by Capt. Matt MItchell
With a full week of charters booked, I’m always looking at the 7-day weather forecast. This entire week has 10-20 mph winds, which means I will be tucking in the Ding Darling. This amazing fishery is very near and dear to me, as I have fished it since I was a young kid. It offers anglers so many options as our water temperatures start to drop. It is still one of my favorite places to fish because it offers not only lots of fish to catch but also lots of wildlife to see.
We are so lucky to have this amazing, diverse fishery in the Southern Sound. It’s got one-of-a-kind water and all sorts of conditions that let you run with the wind and weather while still having a successful day on the water. The many creeks and bays of the Ding Darling offer great fishing for the big three species, snook, trout, and redfish, along with other surprises.
Unlike many other estuaries on the Pine Island side of the sound, during the lowest tides it’s still possible to access many creek mouths and get back into sheltered bays and creeks. The many small feeder creeks in the back have great tide flow and, during the lowest tides, deeper bends and shorelines that hold lots of fish. As water temperatures cool, more fish head into these creeks, and this fishery peaks during our colder winter months.
Learning this fishery takes time, but unlike when I was a kid, Google Earth can really help speed up the learning curve. A shallow-draft boat really helps, though many of the entrances are surprisingly deep and can be accessed with a slightly larger craft. This whole area is slow-speed from the outside, with no-wake buoys in. If you are not familiar with it, I would suggest going in during an incoming tide so you don’t run aground. Take your time, and a good pair of polarized sunglasses helps you see the shallow water. Once you get in the back, keep an eye out for the no-motor zones as you get close to Wildlife Drive. Many of the larger bays are shallow, healthy grass flats with deeper channels that connect the bays. Familiarize yourself with the refuge rules.
I like to live-bait fish the Ding with free-lined shiners and pinfish as my top choices right now. As water temperatures drop over the next few months, my bait of choice will become live shrimp, which I like to fish on a 1/4oz jig head. On the many flats, a paddle tail or a popping cork rig is also a good choice.
What I really love about the Ding Darling is that I have fished it for over 40 years, and still, now and again, I find a new spot or productive shoreline I have never fished and have passed right by many times. This is a magical place, and it holds so many little secrets that it only gives up now and then.
Capt. Matt Mitchell moved to Sanibel in 1980, and has lived in St. James City since 2000 when he started his fishing charter business. He spends over 300 days a year “living the dream” fishing. For questions and info: bookings@captmattmitchell.com
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