Interviewing Bob Fraser and getting a few lessons at the same time.
“I enjoy meeting people from other parts of the country
and talking about things we have in common”
"I have seen people catch just one single catfish
on one day, and up to 20 trout at the same spot
on another day, given the tide and weather
conditions," he said.
After a few minutes, Bob hooked a small catfish,
and several moments later, angler Pat Bigness
caught a nice trout.
The guide recommends fishing for trout in about
five feet of “spotty bottom” water, which is where
the water gets a bit deeper and there is a mixture
of sand and seagrass.
When using live bait, it is suggested to wait about
ten seconds after casting out and then give a
couple of quick tugs on the line to get the attention
of the fish. The bait should always stay in motion,
so constant slow reeling is suggested. The same
method can be used with artificial lures.
Slack tide (a stand of the tide when the water is
completely unstressed) is a good time to head to
shore or out to a sandbar and take a lunch break.
The fish usually scatter at that time.
The most common fish caught around Gasparilla
Island are seatrout, catfish, pinfish and snook.
July/August 2018 GASPARILLA ISLAND 27