# Boca Grande



## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

So a buddy of mine wants to fish Boca Grande in August. I fish near there a couple of times a year, and I have always avoided the craziness in there. He talked me into it though. Any tips on etiquette in there? How crazy is it in august?


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

The area or the pass?


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

BrownDog said:


> The area or the pass?


The pass in specific.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

The pass should be pretty clear at that time - the tarpon have moved out.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

All the guides just left last week for vacation. That’s when you know the poons left.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Gotcha, thanks for the intel.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

First rule of fight club...


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

Your late...if your booked still good flats fishing for reds and trout


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

There is excellent flats fishing west of Boca Grand pass. If you hold that west heading, it’s called Port Aransas.


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

What kind of boat are you going to be using?


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

We have two flats boats. 18 Hewes and a 17 Action Craft


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## Ben (Dec 21, 2016)

You’ll be fine. Can get a little sloppy in the pass when wind and tide are opposed but you can fish just about everything in the area with those 2 boats.


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## Floridangler (5 mo ago)

It will be relatively quiet, plenty of good fishing still but yes the tarpon crazies have moved out. It's possible you could still come across a tarpon or two though... they don't all leave.


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## Featherweight (Jan 7, 2020)

Pine Island Sound, Bull Bay, Turtle Bay and Gasparilla Sound have plenty for you to do.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Ok, thanks for the info! I’ll report back how we do.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

We made the run, and as predicted, there was not much boat traffic in the pass. One other boat was there though, and he seemed to know what he was doing, so I got a sense of the drift pattern. We hooked three fish, none of which we were able to get to the boat. I am embarrassed to report that the one I had on pulled my knot. It was an Albright, but not correctly tied I guess. The other one on my boat broke off. Not sure they were tarpon, as they didn’t jump. Maybe sharks or Goliath Grouper or something?
it was a fun day though. I’m glad we went. The rest of the trip went well, we caught a lot of fish around Matlacha.

One surprising thing I learned. A guy that was on my boat, was the brother in law of one of the guys on the other boat. He’s an accountant at a land development company in Rhode Island. They are developing some or all of the tree farms on pine island into apartment complexes. I fear for the future of Matlacha.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

Bill Payne said:


> One surprising thing I learned. A guy that was on my boat, was the brother in law of one of the guys on the other boat. He’s an accountant at a land development company in Rhode Island. They are developing some or all of the tree farms on pine island into apartment complexes. I fear for the future of Matlacha.


should have accidentally tossed him to the sharks.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

jonny said:


> should have accidentally tossed him to the sharks.


😂


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## Floridangler (5 mo ago)

Bill Payne said:


> We made the run, and as predicted, there was not much boat traffic in the pass. One other boat was there though, and he seemed to know what he was doing, so I got a sense of the drift pattern. We hooked three fish, none of which we were able to get to the boat. I am embarrassed to report that the one I had on pulled my knot. It was an Albright, but not correctly tied I guess. The other one on my boat broke off. Not sure they were tarpon, as they didn’t jump. Maybe sharks or Goliath Grouper or something?
> it was a fun day though. I’m glad we went. The rest of the trip went well, we caught a lot of fish around Matlacha.
> 
> One surprising thing I learned. A guy that was on my boat, was the brother in law of one of the guys on the other boat. He’s an accountant at a land development company in Rhode Island. They are developing some or all of the tree farms on pine island into apartment complexes. I fear for the future of Matlacha.


Not sure I like the sound of that. only one way on and off the island, Matlacha is already a traffic jam as is.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Floridangler said:


> Not sure I like the sound of that. only one way on and off the island, Matlacha is already a traffic jam as is.


Yeah, that is definitely a concern. Also paving all that land is going to send a lot more runoff into the water around it. That won’t be good for the fishing either.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

Bill Payne said:


> Yeah, that is definitely a concern. Also paving all that land is going to send a lot more runoff into the water around it. That won’t be good for the fishing either.


I came so close to moving there. It’s just that hell hole Cape Coral is just across that little bridge. But somehow still when you are on the island it feels like “old Florida”. Lots of trees and dirt roads. I guess the local city council is selling Florida’s soul out for a bigger tax base once again. Being apartments means not many boats-hopefully. But hey at least that guy and a few of his buddies in RI will make a few bucks destroying it and the surrounding environment forever. Seems like reasonable trade off to me
👍


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## Floridangler (5 mo ago)

Bill Payne said:


> Yeah, that is definitely a concern. Also paving all that land is going to send a lot more runoff into the water around it. That won’t be good for the fishing either.


Just don’t want to see high rises there. Hopefully we can keep the natural skyline when in Pine Island Sound. Scary thought having that change.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

There goes the neighborhood!


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## Skeetershick_c4 (12 mo ago)

I’m pretty sure that there’s a 3 story cap on how tall they could be. There isn’t a single high rise on the island for a reason. Hopefully they weren’t able to find some kind of loophole or exemption.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Skeetershick_c4 said:


> I’m pretty sure that there’s a 3 story cap on how tall they could be. There isn’t a single high rise on the island for a reason. Hopefully they weren’t able to find some kind of loophole or exemption.


He called the projects he was working on ”market rate apartment rentals” I think. I’m thinking those typical sprawling three story complexes that are all over the place. He did not mention high rises.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

jonny said:


> I came so close to moving there. It’s just that hell hole Cape Coral is just across that little bridge. But somehow still when you are on the island it feels like “old Florida”. Lots of trees and dirt roads. I guess the local city council is selling Florida’s soul out for a bigger tax base once again. Being apartments means not many boats-hopefully. But hey at least that guy and a few of his buddies in RI will make a few bucks destroying it and the surrounding environment forever. Seems like reasonable trade off to me
> 👍


Yeah, I think the people around the island have been fighting the development for years. Looking like they lost.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

This whole area is blowing up big time. It was the last coastal area with a beach that wasn’t over developed. Property is ridiculous rent is through the roof. My house according to the tax man went up $180k since we bought it 3 years ago. Glad we got it when we did. But I got two teenage boys and just don’t see how they can have what I had in my twenties. I bought my first house at 25 for $110k. And it was in town not out in East Bumble.


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## Skeetershick_c4 (12 mo ago)

Between LCEC, property tax increase, flood and home insurance increases, it’ll be really hard to live here soon unless you’re trying to spend your nest egg.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

My uncle bought in Matlacha 30 years ago, my parents got their place 20 years ago crazy how in only the last few years this place has blown up!


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## Skeetershick_c4 (12 mo ago)

I’ve only lived in SWFL for 8 years. It’s incredible the amount it has grown. Previously it was only busy here during the winter. After that, it was a ghost town. Now it’s busy every day.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Skeetershick_c4 said:


> I’ve only lived in SWFL for 8 years. It’s incredible the amount it has grown. Previously it was only busy here during the winter. After that, it was a ghost town. Now it’s busy every day.


Try watching it for 55 years very sad thank God for my 8 acres in rural Lee County not sure if I will be able to afford it when I'm retired but atleast I can sell it for a bunch of money then get the hell out of here.


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## deep7roots (Jan 25, 2009)

Most likely goliaths or shark for sure


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