Canal Fishing (Port Charlotte, Venice, Punta Gorda: buying a home, buying, live)

[jverreaux]

My wife and I would love to retire in the Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda area. We are very interested in buying a home on a salt water canal to take advantage of the great fishing. My assumption is that the canals closer to the harbor or rivers provide the best fishing and variety of fish. If my assumption is correct, how far inland can one go before canal fishing isn’t very good? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jon

[Harbor Hopper]

All saltwater canal fishing is more/less seasonal. Winter is best when more fish look for warmer water. In most canals you will be able to catch mangrove snapper, juvenile snook & redfish, sheepshead, ladyfish, catfish, etc... once the water starts to warm (april-nov) you will primarily catch catfish in the canals

[TamRE]

Charlotte Harbor is the best fishing location in Southwest Florida. Boca Grande is known as the best tarpon fishing in the world. Some of the canals have more fish than others, and as Harbor Hopper said, the type of fish is seasonal. There are tarpon, redfish, snook, speckled trout, cobia, grouper, kingfish, snapper and many other species.

If you want to learn a great deal about fishing in the area go to Fishin Franks web site in Port Charlotte at: Fishin' Frank's

As far as homes on salt water canals, there are plenty in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. Some are direct access to the Gulf and others may have one or more bridges to the Gulf. Charlotte County also has the Peace River and Myakka River which offer great boating and fishing.

[kyjake39]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

All saltwater canal fishing is more/less seasonal. Winter is best when more fish look for warmer water. In most canals you will be able to catch mangrove snapper, juvenile snook & redfish, sheepshead, ladyfish, catfish, etc... once the water starts to warm (april-nov) you will primarily catch catfish in the canals

While in PC in March will try the canals as well as piers hoping to catch something for supper.Mangrove is one of our favorites and also like redfish.For mangrove I normally use small minnows when fishing the panhandle area and would think that would still be a good bait if some could be netted,ladyfish chunks have worked well for me for redfish.Are there areas where bait can be netted this time of the year?Don't like using shrimp as the baitfish eat more of it than the targeted species.Plan on trying for pompano and whiting from piers if any are around.Any tips would be appreciated.

[TamRE]

Originally Posted by kyjake39

While in PC in March will try the canals as well as piers hoping to catch something for supper.Mangrove is one of our favorites and also like redfish.For mangrove I normally use small minnows when fishing the panhandle area and would think that would still be a good bait if some could be netted,ladyfish chunks have worked well for me for redfish.Are there areas where bait can be netted this time of the year?Don't like using shrimp as the baitfish eat more of it than the targeted species.Plan on trying for pompano and whiting from piers if any are around.Any tips would be appreciated.

Here is a link to the fishing piers in Charlotte County - Where to Catch Fish in Charlotte County Florida ~ Fishing Piers

You can also try the Venice Jettys
Venice Florida Fishing

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by jverreaux

.....My assumption is that the canals closer to the harbor or rivers provide the best fishing and variety of fish. If my assumption is correct, how far inland can one go before canal fishing isn’t very good? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jon

Any PC/PG saltwater gulf canal will have plenty of fish. None of the canals go that far inland to keep the fish away, the only thing that stops them are the dams upstream. I've seen more "resident" snook farther inland than close to the harbor. You probably won't have as many transient fish though, unless you chum them in. Being close to the harbor is more important for boating ease than fishing, and that is pretty important IMO.

[daFrogMan]

We're 2 miles from the harbor proper. Have caught a Red, couple trout and lots of cats if bottom fishing. A buddy lives off of spring lake and always catches Reds, Black Drums, Snook, and once in a while a rogue tarpon. I think the closer to the harbor the better. Not too much on the Pellam canal. Although MA does well sometimes. Blue claw crabs are a different story. Sometimes they run great. Sometimes it takes a week to get a dozen or so. Spring lake has lots more of barnicles than we do so the salt content I'm sure is more there. Regardless, we're still on the water!!!

[Messing About]

Thanks for the honorable mention. Almost everything that's in the harbor, comes into the canals. I'm pretty far back, 2.6 miles from open throttle and I have photos of a 5' tarpon behind my house. I've got much better landing snook back there and have also got mangrove snapper, reds, jacks, ladyfish, too many cats and even 2 large mouth bass who were asking for directions back to the spillway. I've also had countless hours of being skunked out there. It's all part of messing about! A visitor from Buffalo caught and released 7 rat reds from my dock in 2009. That's a record at my house.

Speaking of records, my buddy and I caught 15 different species in the harbor in one last winter. Over 100 fish released at the boat. Personal best for sure.

Frogman, I saw your boat on the lift last weekend. Had her out yet?

[daFrogMan]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Frogman, I saw your boat on the lift last weekend. Had her out yet?

Howdy, first day out threw a rod bolt through the front of the block. Still made it home though would only turn up 4200 rpms. A little JB Weld and kept it under 1800 r's, made it back to the ramp. Picked up an old 115 crossflow and swapped powerheads. Ran decent last w/e. Planning on this w/e somewhat close to home. Only have $1500 in the whole shooting match. At least I can get to the bridge and do some fish'n. Not that good on gas but we had a good chop last w/e and only ran <20.
Cheers!

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by daFrogMan

first day out threw a rod bolt through the front of the block.

I had that happen t0 me before parts came rite between the 2 front seats old merc stil made it back to the house and would start