Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
January 1, 2002
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Hot or Not

Greetings;

I hope this first report of the new year finds you happy and well. I ran several charters over the holidays.

Fishing in general was up and down but productive. Many good days with a few slow days mixed in. The weather was as unpredictable and I have ever seen it. Cold, warm, rain, Clear. That came on four consecutive days!

Inshore action held up good in the passes. Bluefish, mackerel, trout, ladyfish, and catfish, kept me pretty busy unhooking and baiting. A good time on light gear and lots of action. I found the near shore structures very slow with the exception of spanish mackerel schools working fast over large areas. On the structures themselves we got small gag grouper, grunts, ect.

Offshore on the live bottom we had good grouper action on red grouper and gags on the ledges. Keepers came at a rate of about fifteen releases to one keeper. Lots of lane and mangrove snapper were biting also. Two large Goliath grouper were also hooked but not landed on the same trip.

Watch the weather take some warm clothes.

Good luck,

Capt. Rick Featherstone

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