Offshore
Reports were a tad thin again this week with strong winds and rain factors that kept crews close to home. As waters begin to cool with the coming winter, expect wind and waves to wreck havoc on offshore fishing trips.
There were reports of Spanish mackerel, kingsfish, some smallish ground fish, and sharks all around the close reefs and at the pass mouths. The weather is trying to shape-up for the weekend, so we’ll see. I’d like to get out and load up on whiting, snapper and maybe even run a crab trap pot-line or two for tripletail.
Sarasota-Englewood
You had to make a choice, either be an early bird angler bundled up against the wind and chilly mornings or wait-out the afternoon incoming tides. There were plenty of season’s end trout to be had and all manner of favored presentations worked. Redfish continue to eat well, so name your poison and follow the moving water. Snook are stacking up in the passes and feeder creeks throughout our region. Don’t forget to de-barb those circle hooks sportsmen—it’ll help reduce the handling of snook during the release.
Port Charlotte
Redfish action is very strong throughout the big bay with Pinfish, shrimp and cut baitd all taking a share. Snook are falling back to their winter haunts and there were good reports at the feeder creeks and rivers. Pluggers, jerk-bait fishermen and fly guys all hooked their share. Tarpon were reported in the river mouths and still at the Boca Big Drift. Sheepshead, black drum, snapper and even legal reds were biting well at the docks and other structures at Gasparilla Sound and at the Burnt Store Marina. Look for weathered pilings or crumbling dock, and chum up some lunch guests—it’s easy living if you like that sort of thing.
Ft. Myers
Pine Island Sound and the canals on the western shore gave-up some nice reds, snapper, sheepshead and black drum. The Ding was generous to and a good place to stay out of the wind. Snook are being hooked at the Sanibel Harbor Resort Docks, the Sanibel Pier and in Matanzas Pass. Live bait was a sure thing with big shrimp very expectable. Snook are heading back to their winter areas and jerk-baiters and live-baiters are reporting good action.
Matlacha Pass had a very nice mixed bag bite, with reds very hungry and active. In general, there were lots of short fish for fun and some upper-slot critters for the larder.
Estero Bay had strong returns if you managed the wind and sluggish tides. My crews caught their share of nice reds and “close-out” trout. The same was reported by other groups.
Snook addicts were catching mixed- size “liners” in the passes, on the bars and in the creeks. With the snook season closed it would be better to target other species after a few rounds with the liners; that’d reduce handling and help lower the winter fatality rate. We know it’s hard not to partake in the easy pickings but that’s an individual call.
There are big reds falling out with the tides and pinfish are the bait of choice. Pompano are showing up on the Gulf beaches and on the deeper flats.