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December 2022 – Freshwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
December was a great month for many of our fishermen that wanted to escape the cold from up north. However, little did they know it would still be a little chilly down here in Florida! For us, numerous twenty degree temperature changes were common which made fishing tough. Earlier in the year, we had success catching specks or crappie, but we couldn’t seem to find them stacked up in December. Even our bass fishing purest seemed happy to feel any type of a pull, whether it was a long-nose gar, catfish, bowfin, or largemouth bass. Total catch numbers ranged from a few to the high teens in a half-day, and the biggest fish caught was around 6 lbs. Hopefully, we’ll see those temperatures rise soon and the spawn will be on in late January! Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water.
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November 2022-Freshwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
It seems as though there have been a few more cold fronts than usual, and it has had a slight impact on the fishing. The water temperature has dropped to approximately 63 degrees, but the water clarity is very high. This isn’t a huge problem, but we had to lengthen our fluorocarbon leader for a more natural presentation. Additionally, trolling is back! This time of year the hydrilla and nytilla growth suppresses, leading to be able to troll crankbaits in 12 ft deep water. Species caught this month included long-nose gar, largemouth bass, and chain pickerel. In all, any tactic that yields success is an option!
Thank you to all my November families and fishermen, and we look forward to an awesome December. Thank you for reading!
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November 2022 – Saltwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
With the inconsistent November weather, it placed a greater importance on game planning and fishing tactics. On breezy days, the challenge was to find areas out of the wind while still yielding success. Additionally, it seemed if the bite was slightly off we could still catch fish if we placed our baits in the perfect spots. Fish caught this month included a multitude of species including speckled trout, mangrove snapper, ladyfish, spanish mackerel, and gag grouper. The gag grouper can be harvested until the end of next month, but are always fun to catch! Thank you to all my November clients, whom often remind me how wonderful the Florida weather is in comparison to the northern states. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
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October 2022 – Freshwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
With the water starting to cool down a few degrees, there is tons of scattered baitfish. This worked out well first thing in the morning, especially when targeting schooling fish. Successful artificial baits included topwater poppers and walk-the-dog lures. However, many days we quickly switched to live bait as soon as the fish stopped busting the surface. Plus, with more than two fishermen on the boat the live bait is the safest technique for beginners or experts alike. This time of year it’s important to have fun, enjoy the weather, and appreciate every fish landed. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
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October 2022 – Saltwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the overall health of both coasts look so good. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have taken the necessary steps to help replinish the fisheries, and the results are wonderful. Here at Martin Family Charters, the speckled trout, redfish, mangrove snapper, spanish mackerel, and lady fish are starting to bite well if the conditions allow. I especially would like to thank a few of my October fishing charter groups that braved some of the windy days. It’s always tough to forecast, but hopefully November will be amazing. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
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September 2022 – Saltwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
We are on them at Martin Family Charters! September was one of the best fishing months in a long time, particularly in Tampa Bay. With the advantage of being able to fish both coasts, it gives our clients the best option based on numerous fishing conditions. Redfish, trout, mangrove snapper, and spanish mackerel have been the most consistent species caught. However, I haven’t seen many snook, flounder, or sharks lately. Regardless, we always have fun and we’ll do anything we can to ensure a great day on the water. Thank you for reading, and we hope to see you on the water in October!
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September 2022 – Freshwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
With it getting warm so quickly, it was imperative for us to get started early in September. Almost every day the largemouth bass were chasing bait around sunrise. This led to some awesome topwater action, even though it was for a short amount of time. Later in the day, we had to find humps or ledges next to deeper, cooler water to have success catching fish. This is a welcomed challenge, and depending on the day can be a little difficult to figure out. On one trip in particular with repeat clients, we finally got in to them right at the end of the trip! Either way, at Martin Family Charters we’ll always do everything we can to have success on the water. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you in October!
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August 2022 – Saltwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
The ability to fish either coast based on weather conditions was crucial for Martin Family Charters this month. With hurricanes or tropical storms off the east coast, the extra half hour drive to Tampa proved to be worth it. Schools of baitfish are turning up in abundance, as the pelicans, sea gulls, and cormorants are having their fill. With the restrictions on speckled trout and redfish, it seems as though they are making a strong comeback as well. Even though you can’t keep any right now, it does provide a lot of exciting action! Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water in September!
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August 2022 – Freshwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
It’s been said over and over that it’s called fishing, and not catching. For the month of August, this reined true. The fish should be congratulated for doing such a good job hiding. Normally, with the down-scan and side-imaging on the depth finder we are able to find them, but not so much this month. However, we did manage to land a few fish on every outing, and no one got “skunked”. Weather played a huge role with it being hot, and as soon as there were clouds, wind, or rain the fish started to bite. Looking forward to a better September, and I hope to see you on the water!
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July 2022 – Saltwater
BY: Tim / 0 COMMENTS / CATEGORIES: Uncategorized
What a wonderful month for the seas! It’s that time of year where we really have to pay close attention to the radar, and watch for the afternoon pop-up thunderstorms. However, with our casting off around 7 in the morning, it cuts out that variable. Inshore, this has been a few months in row of lots of species being caught, but not a lot of keeper fish. Considering most of our groups are down on vacation this is a non-issue, but we did strive to catch the biggest fish possible all the time. Offshore, both coasts have had consistantly manageable seas from 1-3 ft. It’s sometimes a long ride, but it is fun to target snappers, amberjacks, and grouper! Below is a beautiful AJ caught on a pinfish. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
