
Remember slot size for snook: 28-33 inches.
Capt. Pete Rapps
CaptainRapps@gmail.com
Here in the Ten Thousand Islands, we target many different species of fish throughout the year. As the seasons change, so do our target species and methods of how and where we fish for them. Our top shallow water targets include snook, redfish, speckled trout and tarpon. In addition to these four, we catch snapper, sheepshead, shark, tripletail, pompano, permit, cobia, gag and red grouper, spanish mackerel, king mackerel, flounder, catfish, jack crevalle, ladyfish and a few others. Below is a very brief explanation of our top four targets.
• Snook: There is great prestige in catching this very elusive, highly sought after sport and table fish. I target them all year long. Currently, you can only target them as “catch and release,” however when the season is open, you can keep one between the length of 28-33 inches. That is a 5-inch slot for the table, which really limits the amount taken from our pristine fishery, and has helped repopulate these fantastic fish. In

Reviving the ‘silver king’ (aka tarpon) after a fierce battle often requires a little help from the fishermen. PHOTOS BY CAPT PETE RAPPS
• Speckled trout: These are one of the premiere game fish of our shallow water grass flats. Not only are they great table fare, but they are terrific topwater fighters! When hooked on light spinning tackle, it will give you quite a show, as it dances and

Trout are worth the fight.
• Redfish: These are a super-challenging opponent on the grass beds and flats using light spin tackle. The shallower the water, the more thrilling the fight. The bulk of small marine life

Spot a redfish by its telltale black spot.
• Tarpon: These acrobatic sport fish come in all different sizes in our area. During the month of April, they start to move into the outside island bays, where they will lay up high on the water to absorb the warmth of the sunlight, making it great for sight fishing. Later on in the months of May to August, tarpon will gather in schools off of the outside beaches. The fight of a mighty tarpon is a true battle, and an experience of a lifetime. Tarpon are strictly sport fish and the satisfaction of a fully revived healthy fish is almost better than the battle itself.
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