Blue-green algae found in the Caloosahatchee River already?

A small sign served as a warning to visitors, that blue-green algae has invaded the W.P. Franklin Campground’s waters.

But it wasn’t keeping people away from the area anymore on Monday.

“Not bad, I mean, we see a lot of fish that are actually like popping up and hitting so it doesn’t seem like anything’s changed as far as, you know, the season just started up for snook so that’s what we’re trying to go for,” said fisherman Tyler Paul.

Fishermen lined up to get their catches of the day, not letting these green, gunky masses stop them from fishing.

It’s nothing new to Southwest Florida, but what shocked people is how early in the year we’re already seeing the blooms.

Normally, algal blooms come closer to the summer months when the rainy season gets into gear and the temperatures warm up.

And that’s something Cape Coral resident Bill Taube isn’t looking forward to.

“We were there for the huge fish kill in Matlacha back in ’17,” Taube said. “And everything in between, you know, just almost, you can walk on either the gunk or walk on the dead fish, your choice.”

But with blue-green algae spotted in at least 3 areas off the Caloosahatchee last week – including Telegraph Creek, Hancock Creek and the Moody River, even now in Downtown Fort Myers over the weekend – everyone is just hoping it will be a calmer season this year.

The good news is samples taken by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection show these blooms were not toxic.