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Southwest Florida Fishing Report - Bonita Springs to Captiva

Capt. John GiddyUp-Bunch
February 18, 2004
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Hot and Cold Weather means Hot&Cold Fishing

As long as 3-6 miles off Naples and Bonita Springs is producing like it is, it makes no sense to go anywhere else. As my Ole' Pappy use to say,"If he ain't broke, don't try and fix it Peckerwood! God I hated that name but oh how I miss hearing it (from him only).

Orthodox Jew Fish (opps) Goliath Group are on the bite at the Vanderbuilt and Wiggins Reef. I'm trolling Big Lip MirrOlures at 20FT and getting 2-3 puppies per trip. Puppies are 30-60LB fish. These fish have a nasty disposition and the ban on them needs to be lifted. 1 Goliath per boat would be a very cool limit to start. If you agree with me, get me on the FWC Commission.

Gag Grouper have been feeding and will really go on the bite tomorrow (Feb 19th). Today's low temp will get them hungrier than a teenager after school. My charters have been scoring Gags in the 27"-30" range using Bagley BangO'Lures and the aforementioned MirrOlure. If you can't catch em' on one of those two, the fish must feel like you after Thanksgiving Dinner.

In other words, they are stuffed. I like these lures in Green and Black/Silver.

A few Cobia are showing up south of Bonita. I chummed some up right to the boat with my Chum-Churn. We caught 5 on Monday and released all but 1. His butt got smoked at The Smoke House!

Tripletail are simply all over the place. I ran the swim bouy's on Ft.Myers Beach and we spotted 10 fish. 7 were hungry and two ended up with Capt.GiddyUp. If they are on the feed, a D.O.A. pearl shrimp will work.

Real Shrimp rule but all the bait shops are out of shrimp all the time. We have a lot of cool tourist from neat places like Canada. The French from Canada are fun to deal with when they visit. I better stop.

Big Trout are hanging around the grass beds of Estero Bay. I'm not a Trout fan but if you are call me and book a trip. I have 4 open dates between now and March 30th. GiddyUp!

PS: Try to catch me on Fox TV Sunday Mornings at 11:30

Southwest Florida Outdoors.

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TV CO-Host, Outdoor Writer, Florida Sportsman Seminar Speaker, and named by author Ron Pressley as 1-20 Best Saltwater Master Professionals in Florida. In 2007 Bonita Living Magazine identified "Capt GiddyUp" as one of the top guides in Florida. Bunch is known as "Skipper to Our Troops" in SW FL. His charity (501c3) affords all US Troops returning from combat or foreign duty free fishing. Bunch is the recipient of the highest honor given to a Lee County citizen. The Honor of Distinction. USMC!

Contact Info:

GiddyUp Fishing Charters
3624 Bayview Avenue
St James City, FL 33956
Phone: 239-283-8838
Alt. Phone: 239-822-8888
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