Pine Island Sound

Seventeen Miles of Shimmering Jewels

Nestled along southwest Florida’s pristine coastline, Pine Island Sound sits just south of world famous Boca Grande Pass. The large numbers of small islands on either side of the sound are rich in history, some dating back to the Calusa Indians. Descendants of Paleo-Indians who inhabited southwest Florida thousands of years ago, the Calusas were originally called the “Calos” which means “Fierce People”.

During the Calusas reign the southwest coastline extended roughly 60 miles further into the Gulf of Mexico. Hardwood forests covered the land and the climate was colder than it is today.

The Calusas inhabited a region abundant with wildlife including bears, woolly mammoths, sloths, tortoises, and saber-toothed tigers. Hunting these animals and gathering roots and fruit was a mainstay until they discovered the waters contained a wealth of marine life. The Calusa Indians supported their families here for hundreds of years, though things all changed when Juan Ponce de’ Leon came along. With de’ Leon’s discovery came would be settlers who didn’t commingle very well with the Indians. After a handful of fi ercely fought battles, it didn’t take long for the settlers to entertain the idea of exploring new areas.

The region then went uninhabited for quite some time until the Pirates made landfall, bringing with them bounties of stolen treasure to bury for safe keeping. The notorious Gasparilla actually made camp at Boca Grande. Another famous pirate, Black Caeser, set up shop right on Sanibel Island near San Carlos Bay. Both were very successful in accumulating gold and silver from unfortunate Spanish convoys. Even to this day some folks believe they will stumble along great treasures buried along the shorelines of Pine Island Sound and neighboring Charlotte Harbor.

Not long after, both the pirates and remaining Indians were driven away by the Spanish and American governments, leaving many Spanish fi shermen to strike it rich selling their catches of salted fi sh to the Havana markets. The American government once again stepped in and eventually drove the Spaniards out, making way for American settlers who were lured to the area by the promise of land and riches.

Up until the early 1900’s countless commercial fi shermen ventured out to earn their livelihood off the rich waters of the sound. Whether it was for fi sh, crabs, clams, scallops or shrimp, a tradition was established for many generations to come, one that still lives strong today. There are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren of theses same commercial fi sherman who are now professional fi shing guides, once again fi nding and sharing Pine Island’s riches with the visitors that are drawn to the areas beaches and vacation destinations. Most of which populate the beautiful white sandy beaches on the barrier islands and bordering southwest coastline. I’m living proof of one such family that has over the years found and experienced the treasure of this wonderful place and its surrounding waters.

My greatgrandfather was the fi rst in our family to look to the bountiful Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound to support his wife and children. His son, my grandfather, also made his living off the sound, working as a commercial fi sherman and at a fi sh processing house. My father carried on the tradition working on skiffs and boats for over 25 years chasing blue crabs, mullet, stone crabs and shrimp. In the late 80’s and early 90’s he began guiding eager fi shermen to silver, gold, and bronze of a different source in the likes of tarpon, grouper and redfi sh. Today, passed on to me and my son, we are yet two more generations looking for the true fortunes this beautifully historic body of water yields.

Contributing to this editorial is well known Capt. Ben Chauncey. Ben’s grandfather fi rst brought him to this special place when he was only a young boy. Capt. Ben collaborates what a special jewel Pine Island Sound is to all those who have spent a day on the waters he knows so well. Ben earns his livelihood on Pine Island Sound through his charter service and television production, Chew on This. Through these mediums Ben does a fabulous job sharing the excitement this extraordinary area has to offer.

If you glance at a chart, you will quickly notice that Pine Island Sound is long and narrow. It’s fed by an abundance of fresh water pouring out of the Caloosa-hatchee River on its southern end, which at times can stain the lower half of the Sound into a dark tea color. Along the western shores of Pine Island Sound you’ll fi nd a series of barrier islands bordering the Gulf of Mexico including Cayo Costa, Captiva and Sanibel. Between these barrier islands anglers will see Captiva Pass, Redfi sh Pass, and Blind Pass, all replenish the sound with nutrient rich Gulf waters. Just to the north of Pine Island Sound is world renowned Boca Grande and charming Charlotte Harbor.

With the combination of all the fore-mentioned features Pine Island Sound is an outstanding destination for wildlife and fi sh of all kinds, leaving us in awe of what a diverse and truly amazing place this really is. On any given trip it’s not uncommon to see bald eagles, ospreys as well as a variety of wading birds including egrets, herons and spoonbills. Playful dolphin and manatees are also usually encountered.

With mile after mile of mangrove shoreline, acre upon acre of lush grass fl ats, endless spoil islands, countless oyster bars, hundreds of deep holes, and more fi xed structures than one could count; it’s a tough task picking one out of the thousands of fi shy spots to start off your fi shing adventure. One constant you can always count on here in the sound, due to the three passes and narrow shape of the waterway wind and tide MUST be considered when planning your trip. Fishing the tides properly will be crucial to your success. Special attention should be paid to all the islands in the northern portion of the sound including Useppa and Cabbage Key where you can still pull your boat up, tie off and walk to restaurants for a pleasant afternoon meal. Other points of interest include the fi sh shacks which were originally built for commercial fi shermen as places to rest and replenish their supplies. Some of these dilapidated shacks date back over 100 years though most are approx. 60 to 70 years old. The rustic sheds add to the old world charm of Pine Island Sound and its rich fi shing history. Unfortunately many of the already meager dwellings were damaged even further by Hurricane Charley, so they’re not exactly the sound structures they once used to be.

As this article hits newsstands Pine Island Sound is experiencing a whirlwind of activity. The door to the spring season is being fl ung wide open with outstanding inshore fi shing. Hungry kingfi sh, Spanish mackerel, bonita, cobia, tarpon, snapper, grouper and many others are laying siege to Pine Island Sound’s waters as they demolish schools of baitfi sh working their way northward along southwest Florida’s coastal waters. Thousands of snook, redfi sh, trout, fl ounder, bluefi sh, jacks, ladyfi sh and more are now invading the lush grass fl ats, natural mangrove shorelines, and snaggy oyster bars. All are ready to pounce on your bait after surviving a long winter of slim pickings. Whether you’re a light tackle junkie, hard core terminal addict, or one who just wants to connect with nature with a fl y rod, Pine Island Sound is truly like discovering a treasure chest full of shimmering jewels.

Sound Strategies:

The majority of Pine Island Sound consists of shallow fl ats covered by carpets of heavy grass cover, all of which are surrounded by endless miles of mangrove shoreline. On a falling tide an assortment of species patrol the shoreline and edges of these fl ats in search of shiners, sardines and delectable crustaceans. Working DOA and Exude scented soft plastics, Zara Spooks and an assortment of live baits should all produce excellent results. Work your offerings right on the edge where the shallow banks drop off into 3 or 4ft. water. The multitude of pot holes dotting the fl ats should not go overlooked either.

Overall the most productive fl ats tend to be those that fully expose during the lowest tidal stages. On the incoming tide stalk reds as they move onto these fl ats to feed and of course it’s not uncommon to fi nd a limit of trout in these same areas.

Snook are top targets in the sound with the best action occurring around the mangrove shorelines and numerous potholes adjacent to the sandy channels. During summer and early fall, expect the confi nes of Redfi sh and Captiva Pass to provide consistent action on healthy size linesiders. Many of which have taken on a silver hue from hovering just above the sand. The center of the sound features well defi ned rocky shoals and serrated oyster bars, along with numerous clearly marked channels. Throughout a large portion of the sound you’ll also fi nd mangrove points jotting out into open water. Snook use these ambush points as perfect hideouts, nonchalantly picking off prey as they unsuspectingly swim by.

Throwing plastic shrimp and soft bodied jigs into the roots is a tactic that’s hard to beat. A combination of a live shrimp and Hank Brown Hook Up Lure is also an excellent choice and one that novices can fi sh well.

If that isn’t enough, there isn’t much that’s as exciting as stumbling onto a pack of snook patrolling the mouth of one of the narrow creeks that funnel out into any of the many small bays. Redfi sh, sea trout and juvenile tarpon are also common visitors to these feeding stations. I prefer to position myself way back and work top-water baits across the whole area. Often you’ll fi nd pot holes here as well which should not go unnoticed. Tarpon are one of Pine Island Sound’s top attractions and can usually be found from there distinctive rolling from spring through early fall. They concentrate in areas where large volumes of bait rich water pour into the sound. The three major passes (Captiva, Redfi sh, Blind) are obviously the fi rst places to look, followed by the beaches and then the deepest trenches.

Cobia, snapper, grouper, tripletail, jacks and mackerel are just a few of the other species usually encountered. Running into any of these guys is especially exciting! All are fantastic fi ghters and can be caught on a variety of baits and tackle.

Sound Rigging:

Whether you prefer natural or artifi cial baits, rigging should be kept fairly simple, though proper rigging is crucial to your overall success. With so many sharp oyster bars and unforgiving mangrove roots, spooling your reel with at least 200 yards of 10-15lb. braid is the best way to go. In the open water you can get away with monofi lament but not when in the vicinity of the rugged structure. Match your casting or spinning reel to a med. action 7-1/2ft. graphite rod. Finish off the terminal end with 36 inches of 20lb. fl uorocarbon leader material and regardless if you’re tying on an Owner hook or artifi cial bait, a loop knot will allow the most natural presentation.

Lures:

There are many, many artifi cial baits that are effective in Pine Island Sound. The long list includes top-water baits, suspending plugs, soft bodied shrimp and grubs, spoons, spinner baits and many more. Having an assortment of each on hand will insure you are ready for whatever situation arises.

RECOMMENDED FISHING GUIDES FOR THE AREA:

Capt. Terry Pitz: www.FlyFishingSWFL.com
Capt. Ben Chauncey: www.ChewOnThisCharters.com
Capt. Butch Rickey: www.BarHoppr.com
Capt. Austin Lowder: www.SeaAndStream.com
Capt. Ron Kowalek: www.FishSwFla.com

LODGING INFORMATION:

Contact the Chambers of Commerce:
*Pine Island: www.PineIslandChamber.org
*Cape Coral: www.CapeCoralChamber.com
*Ft. Myers : www.FortMyers.org
*Sanibel & Captiva: www.Sanibel-Captiva.org

PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS:

Pine Island - Pineland
Cape Coral - Cape Coral Yacht Club
Fort Myers – Punta Rassa
Sanibel Island – At the Sanibel Causeway

Capt. Marc Noe is a third generation professional fisherman. He grew up working with his father on the families commercial and charter fi shing boats on the Gulf coast of Florida. Marc holds a Business Administration degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University where he had the privilege to play center on the Basketball team. He is active in the community using his passion for fi shing to benefi t children’s charities and youth groups. Capt. Marc is also a fi eld staff writer for the S. F. S. F. Magazine, and writes a monthly regional report for the Saltwater Angler Magazine in the Tampa Bay area. Since, 1999 to the present he has had the privilege of sharing his love for the Gulf Coast of Florida and his passion for excellent fi shing through his charter fi shing service, Florida Fishing Charters. Marc can be reached at Florida Fishing Charters, (813) 363-1743 mnoe@tampabay.rr.com www.FloridaFishingChartersOnline.com