The Sand Dollar Magazine Spring 2014 | Page 36

Spring is in the Air! Let’s Go Fis by Mallory Herzo “If your new to the area or new to fishing, Fishin’ Franks in Port Charlotte offers a fishing seminar on various topics at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant. These are hosted by Fishin’ Frank himself, Robert & Captain Cayle. They meet the 2nd Tuesday & Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. Tuesday night is reserve seating, and Wednesday is open seating. To make a reservation call 941625-3888 to learn from the best!” Fishin' Franks 4425 Tamiami Trail Charlotte Harbor, FL 33980 (941) 625-3888 Pictured: Andrew Herzog Spring is in the air across southwest Florida. Many of us already enjoying the beautiful weather and sunshine. Warming temps and our mild winter is bringing spring to us a bit early, which also means great fishing is already beginning! For fishermen here and across the globe, spring time usually brings the best fishing season of the year. The months of April and May, the water really comes alive with an array of marine life. The best part of saltwater fishing is that there are so many species out there, you never know what may be on the other end of your line. Tarpon season is one of the most popular in 35 | THE SAND DOLLAR our region. Every spring, May especially, these magnificent fish pack into our passes and beaches preparing for their spawning and migration. There are various tarpon tournaments in May, and they are so exciting to watch from the beach. I’m already seeing a few of these rolling in Boca Grande Pass. I hope that this year I will get to experience a tarpon catch on light tackle. These fish love crabs and green backs. It’s remarkable that such a large fish (100-200lbs) is attracted to such a small live bait! It seems they just can’t resist a delicious crab. Along our gulf beaches we will start to see many different species. Spanish Mackerel, jacks