The Olson Family from Middlebury, CT wore big smiles as they showed off their catch. Fishing with Captain Jeff Zasadny, the Olson's caught redfish and mangrove snappers. Fishing was best in the upper reaches of Pine Island Sound just inside North Captiva.

If you would like to catch fish like the Olson Family you can contact Captain Jeff by calling Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina on Captiva Island at 239-472-5800.

The Cenatempo Family of Atlanta enjoyed a beautiful day on the water while fishing with Captain Shawn Kelly. Dan and Roxanne and their children Jack and Cara fished Redfish Pass which separates the islands of Captiva and North Captiva. The catch of the day included several mangrove snappers and a sheepshead. Live shrimp was the bait of choice.

Captain Shawn works out of Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina located on Captiva Island in Florida near the mainland area of Fort Myers. Shawn can be reached at 239-472-5800.

Shane Kelly, age 10, of Cape Coral, Florida recently caught a flounder off the dock at Jensen's Twin Palm Marina. Shane caught some of his own bait fish and also used live shrimp he had purchased. The flounder hit on the live shrimp.

Shane also caught several grouper not quite keeper size. If it wasn't for school or football season Shane would be fishing all the time. Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina is located on Captiva Island just off the southwest coast of Florida near Ft. Myers.

Captain Doug Rigsby of Sanibel Island, Florida knows the spot to catch gray snapper. He won't say exactly where the location is other than near Captiva Pass which separates North Captiva Island and Cayo Costa which is one of the inlets that connects the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound.

Using live shrimp, Captain Doug and his charter managed to get their limit of snapper within an hour. Gray snapper is one of the finest eating fish there is, especially prepared whole and on the grill. If you'd like to try your luck at snapper fishing you can reach Captain Doug at Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina by calling 239-472-5800.

Avid fisherman Don Marano of Salt Lake City, Utah scored big with the black drum while fishing near Captiva Island off the coast of Southwest Florida. Don earned his success after fishing the local waters for many years and learning what works and what doesn't.

Don rented an 18ft. center console boat from Jensen's Twin Palm Marina. Bait of choice was live shrimp which Don rigged for casting around the old dock pilings near the tidal flow of Redfish Pass.

Tackle buying is a big part of the whole fishing experience. Sometimes valuable fishing time is wasted by getting to serious and second guessing your tackle purchase. Where ever you fish, consult your local bait shop. Take their advice so you can get back on the water catching fish as soon as possible.

Right now fishing the flats off Captiva Island with floating Yo-Zuri chrystal minnows is providing plenty of action. When the is tide right, plenty of snook and redfish are being caught.

If have you have a trip planned to the Sanibel Captiva island area near Ft. Myers, Florida swing on by Jensen's Twin Palm Marina and Cottages and they will provide with the current and best information on what tackle to use to catch a big one.

Around noon time and also later on in the afternoon the usual suspects gather around the fish cleaning table at Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina. This day was no different as Captain Jimmy Burnsed was busy filleting fish as his charter customers and a few pelicans watched intently.

David and Penny McCaleb of Atlanta, Georgia caught several beautiful redfish and were able to bring a couple home for dinner. Captain Jimmy fishes the Pine Island Sound area near Captiva Island.

If you would like to line up a charter with Captain Jimmy Burnsed, you may call Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina at (239)-472-5800 for contact information.

Chris and Janet Hynes of Boca Raton, Florida enjoyed a recent fishing trip with Captain Shawn Kelly. This crew fished many areas throughout Pine Island Sound favoring the Captiva Island area.

While drifting Redfish Pass as it enters the Gulf of Mexico, Captain Shawn attempted to raise a snook or two. To everyone on board surprise, a very large flounder was landed. The crew brought the fish back to Jensen's marina where Captain Shawn prepared the catch for the happy couple. A crowd gathered and most commented as to the fish being "the biggest flounder ever been caught in these waters".

If you would like to book a charter with Captain Shawn you can reach him at Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina by calling (239)-472-5800.

Jeff Angello and family of North Caldwell, New Jersey just finished a fun vacation week on Captiva Island which is located just off the coast of Ft. Myers, Florida. Fishing was a big part of the Angello's getaway so they took advantage of the Gulf of Mexico only being 150ft. from their Jensen's on the Gulf beachfront cottage.



In the photo is Jeff, age 7, proudly showing the beautiful snook he had caught. Just prior to landing the fish, Jeff fished thru a huge school of ladyfish. A shiny jig was Jeff's bait of choice.



The next evening the Angello's enjoyed a dinner of fresh seafood which included a squid also caught along the beach. The Angello's know how live it up!

The last couple of days a blue streak appeared around Captiva Island. Matt, John, Pete, and Keith who operate Blue Streak Tile out of Naples, Florida did a guys fishing getaway to Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina. This is an annual retreat for the guys and this year it was one of their best.

The weather was great, 80 degrees under blue skies and the fishing was fantastic. Using live shrimp and cut sardines the crew caught several keeper size grouper and snappers.

Across the bay from Captiva Island is a little known secret for fresh seafood lovers, especially those who prefer not catch their own. George Henry Long of Southhampton, England and Queenie Viglione of Captiva went by boat from Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina to Kibbe and Son's Fish House located on Pine Island for a fresh seafood fix.

Sheepshead, mullet and farm raised clams were available this day. George and Queenie went for the mullet and sheepshead. Upon return to Captiva, Queenie did her magic and prepared and incredible seafood meal of the fresh mullet and sheepshead.

If you are planning a trip to Sanibel or Capitva Islands off the coast of Southwest Florida and have craving for fresh fish, contact Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina at 239-472-5800 and arrange for a fun boat ride to Pine Island and pick up your own catch of the day.

Another great day of fishing for Captain Nelson Diaz as his charter Jeff Dickson landed both snook and redfish. Captain Nelson fished the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River where it meets San Carlos Bay and Pine Island Sound.

Jeff caught over 20 snook and redfish with Captain Nelson's help. The guys used live white bait and had luck during both the incoming and outgoing tides. Jeff splits his time between Dallas, PA where he has a manufacturing business and Captiva, Fl where he loves to fish.

Captain Nelson works out of Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina on Captiva Island and he can be reached at (239)-472-5800.

One of the more fun aspects of fishing is catching bait. In the Southwest Florida area the back bays and coastal shorelines are great habitats for using a castnet to catch bait. Using a castnet for the first time can be a little tricky.

Captain Shawn Kelly of Jensen's Marina has helped many a fisherman learn the art of throwing a castnet. First he throws it a couple of times to show how it is done then he guides the would be bait catcher on how to do it on their own. This particular fisherman helped by Captain Shawn was very happy as he became a hero to his young son for learning the art of throwing a castnet.

This weekend the Bait Box Castnet Rodeo takes place. Located on Sanibel Island, this annual event draws contestants of all ages to compete in various castnet throwing games for a chance to earn some great prizes. Jensen's Twin Palm Marina and Cottages has provided five $100 gift card raffle prizes.

If you are planning on visiting Sanibel or Captiva Islands, stop by Jensen's Marina and buy a castnet and one of the guys will show you how to use it. Happy Fishing!

Fishing machine Kurt Krattinger from Dawsonville, GA completed another successful fishing trip while staying at Jensen's Twin Palm Marina and Cottages. Fishing Pine Island Sound just off Captiva Island, Kurt used a variety of baits. A top water lure was the winning lunch ticket for his keeper redfish.

Kurt plans on fishing the oyster bars tomorrow as he feels the redfish will continue to be very active. Time is ticking away before he has to head back to northern Georgia, so Kurt will be packing in as much fishing as possible.

If you are visiting the Sanibel and Captiva Island area and would like some additional details as to how Kurt catches fish, stop by Jensen's Twin Palm Marina and Cottages or give them a call at 239-472-5800 and the Jensen Brothers will arrange for your very own special fishing trip.

Looking for something to do, four friends from the Pontiac, Michigan area stopped by Jensen's Marina to see if they could go fishing. Captain Nelson Diaz was available so Chris Kizy, Kevin Pefley, Mark Stryjewski, and Todd Zill boarded the "Summerwind" charter boat and headed for Pine Island Sound to fish the grass flats.

Captain Nelson rigged some of the guys equipment with live shrimp and the other's with simple jigs. Everyone caught fish which included seatrout and pompano. Later today the crew from Michigan are taking their catch to the Lazy Flamingo restaurant on Sanibel Island for a fresher than fresh seafood dinner.

If you plan to visit Ft. Myers, Florida area contact Jensen's Marina at 239-472-5800 for all your on the water interests including fishing, outer island shelling, sightseeing and dolphin cruises.

John Landry with Waterproof Charts out Punta Gorda enjoyed a day of fishing with Captain Shawn Kelly. Just south and west of Captiva Island at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, Captain Shawn found a hotspot for snook. John landed a beautiful 18lb fish as the tide was moving out. Shawn landed a 20lb snook as the tide stopped moving. Both fisherman used live pinfish for bait.

If you find your way to Captiva Island, stop by Jensen's Marina and ask for Captain Shawn Kelly and he will be sure to fill you in on the latest fishing hotspots. For additional fishing imformation for the Captiva and Sanibel Islands area visit our website at www.gocaptiva.com

Ray and Mary Lynn Posgay of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida are spending this week doing what they like to do most-fish. Yesterday morning they made their usual pit stop at Jensen's Marina on Captiva Island to pick up live bait shrimp for the days excursion.

The Posgay's loaded up their boat and headed for their fishing destination, the barrier island inlets off Pine Island Sound. Ray and Mary Lynn fished all morning then decided to take a lunch break, boat motor off, drifting out into the Gulf of Mexico, soaking up the sunshine. No reason to pull in the baits, just relax and enjoy their sandwiches.

Out of now where, Ray's line tighten's and takes off screaming. Ray dropped his sandwich and grabbed his rod and started reeling in. On the other end was dinner, a beautiful 17 inch mangrove snapper. Eating lunch, drifting along in your boat, catching fish. What a day!

Last stop of the day, Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina to show off their catch and have their photo taken. If you would like to show off your catch and have your photo hang on the walls of Captiva's Fishing Hall of Fame at Jensen's Marina call us at 239-472-5800 and let us know you are on your way. For additional Captiva Island area fishing information visit our website at www. gocaptiva.com

Tides are similar to weather as they are a major topic of fisherman and there is nothing one can do about them. A recent discussion of the subject at Jensen's Twin Palm Marina brought abut a common concern among visiting fisherman to Captiva Island-is the tide coming in or is the tide going out.

Listening to the captains who fish for a living throughout our area of Southwest Florida one will learn that the direction of the tide movement is of less importance than how fast the water is dropping or rising. The quicker the tide water movement the better fishing. Some tide charts provide relative tide movements and can be interpreted to know how quickly the water will be moving at any given time of day.

If you would like a tide chart sent to you or have questions regarding fishing the near waters of Captiva Island, contact Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina at 239-472-5800 or visit their website at www. gocaptiva.com

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Hunter Davis, age 11, along with his dad Rich, made a weekend visit to Jensen's Twin Palm Resort and Marina on Captiva Island which is located along the southwest coast of Florida. Fishing is always on the agenda for Hunter. This morning the father and son team rented a boat from Jensen's and headed for Captiva Pass where they drifted the eddies and currents of the waterway that separates North Captiva and Cayo Costa.

Photo is of Hunter with a saltwater catfish he caught just off the seawall at Jensen's marina. Hunter restocked his bait bucket with live shrimp and has high hopes of catching a snook under the lights at Jensen's Marina.

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Captain Shawn Kelly out of Jensen's Marina and Cottages on Captiva Island reported catching jacks off the beach. Fishing with Captain Shawn was Mike Ripka of Cape Coral. The guys used top water lures and jerk baits.

If you wish to contact Captain Shawn Kelly, call Jensen's Marina at (239)-472-5800 or visit their website at www.gocaptiva.com

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Fall is the time large bait shrimp find their way into Pine Island Sound, the body of water on which Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina is located. Live shrimp is the choice of bait for those who fish the waters surrounding Captiva Island which is located just off the coast of Southwest Florida.

Graeme Stewart and his son Gordon will testify to the effectiveness of live shrimp for bait as they both caught plenty of fish from the beach just south of the Mucky Duck Restaurant on Captiva Island. Both fisherman caught ladyfish. Graeme kept one of his ladyfish and used it for bait which resulted in a hookup of a huge tarpon. That's right, a huge tarpon right from the beach. Graeme was not prepared to catch a tarpon but he did manage to get one jump out this silver king before losing it.

All fisherman planning a trip to Captiva Island are welcome to contact Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina for local information at 239-472-5800 or visit their website at http://www.gocaptiva.com/

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

What a beautiful day. Breeze out of the east, palms swaying and the fish were biting. Kurt Krattinger of Dawsonville, Georgia left Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina on Captiva Island in Florida and headed straight for one of his favorite fishing spots.

Redfish Pass was Kurts destination, the swift moving body water that separates the islands of Captiva and North Captiva. Kurt had his poles rigged with plain leaded hair jig heads with the hopes of catching pompano. Instead, Kurt caught his limit of spotted seatrout, some of which he hooked by using a top water plug.

Before heading back to the dock at Jensen's Marina, Kurt pointed his boat out into the Gulf of Mexico . The wave actionwas minimal. In the distance Kurt observed large patches of sea surface churning which as he approached he discovered to be thousands and thousands of mullet.

Tomorrow Kurt plans to return to the Gulf waters with his castnet aboard and load up on some mullet for the fish fry and music jam at Jensen's Marina this coming saturday night. Jimmy Jensen and The Trouble Starters Band will be performing. Call Jensen's today (239-472-5800), rent a cottage and experience a special moonlit night you'll never forget. Visit our website at www.gocaptiva.com