Monday morning, 3/5, was chilly and windy, with rough seas offshore. Low tide in the bay made for less than ideal conditions, but my father-son angling team, Bill & Mike Evans decided to give it a go. We fished anywhere we found water deep enough in Estero Bay, up toward New Pass. We did okay, considering conditions, with four keeper sheepshead all around 14 inches, a keeper mangrove snapper, and two whitings. We released lots of ladyfish.
Tuesday, the seas were still pretty rough early, but they calmed down quite a bit by mid-morning. I fished in 35 feet off Sanibel with Gary and Kathy Yatteau, and daughters Eileen Yatteau and Laurie Grieco on a catch and release trip that provided fun with eight sheepshead to 17 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches.
Jim Chisholm and friends wanted some eating fish, and they got a cooler full of sheepshead to 17 inches, mangrove snapper, porgies and Spanish mackerel. We released lots of red and gag grouper also, in 35-47 feet off Sanibel, fishing with live shrimp.
Thursday, Jerry and Barb Rudan fished with me on a catch and release trip in 35 feet off Sanibel. We released sheepshead to 18 inches, mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel. Seas were calm, the weather was perfect, and the action was steady.
A cooler full of sheepshead made my anglers happy on Friday. Bill Story, Leonard White, and friends Merv, Hank and Mike caught a total of twenty of those, and kept fifteen of them to 20 inches. We also caught Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, all on live shrimp, in 35-40 feet off Sanibel.
Saturday, Carol Younkins took her young sons, Andy and Mark, fishing with me. I went after more sheepshead, since I knew they were a sure bet, and would be fun for the boys to catch. We got seven of those to 18 inches, fishing with live shrimp in 30 feet off Sanibel.
The photo shown is of angler Bob Pumford, with a 20 inch redfish caught on live shrimp, fishing tree lines and oyster bars in Estero Bay, on a recent backwater trip.
