Scuba diving in Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte is famous for the massive numbers of aqua life living in its dive sites. Pot Charlotte's Ledges, natural and artificial reefs make an excellent habitat to many kinds of sea life like soft and hard corals, goliath grouper and snappers.

Always dive according to your level of training. Never enter the water without checking with Port Charlotte dive centers for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.

Average annual temperature: Between 22°C and 26°C. (75° F and 86° F)
Average Water surface temperature: From 24° C to 26° C (80°F to 87°F), but it can drop to 15° C (50°F) in the winter months
Visibility often averaging: Visibility is between 30 and 100 feet (10 to 30 meters)
Coldest time: January
Warmest time: July
Possible to dive all year round.

Port Charlotte's variety of dive sites makes it a great habitat to many kinds of sea life. It attracts many kinds of small and large underwater creatures like snappers, goliath and gag grouper. Its wrecks and artificial dive site are covered with many kinds of soft and hard corals. The visibility is great and underwater photographer will find it quite attractive. If you are interested in fossil search, Port Charlotte offers a great shark tooth dives. It can be a great opportunity to see teeth of megalodon, the ancestor of the great white shark. However, Gooddive like all addicted recreational divers do not allow the removal, killing or feeding of underwater creatures.

Some of Port Charlotte dive sites.

The Bayronto Wreck lies in 100 feet (30 meters) of water. This 400 foot (121 meters) freighter was sunk due to a hurricane in 1919. The ship is covered with both soft and hard corals attracting many kinds of small and large fish. Now it is home to a large population of goliath grouper, Whale shark may be spotted in some occasions.

The Tremblay Reef is a massive size reef with abundant of sea life. This site is generally dived as a drift dive with a boat waiting for you where ever you surface.

The Boxcar & Hopper Cars, as its name may indicate, consists of old railroad box and hopper cars. It is a bout 72 feet (22 meters) deep. The site attracts many kinds of underwater creatures.

The Palm Island Ferry is in 58 feet (18 meters) of water. Another ship lies in about 150 (45 meters) feet away from the Ferry 70 feet (21 meters). They both make a great habitat to many kinds of aqua life like goliath grouper.

The Power Pole Reef is another wreck site. It consists of a track- mounted crane and a 50 feet (15 meters) steel barge. It is an excellent habitat to snappers, goliath and gag grouper and many other sea lives.

Links:

www.gooddive.com/florida-diving/port-charlotte-diving.htm

Fishing

Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is internationally renowned as one of the world’s top sport fishing destinations. Charlotte Harbor, Florida’s second-largest open water estuary, is formed by the blending of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico with freshwater from the Peace and Myakka rivers. This supports an important ecological breeding ground for numerous fish such as tarpon, snook, redfish, barracuda, cobia and grouper.

Deep Sea, Back Bay and Flats fishing bring dedicated anglers to the Charlotte Harbor area in search of their own personal records or International Game Fish Association world records.

Tarpon Fishing

Recently named #1 on the list of The World's 14 Top Tarpon Spots by Sport Fishing magazine.

Each spring, anglers armed with rods and with dreams converge on Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande Pass, often referred as the —Tarpon Capital of the World”, with hopes of reeling in a tarpon, a spectacular game fish known for putting on challenging fights with the thrill lasting a lifetime. Also known as the —Silver King” this species of fish usually visits Charlotte Harbor’s waters between April and October.

Click Here (http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com/cms/index.php?id=234) to View Our "Silver King" Tarpon Fishing Package

Weighing in on Tarpon

The average tarpon weighs between 90 and 130 pounds, but catches over 200 pounds are not unknown. Recent fish tales claim a 276 pound tarpon was caught in Boca Grande Pass in 2004. The largest tarpon caught and released alive during a tournament happened during the 2009 Professional Tarpon Tournament Series (http://www.ptts.tv/) when Team Miller’s Ale House led by Capt. Artie Price landed a 217-pound silver king. The Florida state record for tarpon caught is 243 pounds, reeled in by Gus Bell in Key West in 1975 and the world record of 286 pounds was landed in 2003 by Max Domecq in Rubane, Guinea-Bissau (Source: research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp.

Thousands of tarpon congregate in Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande Pass as they migrate to and from their spawning grounds. Several tarpon tournaments take place here including the multi-week Professional Tarpon Tournament Series and the Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament sponsored by the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce (May 7 – 8, 2010). It’s estimated that about 5,000 tarpon are landed each spring in Boca Grande Pass alone.

Notable Tarpon Anglers

Dating back to the mid-1800s, tarpon fishing was a popular pastime for the wealthy. Over the years, such notables as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Frederick Remington, J.P. Morgan, the Vanderbilts, and even the nefarious Al Capone fished Charlotte Harbor’s bountiful waters. Conservationist and outdoorsman President Teddy Roosevelt fished Charlotte Harbor in March 1917 and while records do not indicate whether he caught a tarpon, he did land 16-foot manta ray. More recently, Gasparilla Island has been host to famous fishing enthusiasts including President John F. Kennedy and Presidents George H. and George W. Bush.

Tarpon Fishing Basics

Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands makes an ideal base for a tarpon fishing vacation. There are more than 25 professional fishing guides for hire who know their quarry’s habits and hiding places. Advantages of hiring a professional fishing guide include:

• No need to purchase a saltwater fishing license. A professional fishing guide has a valid vessel license which means no need for you to purchase one. If you’ll want to keep a tarpon, however, you will need to purchase an additional tarpon tag which can be obtained by the local tax collector’s office;

• No need to bring your own equipment. Guides will have the appropriate tackle and will know which bait to use in order to land a silver king;

• More time on the water will be spent fishing rather than guessing where the fish are biting. Guides know the best spots which means more time angling rather than driving the boat from point to point;

• Florida fishing regulations change periodically and a professional guide will be up to date on current regulations. Fishing with a guide prevents you from fishing illegally.

If you are a —do-it-yourself” fisherman there are a few additional things to know about tarpon fishing in Boca Grande Pass:

• A saltwater fishing license is required to fish within Charlotte Harbor. Saltwater fishing licenses are available for a 12-month period for Florida residents and non-Florida residents can purchase a 3 or 7 day license or one valid for 12 months. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sells licenses by phone and online or saltwater licenses can be purchased at any county tax collector’s office.* If planning to keep the tarpon, a tarpon tag ($51.50) is required and can be obtained from a county tax collector’s office.

• During the months of April, May and June, seasonal tarpon fishing regulations take effect in Boca Grande Pass. These include:
  • Maximum of three fishing lines in the water from one boat at a time while fishing for all species;
  • Breakaway gear, such as bob, float, weight, lure, or spoon affixed to a fishing line or hook with wire, line, rubber bands, plastic ties, or other fasteners designed to break off when a fish is caught, is prohibited. (Source: FWC)

• It is illegal to possess more than two tarpon at a time and each must have a tarpon tag affixed.

Click Here (http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com/cms/index.php?id=234) to View Our "Silver King" Tarpon Fishing Package

Additional Resources

• Fishing regulations change periodically, please visit the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission site for the most up-to-date information.
• Tarpon Fishing in Boca Grande Pass Brochure Published by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association
• Florida Saltwater Fishing License Information Provided by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Links

http://www.kingfisherfleet.com/

http://www.fishville.com/

View Boat Ramps, Fishing Charters and Fishing Guides
http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com/cms/index.php?id=234

Fishing Permits, Rules and Regulations
http://www.myfwc.com/