flordia in mid march

[campbelldwc3]

Hey guys im new to thid board and id like some help. Im going to Ft. Myers in mid march, im looking for some place to go catch some of those legendary flordia bass. Im also concidering trying to find a good guide that could take me peacock bass fishing. Looking for a good guide for bass too

[soflabasser]

Welcome to the forum. There are some peacock bass in SouthWest Florida but you will most likely do better fishing for peacock bass in SouthEast Florida. You do not need to hire a guide to catch peacock bass and you can do just fine fishing from the shore. You can find plenty of peacock bass locations online in the FWC webpage and lots of Youtubers give out locations if you ask them. Easiest way to catch a peacock bass is with live shiners. You can also catch peacock bass on lures such as poppers, propbaits, spooks, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, crankbaits, and jigs.

[Mike L]

If you want to fish Okeechobee, There was a thread not long ago that listed about a dozen guides.

Do a search and you'll find it. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[Wurming67]

If your gonna be in Ft Myers forget the bass ,go inshore saltwater fishing,I just got back from punta Gorda caught some snook it's just like bass fishing get yourself some Berkley gulp shrimp on weighted swimbait bait hook and your good to go!

[soflabasser]

The Florida keys has good snook fishing and you might even have a shot at a +40 inch snook from land there since that area of the state is loaded with trophy snook.The West coast is not looking too good at this moment from the effects of red tide and thousands of snooks (and other wildlife) has died from red tide poisoning. I won't be traveling to the West coast until that nasty red tide clears up thats for sure!

[Mike L]

From Pine Island Sound to Sarasota the fishing has been spotty at best, and thats if you can tolerate the conditions.

My son in law is a salt water guide who has had charters all last weekend and caught fish in bays and backwaters where it's a little clearer.

 

But coming in March of next year you'll be able go anywhere you want. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[soflabasser]

It is not certain if the red tide in SouthWest Florida will be gone by March and there have been cases of red tide lasting as long as 30 months (one red tide event lasted 30 months and it started in 1994). This has been the worst red tide SouthWest Florida has had in over a decade and it is not known at this moment how bad the fishing will be affected for next March. Many people are being affected health wise by the red tide since it can cause breathing difficulties.Red tide also contains domoic acid which is toxin found in red tide so it is not even safe to eat fish poisoned by red tide.Everything I mentioned can be researched online, including several pictures of beaches filled with dead fish, dolphin (at least 41 dolphins died from red tide this year),etc. You will most likely be better off going to SouthEast Florida and the Florida Keys where the fishing is great year round and has not been affected by the red tide. Hopefully we get a hurricane, tropical depression,etc to pass by SouthWest Florida so it can break up the red tide and move it away from SouthWest Florida.