OUTDOORS

Fishingcast: Conditions for Southwest Florida, April 13-19

Capt. Bill Walsh

dawnpatrolmarco@cs.com

Wind, through Tuesday. Churns water clarity. Rain Sunday. New moon early week. Strong p.m. outgoing tides. Water temp to 72-74.

MARCO ISLAND

Backwater: All spring conditions. Mackerel, blues move nearshore in churned water. Snapper size increases; mangrove edges, downed fauna. Snook active early, late docks, current points with pilchards. Some redfish Johnson, Rookery.
Nearshore: Mackerel et al stack on structure with clean water. Jigs worked over chum. First, second reefs snapper, lane, mangrove. Start bottom action, black tips; Five Mile.
Offshore: Chancy sea conditions early week. Grouper super deep 60-70’ hard bottom, live bait. Kings showing, wrecks holding bait. Good snapper action inside reefs.

Backwater: Water churned late weekend. Mackerel move to nearshore. Good first light snook action early weekend Gordon to Port Royal. Snapper action Rookery, Henderson Creek, moderate a.m. tide.
Nearshore: Snapper north edges Keewaydin Reef incoming. Mackerel stacked east edges Gordon 5. Lane, mangrove snapper beneath.
Offshore: Bouncy early week. Kings show mid, deep wrecks with bait. Snapper action hot mid-range artificial reefs; SW Gordon.

Backwater: Good action early week first light snook Carlos, New on pilchards post shower. Redfish scattered east wall creeks mid-day high under overhangs with shrimp. Trout thick circa Mound Key grass.
Nearshore: Backwater mack’s assemble east edges MAY complex. On tipped jigs over chum. Same venue snapper, deep, weighted jigs.
Offshore: Rough water till late week. Yellowtail snapper mid depth art reefs, a.m. incoming, freelined shrimp. Deep reefs with heavy bait for kings.

Questions: dawnpatrolmarco@cs.com.