Wednesday, the Wayne Kaufman party fished with me on a catch and release trip to the Bonita reefs, where we caught six permit to 33 inches, ranging from five to fourteen pounds. We had a goliath grouper in hot pursuit of the last permit we reeled in, but we managed to get the permit boated, after a five minute competition with the goliath. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper.
After a couple of weeks fishing the Florida Keys on a busman’s holiday, Captain Dave Hanson returned to local waters Monday, 6/21, when he fished with the Tim Malley party at the 240 ledge off Naples. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, a hogfish, porgies, porkfish, grunts, and released red grouper shorts, all on live shrimp. Porpoise were everywhere out there, which is scenic, but disruptive to fishing!
Wednesday, the bite was slow in 35 feet off Bonita Beach, where I fished with the Richard Slama party. We used live shrimp, which have been very small recently. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, porkfish, and Spanish mackerel. Thursday was about the same, fishing with the Peter Haluenen party. Slow tide and very warm water temperatures probably have something to do with the slow bite.
