Try something new this season. Fly fishing is an easy and fun way to fish.

Many clients have watched me fly fish and say, “I’ve always wanted to try that, but I hear it’s really hard.”

I’m here to tell you it’s not, and this is the perfect place to learn because we have so much shallow water and lots of willing biters. Usually I am able to get a complete novice casting and catching fish in less than 20 minutes.

The long rod is a very efficient tool. If two anglers are moving down a shoreline casting, one armed with a spinning rod the other a fly rod, the fly guy will be make two to four times the number of casts, to different targets, than the spin guy.

With the fly rod you don’t have to reel your lure all the way back to the boat to recast. Cast your fly to the target and retrieve the fly a few feet through the prime strike zone, and then with a simple stroke of the rod, pick up the fly line, pause, then stroke again, and lay the fly down in another prime spot while the spin guy is still reeling back through unproductive waters.

A fly rod outfit consists of a rod, reel, and fly line, backing line, and leader. A state-of-the-art rod will cost $500 to $700 or more, as will the reel, and you easily can invest $2,000 into it by the time you are done.

Getting started requires $200 to $300 or less for a decent starter outfit. Anglers’ Outlet has a selection of starter rods and Lehr’s Economy Tackle has all your fly tackle needs. I am also available via e-mail to answer any fly issue as well as providing instruction.

From ladyfish to trout, all the way to tarpon and marlin, all will eat a tiny concoction of feathers and fur wrapped on a hook. There is no other fishing method that puts you so one-on-one with fish. It’s well worth a try.

Fishing reports



n Fishing good wind/bad wind. That really sums it up as fishing continues to heat up in our area.

Jason, at Anglers’ Outlet reports action on sandy potholes in Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass for reds, snook, and trout when the wind allows you to get out, and still some tarpon activity in the river.

It’s really awesome to see the river fishing so strong after these past rainy years and the Big O discharges that were causing big problems not only for the river, but the whole marine environment at the end of it. Usually, if you give nature a fighting chance, it will heal itself.

n Capt. Rob of SoulMate Charters is catching a mixed bag of Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and pompano off the Sanibel Lighthouse, and trout fishing in the lower part of the sound. Look for the grass flats areas. He recommends a bobber and D.O.A. brand shrimp combo.

This is a great area (the Lighthouse) to take a kid fishing when these mixed-bag schools of fish are in, because if you can cast you will get a bite. These fish are there to feed and at times will eat almost anything you throw at them. Try small jigs, spoons, anything flashy. Drift and cast or chum.

Also, this is a super way to start saltwater fly fishing. With that many fish around it’s not hard to get your fly rod into action.

n Capt. Casey out of D&D in Matlacha tells of very good trout fishing this past week in and around the grass flats in the sound, using plastic jerk baits. Also, look for snook on sandy points of mangrove islands.



Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. Contact him at captgeorget3@aol.com, or (239) 282-9434.