The Water Temps Are Cooling Off and The Fishing Is Heating Up!
Capt. Scott Theis
October 21, 2012
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
The backwaters of Estero Bay are on fire with numerous species that are willing to cooperate. On the higher tides look for moving water around deep shorelines with good overhangs and this is where you'll find redfish and snook. The closer you get it to the mangroves the better chances of hooking up. The rig we are using is 30# flourocarbon with a 3/0 circle hook and a split shot at about 6" above the hook. Choice of bait has been cut pinfish or ladyfish into 3" chunks.
On the lower stages of the tides work the edges of the flats and oyster bars for redfish and snook using popping corks with a shrimp or a piece of chunk bait on a 1/8oz jighead. While doing this you'll come across pompano,flounder,shhepshead and jacks. Also, the Fort Myers docks are a lot of fun fishing for small grouper and snook. Using live pilchards with 50# leader and a knocker rig with 1/2oz lead and 4/0 circle hook.
The wrecks off Fort Myers Beach are producing a lot of cobia and gag grouper. We pulled in a few nice cobia's this past week. As the waters cool the cobia are migrating south and they are moving fast since were having cool weather push through. The best way to catch these fish is having hand size pinfish freelined around good structure. Also, have a artificial eel rig with a 3/8 jighead to cast to the ones on the move.
The gag grouper are moving in as the water temps drop, but remember the season closes November 1st. There's been plenty of really big spanish mackeral and a few small kings sitting on these wrecks. Using live freelined shiners will entice these fish. Since stone crab season opened look for tripletail on the traps.
Entice Charters
Capt. Scott Theis
(954)242-5922
[email protected]
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