4/13/16 April Backcountry Fishing Report

April is here and tarpon fishing season is in full swing!  It's been a little slower start this season I think we've all gotten spoiled with the good early february/march fishing we had the last few years though weather patterns were totally different.  The late chilly weather with the ever changing wind directions seems to have settle down now and this was an 'el nino' year which had goofy weather for people all over the country through the winter and spring.  Anyways the last couple weeks there have been plenty of tarpon around the bite hasn't always been consistent though water temps are still in the mid to high 70 degree range.  I've had many several days where we have seen fish all over the place literally hundreds of them and just can't seem to get a response.  Other times they are biting everything that hits the water.  Though they should normalize now as we get a little more consistent east/southeasterly wind and the water gets into the 80s.  The evening fishing on the falling tides has been very good the last week.  Previous to that I had a few tough mornings where we only had a bite each morning with a handful of cheap shots and things just didn't come quite together to land a fish, but things are getting better now.  We had good fishing the last several nights and landed multiple tarpon.  The mornings and days have been OK though a bit more work a lot of moving around and getting a bite here and there.  I didn't fish this morning but I heard it was pretty good around a few of the bridges.  Capt. Mike Venezia, Capt. Gunner Gutherie, and Capt. Mike Nichols both reported good tarpon action this morning.  I know the last few nights Capt. Mike Bassett, Capt. John Johansen, and Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti were also on a good tarpon bite.  Capt. Bill Bassett got a handful of nice snook yesterday in the backcountry, as well as some very nice tripletails in the gulf.  The traps won't be out much longer so this is the last chance to do a little bit of triple tail fishing out there.  Capt. Skip Nielsen has been on the tarpon of course and has had good fishing the last couple weeks as well.  Capt. Jim Willcox has been tangling with big critters in the backcountry including large hammerhead, tiger, and blacktip sharks, as well as big 'mud marlin.'  Spring time is here so get out and go fishing!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk