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Two Fun Days!

Capt. Butch Rickey
November 8, 2013
Estero Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report

Week ending 11/2/13.........

I had three trips scheduled for the week, but early season cold fronts with lots of wind claimed two of them. Was supposed to fish with my good friend Frank Faust Monday and Tuesday, and first trip with Bob Letsinger on Wednesday. I got to fish with Frank on Monday, but canceled Tuesday because of 24 mph wind. I had an unexpected funeral to attend in Sarasota on Thursday morning, and because it was blowing 23 kts. Wednesday, rescheduled Bob for Friday, and was able to get to Sarasota on Wednesday.

So, Monday, I introduced Frank to Punta Rassa Cove, launching from Port Sanibel Marina. It's a beautiful area, and one of the few that offers pretty good protection from with of any direction, because it's a relatively small body of water surrounded by mangrove shorelines.

I met Frank at Port Comfort at around 8 AM. I was dragging my Ultimate 12 on my single trailer, and Frank had his suitcase Hobe in the trunk of his car. The rest of the accessories were in the back seat. Franks has that boat rigged with a trolling motor and battery, a higher seat than came with it, and lots of other goodies. I was amazed he could get it all together as quickly as he did. It was the first time I had used the single trailer, and it was nice to just slide my Ultimate off right into the water.

We were off! We had a very weak outgoing tide. I don't like fishing outgoing tides, say nothing of weak ones, but Frank was mainly concerned with learning about the area. Fish caught weren't the object. Good thing! We'd just had a cold front pass through, and that's what had given us all this wind out of the north. I told Frank we'd kiss any fish we caught. We caught a few small trout early, but no keepers. Even trout were hard to find.

We turned our attention to redfish and snook, and hoped to find a hungry one at the different spots I showed Frank. We did manage to catch a 21" redfish and a 16" flounder, but that was it. We had lots of half-hearted hits, and a ruined X-man or two, as well. It was a good day in spite of a tough bite and big wind. Any day out with Frank Faust is a fun day.

It was finally Friday, and the winds were down, and my mother-in-law's funeral was behind us. It was a sad time, but I got to see family I hadn't seen in a long time.

I met Bob Letsinger, from the Orlando area, and his son Aaron, at the Circle K on Summerlin Road. We went in my van from there to Lovers Key ramp. I hoped to find some clearer water there than we've had in the Sound and near the mouth of the river. The water there is definitely getting better, but still has a way to go. We were in the water and on our way around 8:30.

We headed to a great trout spot to start the day, but we were already two hours into the incoming tide, and the bite there didn't last long. We did catch a few trout.

From that point on we were hunting for redfish and snook. Bob and Arron were great guys, and a lot of fun, and they fished hard, too. It was tough, but Bob got a nice redfish at a spot where we usually get the SLAM, and Aaron landed a nice 26" snook at a different location that usually gives up nice snook and redfish.

By early afternoon we once again had a building wind ahead of the next approaching cold front. We'd had a fun day with lots of laughs, and decided to head for home. I promised Bob a free trip next time he was down, as I was not happy with the number of fish we'd caught.

And, that was the week.

Target Species:

Snook and redfish!

More Fishing Reports:

 

Top Florida fishing guide, Capt. Butch Rickey has fished the waters of Pine Island Sound around Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Islands, as well as Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, and southern Tampa Bay, for much of his 65 years. He now offers guided kayak fishing trips, as well as sightseeing and bird watching tours anywhere that can be reached by kayak from southern Tampa Bay to Estero Bay.

Contact Info:

BarHopp'R Kayak Fishing
11520 E Palm Drive
Ft. Myers, FL 33908
Phone: 239-628-3522
Alt. Phone: 239-633-5851
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