On the Water: Fishing was good between cold fronts
With the exception of a few days early in the week, fishing conditions were less than desirable as cold fronts brought gusty wind and rain. If you were lucky enough to fish the good days, the bite wasn’t too bad.
A few boats report hooking into their limit of mangrove snapper fishing in and near the Gulf passes. Snapper up to 14 inches went for shrimp, small pinfish and pilchards rigged on jig heads and knocker rigs. Spanish mackerel and small grouper were caught around the passes as well.
Trout fishing inshore was hit or miss, at least for keeper size fish. The largest trout of the week, up to 24 inches were found around oyster bars over the incoming tide in Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass. Anglers caught school-size seatrout going from 13 to 17 inches drifting grass and grass/sand mottled bottom in the sound from Regla Island north to Hemp Key and between Pelican Bay and Captiva Pass. Seatrout also were caught mixed with ladyfish in north Matlacha Pass west of marker 72 and of McCardle’s Island south of the bridge.
Redfish and snook were often caught together over sand trenches along shorelines, oyster bars, docks and debris around the Gulf passes and barrier islands. Live pinfish and grunts were the top baits, with pearl-colored DOA baits also fooling a few fish. A few keeper size gag grouper 24 inches or larger were caught around structure in the passes and inshore as well.
With the cooler weather, it’s getting time to start looking for sheepshead as they begin their winter run. Remember, fish is not in their appetite. If you want to catch sheepshead, crustaceans and mollusks are the preferred bait. Most anglers fish shrimp with good results, while other baits such as small crabs, oysters and barnacles make a good choice. Sheepshead numbers will increase with each pass cold front.
Keep up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www.fishpineisland.com; or via email at 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, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years.