On the Water: First week of year brings warm days and good fishing
Despite a couple cool mornings, unusually warm weather dominated the first week of the New Year. With the warm days came fishing success for a variety of species.
Inshore anglers looking to bring home dinner continue to find spotted seatrout the best bet. Trout ranging in size from little guys to fish over 20 inches were caught fishing grass flats and sand bar drop-offs from the Sanibel Causeway up through Pine Island Sound and into Matlacha Pass. Baits included a variety of sub-surface lures and jerk baits, plus live shrimp, and pinfish under popping corks.
Pompano also cooperated for a few lucky anglers. Bouncing the bottom with pompano jigs or live shrimp under popping corks resulted in hook-ups on the gulf side of Sanibel Causeways A span, inside Redfish Pass and near Bokeelia near Oyster Shoals. Most were hooked while drifting.
Our annual sheepshead run got off to a slow start with the warm weather, it’s still not a hot bite but more fish were reported than previous weeks. Tasty sheepshead were caught around pilings and structure around and near the Sanibel Causeway and Tarpon Bay, near Blind and Redfish passes, and nearshore artificial reefs in 20 to 40-foot depths. Most were caught on live or cut shrimp, with a few anglers preferring oysters as bait. Snapper, grunts and a couple permit were caught from the nearshore reefs as well.
Wintertime snook action continued strong again throughout the week. Catch-and-release numbers were good around island points and oyster bars between St. James City and the Caloosahatchee River, from the powerlines up to Blind Pass in the lower sound, Inside Captiva and Cayo Costa Islands, and areas around Burgess Bay. Snook were hooked on various live baits and top-water lures. As long as our weather remains warm, look for a good snook bite to continue.
Catch-and-release redfish were reported by anglers fishing for snook or sheepshead. Reds up to 28 inches were hooked while fishing pilings, island points and oyster bars throughout Pine Island Sound and inside the gulf passes.
Over a couple days with cooperative winds, anglers boxed mangrove, yellowtail and lane snapper, plus hooked into cobia and amberjack fishing 18 to 20 miles offshore. Large goliath grouper was a common nuisance as they consumed their share of hooked snapper before reaching the boat.
Keep up to date with fishing rules and regulations in your area by visiting www.myfwc.com for all current Florida fishing regulations.
Forecast is for a drop in temperature this week. With a cool down we hope to see an uptick on sheepshead action. Either way, warm or cold, there are fish willing to bite if you put in the time.
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.