Monday, 12/19, it was overcast, and a lot colder than the temperature would indicate, with a damp, stiff wind blowing across the bay. I fished the Estero Bay oyster bars, and any holes we could find that had more than a foot and a half of water in them! The bay was pretty shallow. We caught five keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead to 15 1/2 inches.
Tuesday, I fished Estero Bay again, in the same areas. We caught three keeper sheepshead to 17 inches, and mangrove snapper to 12 inches. We released lots of sheepshead and snapper shorts.
On a catch and release trip in Estero Bay on Wednesday, we caught ten keeper-sized sheepshead to 17 inches, and large cravalle jack, fishing with live shrimp.
Fishing offshore Friday, for the first time in a while, seas were a little sloppy first thing in the morning, but calmed down later. We fished in 45 feet out of New Pass, using both live shrimp and cut bait. We caught fifteen nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We released gag grouper shorts, triggerfish, and a small, five pound goliath.
The photo shown is of a 26 ½ inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
