Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
March 13, 2002
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Spring Time

Greetings:

The first thing that comes to mind writing this report is SPRING TIME! As much fun as snapper and grouper fishing is during our winter months is, anyone who know me knows I love the spring summer and fall for the big fish that are here when the water is warm. Well I think spring just might have sprung this past week. Two severe cold fronts came through and barely laid a hand on us this past week. It went from cold, breezy, choppy seas, and some rain, to beautiful nearly over night.

With the warming water temps our fishing seasons are changing quickly. Ten days ago I was working very hard to make our anglers happy fishing in close to shore while hiding from the wind catching trout, whiting, sheepshead, and black drum. This past week the whole picture changed. On the inshore stage sheepshead have been the main target with a few undersize grouper and grunts tossed in for good measure. Deep in the creeks and rivers there were some snook hitting as well. For the sheepshead I like a head knocker rig. This is where the sinker goes all the way to the hook and shrimp as bait. When not using that I use a jig tipped with shrimp.

Offshore is where the news was for us. Working over hard bottom areas we were able to find pods of migrating permit on two occasions. Using yellow jigs tipped with shrimp we landed five from fifteen pounds to twenty pounds on the first trip, and two one eighteen and the other twenty nine pounds on the other. I did see kings working the surface but was unable to get a strike from them. On the ledges good snapper fishing is still there. Large yellowtails, mangrove, and a few muttons. Grouper fishing has been good but very few keeper size fish have been caught.

Have a great time, watch out for the morning fog.

Sincerely,

Capt. Rick

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