Poor man's double: trout and sea cat.

For boaters, the flyfishing opportunities on Sanibel’s back side are limitless. A few of the best spots close to the island are all of Tarpon Bay (but especially the shoreline) Horseshoe Bay (just west of Tarpon Bay), McIntyre Creek, Hardworking Bayou, Blind Pass, Buck Key channel and any of the cuts coming out of “Ding” Darling.

Other first-rate spots farther out in Pine Island Sound include Chino Island, Regla Island, Panther Key and numberless oyster bars, potholes and small mangrove keys.

When fishing the lower end of the tide on grassflats, look for sandy potholes. An extra foot or 18 inches of water can draw large numbers of fish to these bottom depressions.

Though some anglers wield 8- and 9-weight rods, my all-purpose outfit of choice for fly fishing around Sanibel (except for big tarpon) is a 7-weight rod with a weight-forward floating line. If the fish are down a bit in the water column a weighted fly will usually do the job of achieving the necessary depth. However, I do keep an extra spool filled with intermediate-weight sinking line for deep holes and passes.

My top flies include: Chartreuse-and-white Deceivers, chartreuse-and-white Clouser Minnows, Norm’s Schminnows (white crystal chenille), Glass Minnows, brown Clouser Minnows, green Gurglers, brown-and-purple deer hair Sliders and red-and-white or green-and-white poppers.

Sight fishing shines at midday, but snook oblige at dusk, too.

Visitors looking for after-fishing action should keep in mind that Sanibel is not exactly renowned for its wild and crazy lifestyle. Unlike the Keys, which abound in hot nightspots, the island rolls up the sidewalks after dark. Many Sanibelers’ idea of exciting nightlife is sharing a drink on the beach at sunset.

FS