced guides that will show you a great time on the beautiful waters of Charlotte Harbor.

Wishing you all tight lines and cold beer,
Capt. Rhett Morris

Our New Offshore Boat!

Our new, fully restored 23ft Mako has officially been in the shop for 6 months! That's a lot of time spent making sure she is completely set up to comfortably and efficiently, stalk the silver king this season. Here she is getting a brand new paint job with David Bolyard. This time we are trying a new color since grey has become rather popular among the other boats on the water, it's called Patriot Blue. She's already been set up with 2 custom live wells, one being 40 gallons, and the other 30, to ensure that there will be plenty of room for all the threadfins and crabs to satisfy hungry tarpon. After David is done putting the finishing touches on her, she'll be off to have our 8 1/2 foot tower installed and set up for dual driving stations.

SNOOKIN

Hope you all have been enjoying this beautiful weather as much as we are! The boat traffic is down and the bites are UP! Snook have been tearing up live bait AND top water jigs. Check it out!

"Back in the day"

Ever wonder how Rhett's love of fishing got started? Check out these pictures from his "younger years"!