Thank you to everyone who fished this season, the 2011 tarpon season was a with out a doubt one for the record books. Despite being a very successful season it did not come without difficulties. The tarpon had just about every advantage in their favor. Everyday was different and challenging while most of my trips where successful, I have to admit having some days totally shut out due to either weather or cooperation from the tarpon. It was the most demanding season I have ever fished in my career. The fishing required a new pattern almost daily with adjustments made throughout the day for success. I hopefully have learned some things that will make me a better angler and guide in the years ahead.
In the upcoming months I will be revising my rate schedule to reflect some additional trips that will be available for the 2012 tarpon season. My rates should remain the same but I will be adding some additional available trips to better accommodate everyone. BTW I have already begun booking a few 2012 trips so I look forward to hearing from you.

Flats Fishing Charters

I would also like to remind everyone that the fall and early spring fats fishing is just around the corner. Those of you who fished with me this past season learned that having a shallow running winter boat gets me on the fish. Anyone who doubts the 100 plus redfish and speckled trout fishing days that where spent on my boat this past season give me a call and i will put you in touch with clients that found pout first hand what having the right equipment can do.
Redfish have already begun to school up in some areas and the trout fishing will begin to pickup. It is also a note to the snook fishing that it will remain catch and release until another decision by the FWC in the fall of 2012.

Newsletters News
This year not only was I extremely busy I was very frustrated with the fact that several competitors where using my fishing reports and had some how managed to get on my mailing list. This fact prompted me to stop all reporting and newsletters. I have now gone through my list and removed them from my data base. It is my intent to keep my clients informed as much as possible. So with this you can expect me to resume the usual 6-8 newsletters a year .

I look forward to resuming writing fishing reports as well as seeing those that are planning to fish with me this fall. I still have a few tarpon trips left to do but am switching into flats fishing mode

Capt Andy Boyette
1-888-880-0006
Gofishcharters.com
Tarponcharters.com
FortMyersFloridaFishing.com

I will be adjusting the spring season slightly to target some less talked about species of fish including tripletail, pompano, kingfish and a few others.  All of which are excellent eating and attainable targets, with sportfish qualities. I have fished for these species throughout my life as a lifelong resident of the area, so snook fishing closure should only serve to bring more variety and enjoyment to my charters. I look forward to sharing the experience and excitement of fishing for a wider variety of Florida fish species with you this spring.

Tarpon Fishing Information
Everyone by now, knows that I am offering a 10 hour tarpon trip. I wanted to clarify a few things about the 6 hour trip, and the 10 hour trip since a lot of my clients have asked me numerous questions.

Most Importantly I will still be offering a 6 hour trip for those who only wish to fish for 6 hours.

The 6 hour tarpon trip will remain unchanged and it is your choice, a 6 hour morning session and/or a 6 hour early afternoon session.

The 10 hour trips is just as it sounds 10 hours. Below I will summarize as best I can, keep in mind if you book me for the 10 hour trip the day is devoted solely to you, not like when I have either a morning or afternoon trip to worry about. On a 10 hour split day trip, we fish part of the trip in the morning, take a break and come back out to fish the remainder of the trip. Typically split 6 hours and 4 hours. If we tarpon fish only I let the fish and/or the client decide if or when there is a break (we fish the best time). Also a client who has a 10 hour trip booked can request to fish for other species, which is not possible on a 6 hour tarpon trip since economics forces me to fish an afternoon trip. So basically on the 10 hour trip the day is yours and we can break it up however as the day and fishing dictates. We also don’t have to split the day up at all if there is a hot bite we will in all likelihood fish through.

Also if my schedule permits you can request to fish additional hours at $100.00 per hour. This will specifically come into play on a 10 hour trip as well as the afternoon 6 hour session. Last season (2009)saw some really good late fishing into the early evening, and I will be prepared with lighting and all necessary equipment to stay in to the early evening.

Spring Flats Fishing Information
I also want to touch on the effects of the cold winter weather we had in here Florida. You may be aware that the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order on the harvest of snook, tarpon, and bonefish thru April. This was due to the potential damage that may have been done, due to the cold temperatures, and any affects it has had statewide on these subtropical fish.

*Anglers may still catch and release any and all of these fish during the closure.*
What this means is that you may still fish for any of these species but no one can harvest which means keep any of these species.

As a side note in recent history very few, mostly to use tarpon for bait, have been keeping tarpon , and in my 11 year career, thousands of tarpon have been caught and released on my charters, and I have never allowed or would allow one to be kept,  so the tarpon fishing will never be affected on my trips.

To touch on the snook fishing in the early spring, I have kept very limited numbers of snook in the past. Most of my clients that where looking to take home something to eat, understood the importance of the snook, and always focused on other species like trout and redfish for the table. So I would like to add that this will have limited affect on my charters, we will continue to fish as normal for snook, redfish, and trout with the only change being all snook caught go back to ensure a healthy stock for next season.

Capt Andy Boyette
www.gofishcharters.com
www.tarponcharters.com

With unprecedented continuous cold weather well below normal, and 2 nights of hard freeze, I have had to cancel all the trips I had scheduled over the past 10 days. Hope fully this weather event will clear out the middle of this week.

Today myself and a friend went on the water today. Our intent was to count any dead snook that we saw neither of us where prepared for what we saw. We targeted the north end of Pine Island and encountered thousands upon thousands of dead mullet most where 12 inches and under, they literally carpeted the bottom. We made are way into the 3 canals and counted over 1000 dead snook in less than a 1/4 mile of waterway, with 90% in the slot to overslot size (10-well over 25lbs). If there was any bright side to the snook kill we did not see any juvenile snook that were dead, unfortunately we only looked at a very small area. I have already gotten reports from numerous other guides with similar reports. This is no doubt a big set back to the snook fishery. You can see a video of the damage in the video section of my website http://gofishcharters.com/fishing_videos.htm

The trout fishing should remain unchanged since trout can tolerate the cold weather, same with the hardy redfish both of which have a range that extends well north of Southwest Florida. As of last night the Gulf water temperature was 50 and I would not doubt that it dropped a bit more with the coldest air last being last night. Tonight’s weather, while still cold for Florida, will hopefully stay out of the 30s and give a slight reprieve.

Tarpon fishing is around the corner (April-July) and I have been booking clients for sometime now. This year, I am in addition to the 6 hour tide charter, offering a 10 hour split day charter. On the 10 hour charter, the day is devoted solely to you, we fish part of the trip in the morning, take a break and come back out to fish the remainder of the trip. Typically split 6 hours and 4 hours. If we tarpon fish only I let the fish and/or the client decide if or when there is a break (we fish the best time). Also a client who has a 10 hour trip booked can request to fish for other species, which is not possible on a 6 hour trip since economics forces me to fish an afternoon trip. So basically the day is yours and we can break it up however as the day and fishing dictates. The response to the 10 hour tarpon charter has made me very excited about it. I would interject that this means less openings on my schedule so booking early will become more critical if you are planning to fish with me.

Capt Andy Boyette
1-888-880-0006
www.gofishcharters.com
www.tarponcharters.com

Boca Grande and the pass seen some great snapper action as all summer for those looking for a good dinner. There was also some fast action on Bonita schools for anyone looking to bend a rod. The tarpon where also available when you but their pattern together and timed your trip correctly. Along with some nice early kingfish action in the 30-40lb range Boca Grande Pass as usual gave its best in Early October.

The unusual early arrival of cold weather in the area should push the king fish further south and the grouper closer in. The redfish should continue to school up for the next few weeks and trout fish should begin to improve. Snook fishing should also continue as they are migrating back to winter hang outs. The winter tides should begin empting some flats that have been fished all summer and make them less accessible to the average boater. This year I have added a extremely shallow running skiff to my business and I am looking forward to fishing the winter negative tides. A rigged a 21.5′ Texas Shallow Spot with a 150 four stroke engine for quite reliability and a tall tower for sight, and have increased my flats fishing ability 10 fold.

The new boat allows ample room for a max of 4 anglers and can access some of the shallowest water you have ever fished in. This will be a plus as the water temps drop and fish seek out shallow flats to warm up in the winter. If you would like to see some fishing grounds that you have never seen call me and get on my book for some exciting shallow water winter fishing.

Capt Andy Boyette
1-888-880-0006
www.gofishcharters.com
www.tarponcharters.com

There should be an abundance of bait as spring approaches with the grass flats in the area in the best shape I have seen in several years. The east side of Charlotte Harbor has grass in areas that lost 80-100% 4 years ago to the hurricanes. The hard hit mangroves are also beginning to show new life. This should in turn help filter the water and further improving the overall quality.

Tarpon season is shaping up nicely with about 50% of my book filled already. With the nearly 15 hours of day light in the summer I manage to do 2 tarpon fishing trips a day so I still have about 50 openings so it is not to late. Last season saw numerous tarpon caught and released over 200lbs and I directly attribute this to the catch and release practice as well as a few years of no red tide to kill the baitfish these tarpon are here to eat. I expect to have another large tarpon run, and eventually with the tarpon tournaments in Boca Grande Pass, and the fish being weighed, that there will be a record tarpon caught out of this area.

Deciding On A Fishing Guide. For those of you who have recently contacted me and are considering my services and comparing, please do you homework. I started, and have operated, Go Fish Charters over 10 years ago. If you hire me, I can produce all the necessary documents to run a legal charter business by request, and You Can Be Assured That You Are Hiring A Full Time Professional Guide Who Has Years Of Experience Successfully Guiding Clients, So Before You Make A Decision On A Fishing Charter And Guide Type “Capt Andy Boyette” In a Search Engine And Check Me Out. You will find extensive information about me and any other guide that you may be considering.

The grouper and snapper bite is on fire off shore and is the best prior to a front or just after. Ledges and wrecks in the 80-foot range will give up a limit in a short time. Make sure to take frozen baits and a mixture of live baits. These fish change mood and can be seriously frustrating not to have live bait when they want or frozen if that is the case. A lot of times you can turn the bite back on by switching between the two.
Tarpon fishing is getting closer and I have been booking trips for the prime season with regular clients as well as some new clients. I expect to have another banner season since the harbor is still full of bait despite the recent freeze.
Capt Andy Boyette

1-888-880-0006

Redfish seem to have scattered a bit and can be spotty. I covered a lot of redfish territory to bring three keeper reds for my customers last week. They should be on the move towards winter flats where on a sunny day after a cool morning you will be able to find them tailing for food and warming up in the sun.

Kingfish have been making the best run in my recent memory and are being taken from Tampa south to Naples as close as a mile form the beach. There are a lot of Spanish Mackerel mixed in with the Kings so I have been trolling big baits at about 10 Knots to keep them from taking my rigs, this as brought Kingfish to 35 pounds to the boat