Fish are still biting in Estero Bay despite recent cold fronts
Capt. Rob Modys
November 11, 2014
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
Cooler weather with a bit of rain mixed in put the bite off a bit over the weekend but things picked back up on Monday.
The winter pattern is in full swing with water temperatures down in the upper 60's to low 70's. It's a bit early, by southwest Florida standards, but certainly doable. We just had to change our focus away from snook and head more toward redfish, seatrout and sheepshead.
The redfish are still biting but getting smaller in size. The good news is there are lots of them. We've managed to catch 15 or more on a trip using live shrimp on jig heads. The best bite has been near the top of the tide around mangrove shorelines and islands. Look for mullet working the edges and you'll find the reds.
The sheepshead are moving to the backcountry in a big way. We are now getting mostly keepers and they make great table fare. Oyster bars have been best with some found under blowdowns. Small offerings on small hooks work best and be patient. It may take 15 minutes or so to get the first bite, but after that they should come one after another.
Seatrout are on the grass flats but they sure have been small. It's been tough to get one in the slot but persistence has paid off. The ratio right now seems to be about 8 to 1, undersize vs. keeper. Popping corks with live shrimp have been the go-to.
Interesting note... We started catching very small permit in Estero Bay a little over a year ago. They are starting to grow up and we've recently caught them in the 3 to 4 pound range. A new hatch has also shown up, so it looks like we have a new generation. It's not unusual to catch big permit in the Gulf waters off of Fort Myers Beach but it is different catching them in our bays.
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