October fishing, as good as it gets!
Capt. Rob Modys
October 23, 2013
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
October is living up to it's reputation as a stellar month to fish in southwest Florida. A cool down in the weather is in the forecast for the coming week and that should make it even more interesting.
It's been very "snookie" in the backcountry of Estero Bay over the past week with catches of both oversize and undersize fish. Live pilchards under a popping cork has been the go-to bait. We're also finding lots of big jacks willing to chase the same offerings.
The redfish are biting along the mangrove edges during the mid part of the up bound tide. We've had the best luck with live shrimp on jigs. Here's a tip... Rig a whole, live shrimp by removing the end of the tail and then threading it on the jig backward with the hook up. This will make the shrimp "jump" back as you jig it along the bottom. Take your time and don't move the bait too fast. A nice pause while jigging is more apt to get their attention.
Seatrout are finally working their way up on the flats in about 3 to 4 feet of water. They are in fairly tight schools so you may have to do some hunting to find them. Live or artificial shrimp under a popping cork are a good way to cover a lot of water during your search.
The nearshore reef waters have cleared up and the spanish mackerel are back. They are feeding best on the outbound tides along with some big mangrove snapper, small grouper and a mix of sheepshead, seatrout and pompano.
More Fishing Reports:
