The Club At Gateway
GOLF NEWS…
The golf course is in excellent shape and all the members are back in town! Lots of golf is being played and we are excited to host even more of our major golf events this March! We had an incredible February hosting many events. Our generous membership played in two tournaments to raise money for two different charities: Breast Cancer Awareness and Community Cooperative Meals on Wheels. These events are always great fun while helping out the local community. We also raise money for the Humane Society through many of our Women’s League events. Feel free to reach out if you would like to help raise money for these charities.
Continue to sign up for our Men’s and Ladies Golf Shop Games! Our turnouts have been incredible for these games and it is a great chance to meet other members! We will also be introducing some couples’ golf on Sundays so keep an eye out for that!
We will be hosting Demo Days throughout March along with booking fittings at our Performance Center which has been busy with the release of new products from Taylor Made, Callaway, Srixon/ Cleveland, XXIO, Titleist, Cobra and Mizuno. We have been doing many
fittings on these new clubs with great success in gaining distance and consistency for our members. Even if you are not a member, please feel to reach out to the golf shop to book a fitting with myself or Michael Dodson.
See you at the club!
Gyles Robin, Director of Golf
Production Directors
Stephen Miller
Elizabeth Miller
Sales Department
Margo Williams
Miranda Ledbeter
Alyssa Debban
Corey Bank
Justein Matthias
Webmaster
Selina Koehler
Production Manager
Lee Nostrant
Production Department
Elaine Donholt
Ruth Nekoranec
Katie Heystek
Dianne Strout
Karen Kalisz
Michelle Feeney
Andie Reynolds www.seabreezecommunications.com
GOLF TIP … BUNKER PLAY
If you end up in a greenside bunker here is a foolproof way to get you out! A method called Thumbs Up and Splash. Two key fundamentals to this technique are ball position and length of swing. Although this may seem obvious, use your sand wedge or lob wedge to get out of the greenside bunker.
1. Vertical Swing Plane (Thumbs Up) is the first important part of this method. Point your thumbs up to the sky on the backswing. You will create more of an up and down swing that utilizes the bounce of the wedge. The blade of the club will go through the sand and scoop the sand out of the bunker allowing the ball to float out on a pillow of sand.
2. Speed (Splash) when trying to move the sand around the ball out of the bunker you will need to swing the club with speed in order to “splash” the sand.
Like all short game shots, your ball position in your stance will determine the height of the shots and length of your swing will determine the distance of your shots.
You will notice I didn’t mention anything about opening your stance and adding loft to the club. In doing this you are changing the lie angle and therefore the bounce of the club causing other difficulties.
After practicing this and can successfully get out of any bunker in one swing, come and see me for a 30-minute lesson on how to get the ball closer to the hole.
FITNESS UPDATE
Judy Sentimore continues to get stronger and has greatly improved her balance since she started training with Mary Margaret almost two years ago. She is 88 years young and rides her bike six miles every morning on Westlinks. If you see her, give her a wave.
WATERCOLOR CLASS
The Club at Gateway is happy to announce that our Watercolor Class will continue this year, special thanks to our new instructor Ann Downs, who has graciously agreed to take over where our dear friend Cathy Spiegel left off. These photos show our new class of artists, as well as some paintings from our previous year’s classes. Beautiful work!
Travis Raque Director of Racquets at The Club at Gateway
RACQUET SPORTS NEWS
NINE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL GAME
- Play loose, relax the arm and body.
Be sure to scan the body for tension. When you feel yourself playing tight, try focusing on relaxing the wrist first, that tends to help relax the entire arm, which translates into overall looseness. When you feel particularly
nervous or tight, try shrugging your shoulders tensely with a deep breath then drop them and exhale. Remember how much power is generated by swing speed versus when you are attempting to “muscle the ball.”
- Act confident, use positive body language even when you are feeling down on yourself. If you start acting the part even when you’re not feeling great, you are more likely to feel what you’re acting.
- Stay grounded, bend your knees, and play from an athletic position.
Nick Bollerteri, the famous former tennis coach of Andre Agassi, said, “Good things happen to players who bend their knees!” Remember that power comes from the legs so be sure to “stay with your shot” long enough (think “one thousand one”).
- Keep your head still. Think about Federer or Ben Johns and notice the way their head stays still and relaxed upon impact.
- Keep your racquet or paddle speed up and don’t push the ball. When things aren’t clicking, most people’s tendency is to “push the ball.”
Instead, you should think about generating more spin and accelerating through the shot.
- Breathe!
Breathing is critical to rhythm and to eliminating tension in the body and mind.
- Embrace the good mistakes. Go easy on yourself (and your partner) when things are not going perfect. Give yourself credit for “good mistakes” that are helping you move in the right direction.
- During points, “Watch the ball, move your feet, and trust your swing.”
Focus on intention – where you want to place the ball – not on stroke mechanics.
- Be grateful!
Remember to be grateful for your ability to be healthy enough to play the game you love. Put things in perspective and have fun.
We encourage you to become a member. Our members get the benefit of learning from a professional staff, building upon their skills while getting to spend quality time with other racquet and paddle enthusiasts. For more information or a tour, please contact Reba at (239) 561-1012.
Gateway Women’s Club
JANICE EATON, LAUREL BORGIA, MARIANNE KOLLASCH AND DONNA MARCHETTI
GATEWAY WOMEN’S CLUB WELCOMED MASTER GARDENER, SUSAN FERO STEPHANIE MENA
Susan Fero, Master Gardener and President-elect of Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council, Inc. was a recent speaker at the Gateway Women’s Club. The Garden Council is an umbrella organization for 21 garden clubs, six plant societies, and three affiliates. The council provides meeting space and the opportunity for their members and administrators. The Berne Davis Botanical Garden is located at 2166 Virginia Ave., Fort Myers 33901.
The Berne Davis Botanical Gardens are free and open to the public from October to May on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. From May to October, the gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You may visit the garden in self-guided tours or schedule docent tours. Docents and Master Gardener volunteers are always available to answer questions. Donations are always welcomed.
The Berne Davis Botanical Gardens were designed and planted by members of the Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council. The gardens are now cared for by a team of Master Gardener volunteers. Strolling through the gardens, you are surrounded by bonsai, orchids, native and flowering trees, ferns, crotons, bromeliads, hibiscus, ginger, roses, native plants, English-style garden, rain garden, food forest and more. The gardens are wheelchairfriendly, provide ample resting spots in the
SUSAN FERO, MASTER
GARDENER
AND PRESIDENT-ELECT OF FORT MYERS-LEE COUNTY GARDEN COUNCIL, INC. AND CHARLOTTE STEWART, PRESIDENT GWC
shade and present colorful photo opportunities throughout.
In addition to the gardens, several events are open to the public including gardening focused classes and lectures, flower shows and plant sales. The Southwest Florida Fiddlers will have free concerts from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the gazebo on February 28 and March 18. There are over 40 events by garden clubs and plant societies scheduled throughout the year and many are free.
The Berne Davis Botanical Garden is also available for small private events and private group tours can be arranged.
More information is available on Facebook @Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council or by searching “The Berne Davis Botanical Garden” to find the website. Current photos of what’s blooming at the Garden are available on Instagram.
Fero reports the council always welcomes new groups to consider becoming members of the council who are already members of local garden clubs or plant societies by calling (239) 332-4942.
DINING OUT SUSAN ROBERTS
Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected surprises. Adventures await us that were never planned. Such was the recent experience of the Gateway Women’s Club Dining Out group.
Months of planning and scheduling were upended when the group’s chosen monthly restaurant venue mistakenly overbooked beyond its capacity. The observations in Robert Burns’ poem served as a reminder that “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
With less than a week’s notice, Mr. Tequila, located at 4420 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers, was one of those unexpected surprises and saved the day! The restaurant’s management and staff opened its doors with open arms and welcomed the GWC large group booking. The authentic Mexican restaurant delivered high marks and rave reviews on every aspect of a well-planned GWC Dining Out culinary experience.
Owned by the Plasencia family, Mr. Tequila’s extensive menu includes burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, fajitas, tacos and quesadillas, as well as margaritas, boasted as “the best in town.” The food and beverages were superb and full of flavor. The kitchen and waitstaff provided excellent service with heaping helpings of friendliness
and efficiency. The restaurant’s decor and atmosphere set the stage for an evening among friends and new acquaintances filled with jubilant conversations, laughter and fun. A plan gone awry turned into a wonderful evening. Life is a collection of moments, and those moments turned into lasting memories.
So, when life gives you lemons (or limes), make lemonade … or Margaritas, Sangria, and Mojitos! And embrace a new adventure and those unexpected surprises.
JEANNINE SEAMANS, MARIA AND DAVID BEACHAM
KEN FREDA AND BOB STEPHANO MIKE AND SHARON MATTE
SUSAN ROBERTS AND MARIA BEACHAM
ANITA AND BRUCE KARDON
DEBRA STEPHANO AND DOROTHY FREDA
DONNA AND DOMINICK MARCHETTI
BRIDGE
LAUREL BORGIA
Bridge 101 will meet on Tuesday, March 4, and Tuesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. at the Hampton Park Amenity Center. There is no fee. Anyone who wants to learn or enjoys playing bridge is welcome. The ladies are a low-key, fun-loving group!
Contact: Susie Kravetz (her information is in the GWC Directory). Email or call her if you are planning to attend so she can leave your name at the gate.
SIT AND STITCH ELEANOR STUART
The next Sit and Stitch meeting will be hosted by Laurel Borgia on March 10 at 1 p.m. Please contact Laurel if you plan to attend. Her information can be found in the GWC Directory. The group includes many GWC members working on different projects. The members are still working on projects for Hospice and scarves for college-attending students who were in foster care. Any GWC member is welcome to join.
BOOK CLUB
BARBARA HANLIN
The GWC Book Club will meet on March 11 at 7 p.m. Patti Heath will be the hostess with Lynn Lewis as cohostess. Marilyn Steiner will lead our discussion of The Women by Kristin Hannah. The book is historical fiction. It tells the story of Frances “Frankie”
McGrath, a young nurse who serves in the United States Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War.
“A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.”
Please RSVP to Patti Heath by March 9 if you plan to attend. Her contact information is in the Gateway Women’s Club Directory.
MARCH 12, 2025
CHARITABLE GIVING COMMITTEE
GATEWAY WOMEN’S CLUB MADE A DONATION TO GULF COAST ANIMAL SHELTER FOR $1,500. ACCEPTING THE CHECK IS LORI BURKE (LEFT); LOOKING ON IS JUDY HAMMOND, FRAN YUNGER AND ANITA KARDON FROM GWC CHARITABLE GIVING COMMITTEE.
JENNIFER BENTON (LEFT) FROM ACT RECEIVES $1,500 DONATION FROM GWC. MAKING THE DONATION IS JUDY HAMMOND, ANITA KARDON, FRAN YUNGER FROM GWC CHARITABLE GIVING COMMITTEE.
Whispers Of God…
DR. MARK P. GONZALES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROYAL PALM ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES, SBC
BEARING FRUIT
I will never forget the time I was speaking at a Bible conference in the midwest and enjoying the many gracious people I get to meet on such occasions, when a man and his wife invited me to come and see their family apple orchard. I was delighted to accept and truly loved the experience.
Row after row of apple trees flowed over the gentle hills of their small but fruitful orchard. And while that was a beautiful and amazing sight to me, the backstory of this orchard was even more amazing.
“You know, pastor, at one time these trees used to bear wild apples that were basically useless. So, we decided to have some Red Delicious apple branches shipped here, and while we waited for the delivery, we cut off every branch from every one of them wild apple tree trunks. Then, when the new apple branches arrived, we
carefully engrafted them into the old trunks that have been rooted in the soil for years!”
“Wow! That’s amazing! Now, I know you can’t just nail or screw those branches onto the trunks, so how exactly do you engraft them?”
“Oh, well we just cut some gashes into the trunks, insert the freshly cut ends of the branches with some organic material, and use a special wrapping tape to keep them nice and tight all the way up the trunk.”
Then I asked, “Okay, but I got to ask, how do you know if it works?”
I’ll never forget his response.
“Well son, if you get apples, it worked. If you don’t get apples, it didn’t work.”
“Ah. Of course. But do all of the branches actually bear fruit?”
“Most of them do, but there’s always a few that somehow just don’t make a deep enough connection to the trunk to bear apples, so we just break them off.”
When I heard that, I couldn’t help but think about something Jesus said in John 15. “I am the vine (trunk), you are the branches . . . Those who abide in Me and I in them will bear much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” I love that! And if you want to know what kind of fruit He was talking about, Galatians 5 tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit” is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
So, here is what Lindy and I have been discovering and enjoying over the years in our home, family and life in general about how to cultivate that kind of fruit. And it is not as complicated as you might think.
First, we don’t have to work hard and stress out by trying to be a good person, act nice whether we feel it or not, or try to strictly follow a moral code like most people think. That is a type of religion based on doing good works to hopefully earn love and some kind of salvation as we try to make fruit, rather than bear fruit. That would be like trying to create an orchard by painstakingly creating seemingly real apples with wax and paint and tying them on tree branches with pieces of string. It could indeed look real from afar, but the truth will be found out when people take their first bite! Yikes!
Rather, the secret is to learn to deeply connect with the Lord Himself (salvation and discipleship) in a personal relationship (not a religious system) to bear His fruit.
The more we pray, read His Word, hang with others who are doing the same, and receive His unconditional love for us, the more we will bear His fruit.
Does that take some time? Sure. Just like literal apples growing on a tree. And of course, there are challenges and seasons that come and go as well. But when we stay as deeply connected to Him as best we can, we can experience that He is always there. . . always watching over us. . . and always whispering His wisdom and love for us to draw us even closer to Himself. And the more that happens, the more fruit we will bear in our hearts to share with those around us. That’s His juicy fruit, my friends. Way better than the waxy stuff!
Bearing and sharing His fruit with you, Pastor Mark (mark@quillpress.org)
Articles, videos and podcasts: markpg.org. Write and share at mark@quillpress.org. Hear me every Saturday, 8 a.m. on 91.5 FM.
What’s Blooming At Edison And Ford Winter Estates?
KAREN M. MAXWELL, HORTICULTURE PROGRAMS COORDINATOR AND HORTICULTURE SPECIALIST
ALLURING ALOCASIAS
Commanding a distinctive and robust presence in any garden, the large, arrow-shaped bouquet of leaves known as the Giant Upright Elephant Ear or botanically speaking the Alocasia macrorrhiza – macro meaning large and rrhiza referring to its style of growth by large underground rhizomes or roots. Growing in front of the Edison home, the plant sports upright leaves on stiff stems, which is an identification clue to its inclusion in the genus of Alocasia.
Easily confused with the Giant Elephant Ear known as Giant Calocasia, one can recognize the difference in that calocasia leaves hang down. There are quite a few more distinctions but let us save that for later.
Certainly, a plant this size is not for everyone, so let us explore some other alocasias in the genus that are frequently available in our Garden Shoppe, sometimes overlooked because they are protected in an area specifically for shady plants.
Part of the Arecaceae or Arum family, alocasias have many cousins including caladiums, calla lilies, monsteras, dieffenbachias and peace lilies. This makes sense, as they each possess a common and unusual flowering technique: Tiny flowers are clustered on a stem called a spadix and as a unit, they are protected and surrounded by a spathe or hood. While these flowers are quite noticeable on calla lilies for instance, they are rarely visible on alocasias. If you are fortunate to have an alocasia bloom for you, the reward will be a pleasantly fragrant experience.
The genus of Alocasias has over 100 species, all originating from tropical Asia and Australia, whereas the genus of Calocasia mentioned above, has only 12 species from Asia and India. Calocasia roots are often grown and prepared as a highly nutritious and starchy food staple in large parts of the world, whereas all parts of alocasias are considered toxic and should never be ingested by humans or domestic pets. As shown in the names of some of the alocasias showcased in this article, these plants are often hybridized to maximize preferred characteristics such as size, color variegation or patterns.
THERE ARE MANY ALOCASIAS GROWING IN THE GARDENS AT EDISON AND FORD WINTER ESTATES. THESE LARGE-LEAVED PLANTS ADD A TROPICAL FEEL TO A FLORIDA GARDEN.
As a houseplant, alocasias are an exceptional addition to a collection, because they are relatively easy to maintain, often sporting a waxy or glossy leaf, and they don’t want any direct sunlight. They prefer only to be watered once the top 2 to 3 inches of soil has dried out and they are frequently the perfect candidate for a self-watering
pot. Because they enjoy consistent temperatures between 65 to 85 degrees and high humidity, it is possible they may retreat in vigor over the harshest winter months, spending a little time in a somewhat dormant stage if their environmental temperatures go below 60 degrees and humidity is low. Should this happen, remove any spent or yellowed leaves, and allow your alocasia to rest by withholding water until the top 3 inches of soil is dry, and do not use
any fertilizer. Keep it out of sunlight and maintain its temperature, which is easy as it is within the range we humans generally prefer. Once higher temperatures and humidity levels resume, that large rhizomatous root will start to send up new shoots and by summer, the plant should look fabulous again. When the first new leaf appears, it is time to start applying a biweekly, diluted liquid and organic fertilizer. We recommend avoiding using granular, slow-release or other chemical fertilizers to avoid the possibility of salt buildup around the plant.
As a houseplant, alocasias are an exceptional addition to a collection, because they are relatively easy to maintain, often sporting a waxy or glossy leaf, and they don’t want any direct sunlight.
Alocasias do not mind being slightly potbound, but if roots start to sneak out of the pot’s drainage holes it is time to repot but keep the upsizing to only an additional inch or two. Repotting will only be necessary every other year. Doing so will avoid having the plant in a pot so full of soil that if overwatered, will result in the plant becoming waterlogged. Soil should be a crumbly, quickly draining mixture.
Which alocasia is best? An 8-foot-tall specimen recently spotted at the January Tropical Plant International Exhibition, the
Alocasia sulawesi “Jacklyn” is sometimes available in the Garden Shoppe at Edison and Ford Winter Estates and its two-toned, textured leaves give it a kind of prehistoric big, bold, and beautiful look and will not be mistaken for any other kind of plant! This is a great candidate for a self-watering pot and sure to be a conversation starter.
Looking for something a bit smaller? “Polly” or “African Mask” ( Alocasia x amazonica ‘Polly) is frequently available in the Garden Shoppe due to its popularity for growing only to about 2 feet in height. Those uprising leaves are wavy edged and have distinctive white veins. It does well indoors or outdoors if the previously discussed conditions are provided.
Even more demure, Alocasia “Tiny Dancer,” ( Alocasia brisbanensis x Alocasia odora ‘Tiny Dancer’) swirling upward to about 20 inches, looks best in a grouping, as its plain dark green waxy leaves pirouette in their pot. Of course, I placed a planter of this deep in the shady end of the Moonlight Garden at the Estates.
Another statement alocasia, Alocasia “Regal Shield” (Alocasia odora x Alocasia reginula ‘Regal Shield’) is a medium-large variety, topping out at around 5 feet. Best enjoyed in a bright light environment, it may be elevated on a garden stand to best appreciate the dark green glossy foliage of Regal Shield with its rich, dark purple underside protruding from lime- green stems.
Alocasia “Portadora” will present with ruffled, 8-foot-tall leaves and loves being outside, providing it is grown in fast-draining soil to avoid waterlogged roots. It will also do well in a large pot, and like all alocasias, if grown indoors, the large face area of the huge leaves serves as a natural air filter in the home.
For the gardener that likes variegated leaves, Alocasia macrorrhiza , var. “Lutea” or “Variegata” are both large species, the former, a green and gold variety, growing in front of Edison’s home and the latter, tucked into a shady spot in the Moonlight Garden, where the variegated green and white leaves will hopefully reach their mature height of 15 feet.
If you are fortunate to have an alocasia bloom for you, the reward will be a pleasantly fragrant experience.
These foliage plants add architectural interest to just about any type of garden. The selection and availability changes frequently in the Garden Shoppe, so visit often and look around for a rare beauty. Feel free to reach out to a member of the horticulture team if you have questions about a plant’s care.
Montage Women’s Club
The Montage Women’s Club is a social and philanthropic club open to all women residing in Lee County. We normally meet on the fourth Thursday of each month. Our March meeting will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn (Captiva Ballroom), 12600 University Drive, Fort Myers 33908, corner of College Parkway at the Summerlin Road overpass. Meetings begin at 11:30 a.m. with a short social period followed by lunch at noon followed by an informative speaker program and a short business meeting. Within the organization are various interest groups for members’ participation. Membership is open to both year-round and seasonal residents. We welcome you to visit Montage for a luncheon.
Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 27. This will be a special meeting as we will be celebrating Montage’s 15th Anniversary. There will be live entertainment along with other special surprises.
Luncheon fee will be $30 per person, and you always have a choice of either a regular menu entree and/or a vegan/plant-based entree.
If you would like to attend a Montage meeting, need further information, or would like to make a reservation, please call Rita Artwohl at (239) 703-7787. Reservations cutoff to attend this meeting is noon, Thursday, March 20.
Crossword
Puzzle
1. Large body of water 6. Brisling
Freight 12. Hairdos
Avenue 16. Force
17. Craggy peak
18. Honey
20. Immediately
21. Gorillas
23. Supervisor
24. Crazes
25. Mouthful
26. Blockheads
27. 10 cent coin
28. Being
29. Air hero
30. Auspices
31. Bottle opener
34. Empties a boat
36. Seated oneself
37. Scent
41. Decorated, as a cake
42. Dots on dice
43. Abounding 44. Cards with one symbol 45. Balm ingredient
46. Porous limestone 47. Animal companion
48. Plans for meetings
51. Color of some sunsets
52. Flapjack flippers
54. Scrawny
56. Lands and wealth
57. Monetary units of Serbia
58. Overact
59. Inscribed pillar
DOWN
1. Tentacled devilfish
2. Library cubicles
3. Before, in poetry
4. Ancient
5. Mark down
6. Pressure
7. Newspapers
8. Break
9. Donkey
10. Destructive sea wave
13. Wears away
14. Stitches
15. Phase
16. Vocations
19. By surprise
22. Biological group
24. A type of ligneous plant
26. Paddles
27. D
30. Cultural doings
32. Not new
33. Like many a superhero
34. Arm muscles
35. Film material
38. Active during the daytime
39. Transgression
40. Prepared
42. Satisfy
44. Abbey area
45. Lace tip
48. Car
49. Cobras
50. Three-handed card game
53. Flat hat
55. Anger
CROSSWORD SOLUTION IN THIS ISSUE
Consumer Alert
ANDREW RAYO, CONSUMER EDUCATION SPECIALIST
GOT A TEXT ABOUT UNPAID TOLLS? IT’S PROBABLY A SCAM
Whether you’ve driven through a toll recently or not, you might’ve gotten a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. It’s probably a scam. Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money. Learn how the scam works so you can avoid it.
You get a text out of the blue that says you have unpaid tolls and need to pay immediately. The scammy text might show a dollar amount for how much you supposedly owe and include a link that takes you to a page to enter your bank or credit card information—but it’s a phishing scam. Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal information (like your driver’s license number)—and even steal your identity.
To avoid a text scam like this:
• Don’t click on any links in, or respond to, unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
• Check to see if the text is legit. Reach out to the state’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the information from the text.
• Report and delete unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM). Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the text.
Learn more about spotting and avoiding text scams at ftc.gov/textscams.
Catch The Action
CAPT. BILL RUSSELL
MARCH ON THE WATER
Good things happen this month on the waters around Southwest Florida. The kickoff to the spring fishing season is in full effect as we transition out of winter to the warm days of spring.
For the next couple months or until the daily afternoon rains begin, we experience the clearest water of the year along our coast. It’s the perfect time to explore the inshore and nearshore waters, learn new areas, and look for fish or locate and mark structure that looks fishy.
Over the winter months we have endless days with low tides and little water to navigate. That will change and make it possible to fish areas that were not accessible over the past several months. Spring tides arrive with higher water over daytime hours. Yes, we still have low water, but not all day every day. Combine the incoming tides with the clean water and you will find some great days to explore.
This is the month to catch the largest sea trout of the year. They are aggressive as they head into spawning season and feed on a variety of baits. It’s common to catch trout to 24 inches with the possibility of even larger fish. They are often in schools, if
you’re lucky enough to come across a school of big ones it can provide nonstop action.
As the coastal waters warm it triggers some of the best snook fishing of the year. When the water rises to 70 degrees or above and holds, snook become very active, on the move, and hungry. Like many of our gamefish, their primary diet consists of oily baitfish that invade the warming waters. Snook of all sizes are a blast to catch.
Higher water this month allows for good opportunities to catch redfish along mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. It’s possible to catch redfish, snook, and large sea trout from the same area along shorelines and oyster bars. Anglers looking for a challenge have early morning low tides to hunt redfish tailing over the shallow flats.
The winter sheepsheads run winds down over the month. There’s still a chance to land a few big ones around inshore structure and nearshore reefs, but not in the numbers as previous months. Inshore, tasty pompano and permit are caught fishing with shrimp or small pompano jigs. They often run in schools and prefer a hard or sand bottom along channel edges, bar dropoffs, and around the beaches.
Spanish mackerel is a great fish to catch as they are ferocious feeders, lightning
fast, run in schools, and offer a great fight. Prepared fresh, they offer excellent table fare that is often overlooked. To me they are the perfect fish when looking for fun and action. When mackerel are present odds are good that sharks are nearby, sharks love snacking on mackerel.
Offshore, on days with calm seas there are good opportunities for a variety of fish including reef dwellers like snapper, grouper, grunts, porgies, sheepsheads, and others. As the water warms, schools of fast-moving Spanish and king mackerel, false albacore, or bonito, and possibly some blackfin tuna are making their way up the coast and busting up any schooling baitfish they encounter, often well within sight of land. Cobia are prowling gulf waters, and many are hooked around artificial reefs. They can get big; keep a few heavy rods rigged and ready, you never know what may show up. Tripletail is a possibility. Most are sighted hanging under floating
debris, buoys, and structure. Tarpon start showing off the coast, beginning to the south and moving north. Just how early this happens in the month is based on the weather and water temperature.
March weather is often all over the place. Cool days, windy at times, and perfect sunny days are expected as we move into the warm season. Overall, it’s a great month to get on the water and enjoy good fishing.
For charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service and “Catch the Action” with Capt. Bill Russell, call or text (239) 410-8576, website: www. fishpineisland.com, email: gcl2fish@live.com.
Capt. Bill Russell is a native and lifelong resident of Pine Island who has spent his entire life fishing the waters surrounding Pine Island and Southwest Florida. For the past 29 years, Bill has been a professional fishing guide who takes pride in customizing each trip to ensure everyone on board has a great time and will return again. Come join us and “Catch the Action.”
Continental Women’s Club
The Continental Women’s Club will hold its monthly luncheon meeting on Thursday, April 3 at 11:30 a.m. Our April program will feature a Chorus Group from Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School under the direction of Libby O’Connor, music teacher. Please join us to enjoy this award-winning chorus group.
Meetings are being held at The Hideaway Country Club, 5670 Trailwinds Drive, Fort Myers 33907. The cost to attend the luncheon is $26. Please call Liz Paul at (239) 691-7561 by Tuesday, March 25
for meal selection and to make a reservation for our April 3 meeting.
Continental Women’s Club is a social, cultural, and philanthropic organization established in 1975, with membership open to women living in Lee County. We have many special events and interest groups within our club that you can participate in for social and educational purposes throughout the month and the year. In addition, we contribute to many local charities and award two scholarships each year to senior high school girls who plan on furthering their education.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
