Monday, 4/9, seas were predicted at two to three feet offshore, but fishing even close-in at the reefs, it was much rougher than that, especially as the winds increased mid-morning. I fished with Carl and Susan baker, and daughter Anna. We caught a few keeper snapper and sheepshead, and released lots of smaller snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish and grouper. We also released lots of blue runners, and we were broken off twice by a couple of king mackerel.
I fished in 40 feet out of New Pass on Tuesday with Dick Timbers, John, Chris and Dan King, and Shane Gannon. We caught keeper lane snapper, whitebone porgies, and Spanish mackerel. We released a seven pound cravalle jack, along with gag and red grouper shorts and triggerfish.
Wednesday, I fished an inshore trip with Leeds Hutchinson, son John, and grandsons Tommy and Brandon. Fishing in the New Pass area of Estero Bay with live shrimp, we caught a 20 inch redfish, two snook to 20 inches, two sheepshead to 15 inches, and a 2 ½ pound cravalle jack. We released all but the redfish.
Thursday, I awoke to thunderstorms. Radar indicated a good amount of rain offshore. I advised my anglers to wait for a bit so I could better see how conditions would shape up. There was some clearing by about 9AM, and it might have given us a chance to get out to the reefs, but I surely couldn't guarantee a rain-free trip in smooth waters. With 4 youngsters included in their party, they thought it best to scrap our fishing plans. Because of a long-weekend family event, I remained off the water for the next three days also.
I was hoping to fish offshore on Monday, 4/16. But the winds that blew before I left were only worse on my return. With gusts to 40 mph and seas offshore at 10-12 feet, I had no choice but to cancel Monday's fishing trip.
Tuesday, my anglers said they wanted to give near-shore a try, despite predictions for increasing winds and seas. We headed out toward the reefs, and within thirty minutes we had taken a wave over the bow. Seas were 3-5 feet. We reversed course and headed back to shore. The winds have been relentless so far this month.
It finally calmed enough on Wednesday to get offshore. I fished out about 36 miles on a 250 heading from New Pass with Ron Musick and friend, Dick. We caught and released a five foot black-tip shark, and had what would have been three keeper red grouper, had the sharks not gotten all but the heads. We did manage some eatin' fish, though, including a 16 inch mangrove snapper, keeper lane and yellowtail snapper, and Spanish mackerel. We released red grouper shorts to 19 inches--the sharks didn't mess with those, but took all our keeper reds.
Thursday, predictions were for two to four foot seas, but the winds blew over twenty knots all morning and seas ranged from three to nearly six feet. I fished in 28-30 feet off Bonita Beach with Dr. Bob James, Bob James Jr., and Doug James. Fishing was tough in those seas, and we released a 21 inch gag grouper, a few grunts and porgies.
My Friday anglers were driving in from Sarasota, a couple of hours away, and with seas predicted to persist into Friday and winds still strong Thursday evening, I couldn't guarantee good conditions, and we scrapped the trip.
Repetitious as it may be, the winds were blowing hard Saturday morning. My anglers took my suggestion to fish Estero Bay. Peter Richards and his three young children, Marc, Danielle and Isabelle, fished with live shrimp in the area of Wiggins Pass. The kids had plenty of action and counted sixteen hooked fish. Among those were four keeper mangrove snapper, a keeper sheepshead and a whiting. We released the rest of the catches, which included smaller sheepshead and a 13 inch trout.
The photo shown is of six-year-old angler Alex Goodall with a 15 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent inshore trip in Estero Bay.
