We had some good days and some bad ones this week as a cold front worked through Southwest Florida. Prefrontal fishing was good, as it usually is with barometric pressure changes. We had extremely low Winter tides combined with high winds as a strong front passed through last weekend. Those anglers that fished through the weekend found it very difficult to get on a bite anywhere. The 20mph winds kept what little tide we had those mornings from coming into the bays, and what normally looks like a bay was more like muddy canals.
On the days when the winds weren’t excessive, fishing was good. Lots of redfish pilled up around oyster bars on cloudy days, and under the mangroves on sunny ones. Shrimp or ladyfish chunks on jigs worked best around the oyster bars and docks and popping corks with a live shrimp worked best along the mangrove shorelines. Redfish weren’t the only thing we found in these areas as sheepshead, snook, jacks, and snappers filled in as by-catch.
The local passes were great all week if the wind wasn’t trending from the West. Pompano, mackerel, trout and a bunch of bluefish were easy pickings. These areas are great for kids or those who just want constant action. Small jigs worked through the middle of the water column tipped with shrimp works well.
The offshore guys had two days of reasonable winds to get out far this week. Those that fished in 70-90 feet of water, came back with nice hauls of mangrove snappers, yellowtail, and muttons. The few boats that got out past 100 feet or 40 miles from shore brought back nice red grouper. This next week looks good for the offshore guys and they should be able to run every day.
Tight lines, Capt. Greg Stamper
Snookstampcharters.com Fort Myers, Florida
239-313-1764
Snookstampcharters@gmail