On the Water: Fishing up and down like the weather
As typical for winter in Southwest Florida, weather was all over the place last week. We experienced a few days with calm seas and clear skies, many days with strong winds, a cold front, rain, plus extremely low tides. So as expected, fishing was up and down as well.
Over the calm days, fishing nearshore in Gulf waters was not exceptional but steady. Lane and mangrove snapper, sheepshead and grunts were caught over reefs and ledges in 35 to 45-foot depths on live shrimp fished on bottom. Often the bite would be good for 5 to 10 minutes then it was time to hit another spot. Grunts were the most abundant, plus sheepshead, with many of the sheeps still running under 14 inches.
Inshore, sheepshead were caught around docks inside the Gulf passes, plus along shorelines and creeks with hard or oyster bottom around Bokeelia’s Jug Creek, St. James City and Sanibel’s “Ding” Darling. Baits included shrimp or small crabs fished on the bottom with jig heads, split shots or egg sinkers. Many are running small along with mangrove snapper, but good-size sheepshead were caught.
Redfish from 15-22 inches were caught from the same inshore areas targeting sheepshead, plus in deeper sand potholes on the low water in Pine Island Sound between Pineland and Demere Key. Sea trout up to 21 inches were caught as well from the same potholes.
Seatrout catches were reported throughout Pine Island Sound and around Buzzard Bay in Matlacha Pass. Best areas included sand holes or trenches, bar edges and grassy bottom in 5 to 8-foot depths. Baits included shrimp under rattling floats, live shrimp or shrimp and shad tail plastics on a jig head and small gold spoons. Ladyfish, bonnethead sharks and a few pompano were also caught.
Expect more of the same weather pattern in the coming weeks and up and down fishing. We should see sheepshead pick up in number and size as we close out the year. If you don’t mind fishing on the adverse days, sheepshead generally are feeding.
Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish. If you turn on your GPS location the Fish Rules app updates to your location. In my opinion, it is more accurate and up to date than FWC’s website.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576, online at www.fishpineisland.com or email gcl2fish@live.com.
Have a safe week and good fishin’
As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida.