Capt. Les Hill has been guiding anglers on Gasparilla Sound for more than a quarter century. Photo by Polly Dean.

The Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State offers an abundance of saltwater species to please anglers of every persuasion. Of course, certain areas garner more attention and publicity than others, which in turn attracts anglers in greater numbers.

Gasparilla Sound lies about two-thirds of the way down our state’s Gulf Coast, just north of the popular fishing destinations of Pine Island Sound and Sanibel Island, and nearly within casting distance of the world-famous “tarpon capital” of Boca Grande Pass. This mangrove-lined sound and its shallow waters do not reap the amount of attention of their neighbors, but they most certainly don’t lack in the quality of fishing that they offer. The grass and sand bottom of this often-overlooked oasis is prime habitat for numerous species. But hooking multiple speckled trout can be a year-round occurrence here.

The vast shallow flats of Gasparilla Sound are dotted with mangrove islands. With its numerous creeks and channels, the area is ideal for targeting trout with light tackle or fly-fishing gear. Gasparilla lies just to the west of the tiny town of Placida in Charlotte County. Gasparilla and Little Gasparilla islands create its western shore, separating the sound from the Gulf of Mexico. The Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Gallagher Keys form its eastern-most border towards the sounds mouth on Charlotte Harbor.

Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda to the east were ravished by Hurricane Charley three years ago this month, but those towns have recovered nicely. The area’s fishing was not as affected by the storm and is as good as ever.

Capt. Les Hill, a native Floridian, is familiar with Gasparilla Sound and guides anglers on its skinny waters in the traditional way of “poling and stalking” the quarry. I was fortunate to spend a recent morning with Capt. Hill, targeting seatrout on the waters of Gasparilla Sound.

Initially, I was disappointed that my tight schedule allowed for only a few short hours with the captain. But any disappointment quickly vanished when in only a few minutes of leaving Eldred’s Marina in Placida, we were hooking into seatrout!

It was a relief to not have a long boat ride and to have our lines in the water in less than 10 minutes. In a short period of time, Capt. Hill provided my fishing partner and me with a productive day of saltwater angling.

As we headed out, the tide was so low that even Capt. Hill’s Maverick flats boat had to skirt by the extremely shallow areas.

As is true for most inshore species, trout like moving water. Hill pointed out that since the tide was moving very little at this point, he preferred to stick with the shallower areas. Any water movement at all is more pronounced in the skinniest of water.

We headed southeast from Eldred’s and were fishing in and around the mouth of Whidden Creek.

Hill stealthily poled the boat over the grassy bottom, keeping an eye out for “potholes” -- his word for the sandy, concave areas that can be clearly seen in the grass. Trout like to hang out along the grassy edges of those sandy holes.

The mullet jumped around us like miniature missiles shooting out of the water. My adrenaline began to flow as it always does when the flats teem with activity. Capt. Hill directed our attention to a pothole beyond the bow of the boat. He told us to throw our jigs beyond the far side of the sandy hole and work them toward the boat, with the hope of drawing a strike from a trout waiting in the pothole’s grassy. We weren’t disappointed. My partner hooked up immediately.

This was too easy! Soon we both had success in boating some more trout as Capt. Hill slowly and quietly, moved us around to various grassy areas, paying particular attention to the potholes.