The best tactic for shallow water red fishing is to stage your boat in an area near a exposed flat. Watch for any movement in the water pattern. It is especially helpful when other boats run near an area you are working since it exposes the location of the school. Waiting for the school to come to you is an all important factor to learn. A slow approach and a working the area over thoroughly will bend plenty of rods on the boat. Any crab or shrimp imitation will prove to be effective, long distance casting is a must. I will usually spend a good 20 -30 minutes covering 1/4 to 1/2 mile of flat. Setting the boat up to use the wind to your advantage is a must, with the least amount of trolling motor as possible. Light spinning gear with 8lb braided line with 1/8 and 1/4 ounce jig heads should be all that is required for success.

I went with another guide recently and seen targetable numbers of tarpon in a migration route. With the warm weather pattern that has dominated Fort Myers and the rest of the country An early spring pattern will give way to an early tarpon season. I expect to put up some numbers well ahead of schedule this tarpon season. I have a few dates left in June and fewer in May that are available. I have ample room in April to book and April has typically been a good month for me since I have targeted tarpon early for many years. This April should be phenomenal and allow for those who are here an opportunity to catch a BIG TARPON.

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

Fort Myers Fishing Forecast:
Redfish will continue to be good as the bait schools arrive, keeper Speckled Trout with catches over the 20 inch mark, and an early arrival of BIG TARPON

Redfish starting schooling a few weeks ago and this is the best time of the year to catch good numbers of “bull” redfish. These over sized reds are moving though the passes and schooling on the nearby grass flats. Any outside grass flat near the passes can hold a school of redfish this time of year. I’ve been mostly fishing the bars in Charlotte Harbor but Pine Island Sound and Lemon Bay are also holding good schools of redfish.

Even though the fishing charters are pretty slow right now I have been doing quite a bit of fishing to stay with the fall tarpon migration. The tarpon are following the bait schools and feed heavily to fuel their migration for the winter. Most of these tarpon are very large averaging over 100 pounds. I have been doing well with a variety of artificial lure and live baits. Live ladyfish and sardines hooking the most tarpon; with spoons, jigs and soft plastic swim baits producing as well. There are a number a locations that have been holding tarpon. Look for bait schools on the beaches outside of Boca Grande Pass, Captiva Island and Fort Myers Beach. You can also run into groups of migrating tarpon in the bays.

Fort Myers Fishing Forcast: The tarpon fishing is just about over. We may have no more than 2-3 weeks of good tarpon fishing before its over for the winter. Fishing for bull redfish should remain strong for the rest of the fall. The large schools of redfish should be around into early November. After that its mostly singles and small groups.

Flats Fishing And Back County Charters

During the winter I my run 22 foot Texas Shallow Sport fishing machine. This dry stable fishing platform allow me to access the shallowest of flats. As the winter months progress in to negative tides and extremely shallow flats where trout and reds are trapped in pot holes I have the right boat to access these areas, and score days where triple digit fish numbers are the norm. I am ah expert in the use of artificial lures. The majority of fishing from November to March is done with artificial lures. I have found that artificial lures out produce live bait during these months. This insures you are not dealing with long waits at the dock or cancellations due to the lack of or limited bait.

I also own a high end 24 foot bay bay boat for dry and comfortable Tarpon Fishing and near shore charters. Equipped with 4 stoke out board and state of the art electronics, including hi def and side and down scan imaging. I keep up to date tackle From Penn, G Loomis, Accurate Reels and American Rod Smith. I have both earned a reputation in the industry as proven veteran fishing guide with results. An extensive amount of information can be easily searched online or references provided on request, assuring you are hiring top full time fishing guide

Ginat Tarpon Fishing

Go Fish Charters Certainly Isn’t The Cheapest Tarpon Fishing Charter Service You Can Hire.

It’s true. There are many websites and guides on the internet where people you’ve never met (and never will) compete to be the cheapest. It’s an obsession actually, with one guide outdoing the other to offer his service cheaper or for even a dollar less than anyone else. I don’t do that, and here’s why.

To be the cheapest, you have to offer the cheapest service. This might seem obvious, but think about it for a second. We all need to make some profit on every charter. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing this. Instead, I focus on offering a higher quality charter, to the my anglers for a fair price.

I am real company. I pay rent, commercial insurance, taxes, and a million other things that come along with being legitimate. I have a number of specialized pieces of equipment that can be used do any kind of fishing in our area whether its offshore, near shore, flats, tarpon, snook, redfish, permit, shark, etc. I fish all of Southwest Florida from Englewood Beach to Marco Island; If I need to adjust your charter for success, not only can I, I will. Without these expenses, other guides can be cheaper..

Take a look through the photos section of my website, there is also a more extensive collection located at this link Photos you will see countless photos of large giant tarpon. The first thing you will notice is the same guy in every photo, that would be me holding tarpon for my clients. What you won’t find is stock photos of tarpon from a professional photographer, or photos of tarpon on a another boat. I have made my living as a guide for over 10 years, I work had to ensure my clients success. And I am backing up with A No Tarpon No Pay Guarantee. The Original No Fish-No Pay Guaranteed !!!

Capt Andy Boyette And Go Fish Charters have been a guiding clients for over 10 years, I make my living full time as a fishing guide 100%. I want to make sure you do not get fooled and hire some one who is making extra money to pay for their hobby. So before you make a mistake and hire a part time fishing guide call me and I will guarantee you a trip catching fish. No Tarpon-No Pay Tarpon Guarantee !!! Book My 10 hour tarpon charter and if you don’t jump a tarpon the trip is free! Guaranteed! No questions asked!

My web site GoFishCharters.com

TARPON FISHING DAILY APRIL-JULY Planning a trip for a Boca Grande tarpon fishing charter! I do two tarpon fishing trips daily May-July. These months are highly sought after, and tarpon trips book up early. Tarpon fishing has gained in popularity over the past several years, as anglers see tarpon fishing shows on TV like the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, PTTS, and Tarpon Of Boca Grande. With such national coverage of the Boca Grande tarpon fishing phenomenon more anglers are planning their entire Florida fishing trips around Boca Grande tarpon season. I offer two 6-hour Tarpon fishing charters per day, one in the morning and one in the early afternoon. I fish the entire tarpon season every day, every year, along side some of the best guides in the business, guides like my self that can produce consistently and put their clients on tarpon day in and day out. So before you make a decision on a tarpon guide do some homework. I want to make sure you catch the tarpon of a lifetime whether or not its with me.

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

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.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tarpon have continued well into July with the only variable being the weather. Heavy rains that backed up in Charlotte Harbor made tide changes and currents more difficult to predict. The tarpon fishing becomes very tidal at this time of the year with most of these fish moving from inshore to off shore as the tide comes and goes. Fishing for tarpon has been a lot like turkey hunting you see them in an area and you move in and set up and with a little luck you get a few shots. Then you move to the next area stage up and wait for another couple of shots. Most of the trips I done early in July where hit or miss the fish where there but not very cooperative the opportunities where far and few between and those who capitalized on a opportunity had success.
The upcoming month of August should be much better as the morning rains and afternoon showers will be less numerous and weather patterns will stabilize. Boca Grande and specifically Charlotte Harbor will continue to host large schools of tarpon for those anglers looking to score a late season tarpon on light spinning tackle or possibly a fly. I personally continue to fish for tarpon well into September with great success. This style of fishing truly is more like hunting since these fish will move on a daily basics and stalking them requires a level of skill acquired through patience and virtue.
Redfish should also begin to school up in some well known traditional community holes. Snook are still on the beaches and the mangrove snapper fishing will be good in and around the docks and bridges and canals. Look for a good run of mackerel with all the bait that is in the area and a very healthy fall fishing season.

The fishing shut down for a few days during the front and the fishing slacked, but as soon as the water warmed up tarpon hit the Boca Grande Pass and have been chewing. The full moon sent the crabs flushing and a short hill tide was experienced. Any crabs that where cast hooked a fish.

As of this week the tarpon have moved into the Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, Boca Grande Pass and just about every where but the beach. Remember to respect others when fishing in areas where other boats are because most people are looking for the tarpon bite and approaching them in the wrong manner does not make friends.

Availability is limited on my boat for May with only a few afternoons scattered, June still has some empty slots but I expect it to fill as well. If you are planning to fish with me give me a call and lets put something together, tarpon is my passion and to date for the season we have boated over 30 tarpon all over a 120 pounds with the biggest at about 200 as you can seee in the photo above.

Capt Andy Boyette

1-888-880-0006

The snook fishing picked back up as did the red fishing along with king fish in the 30lb class mixed in with Tarpon in Boca Grande. I expect to see these tarpon move up into the harbor any day now where fishing will become more stable. As April progresses the tarpon population will grow into numbers in the thousands, and as May approaches the gathering in the Pass should be at peak and continue into June.

As many of you who have fished here over the past few years, you know we have had crippling weather, so lets all keep our fingers crossed. I expect a good season that again will last well into the fall.

I will be adding more pictures to the new photo gallery and would like to encourage you to look through them. These are pictures with clients from over the years. You can register at the site and download your pictures and make comments about them. At present there are about 70 photos by the end of the month there should be about 300-400. You can find them here http://gofishcharters.com/photos/

I look forward to seeing many of you again over the next several months as well as meeting some new faces, and if you have not already booked I still have some availability mostly in June.

We are Booking 2008 Tarpon Fishing Charters
Go Fish Charters and Guide Service can arrange a private or group Tarpon fishing, snook fishing, backcountry, flats near shore or inshore fishing trips.

“Good Things Come To Those With Bait”
CAPT ANDY BOYETTE

I fished the Colusa Catch and Release this past weekend and had a great time. For those of you not familiar with this tournament it is two day event in which you are awarded points for total inches of fish you catch. You are given a camera a measuring board and a score card. You are given 1 point for each inch of you catch, your two biggest snook, redfish and trout this allows you two record any oversized fish over the two days of fishing my team placed 260 inches of fish on the scorecard and had a great time in one the best tournaments in the state.

Fishing continues to be hot and is keeping the reputation of “Charlotte Harbor being the best place to fish in Florida” alive with good numbers of snook and trout holding in all the usual hang outs. The redfish are on the staging grounds preparing for the early fall schooling that they are famous, if you are looking for these guys you need to look ten feet under the bushes. Bait continues to plentiful making my job easier and the weather couldn’t get any better. Offshore fishing is well offshore and you should be cautious of thunderstorms when venturing out.

The next leg of the RedSnook tournament series is at the end of this month. My team is is fourth in the standings in the pro division. If you didn’t fish the first tournament it is not two late to get in there are two more tournaments with great prizes and big cash awards. For more information please see the link www.redsnook.com Hope to see you there.

“Good Things Come To Those With Bait” Capt Andy Boyette