Wednesday, 10/13, I fished with honeymooners Jason and Sara Toner, in 38 feet, about 13 miles off New Pass. The winds picked up to 15 to 20 knots, and seas were 3 to 4 feet, but we had steady bites on live shrimp. We caught lots of gag grouper, one keeper a 23 inches, along with eighteen lane snapper to 12 inches, and some keeper mangrove snapper.
Thursday, I fished with Jim Miller and his daughter, Jennifer, on the west side of Estero Bay. We caught three redfish, two of which were keepers at 22 inches. Jennifer lost two big ones, over slot size, when they broke her 12 # test line boatside. We released three snook to 19 inches, sand bream, ladyfish and two jack cravalle.
Saturday was a tough day fishing, in four to five foot seas that were predicted to be two foot. I fished with the John Stabile party, in 20-25 knot winds, with live shrimp. We caught lane snapper, and released lots of grunts and blue runners.
The Chester Yanik party fished with me Sunday, 19 miles out New Pass, where we caught yellowtail snapper, sheepshead, jolthead porgies, grunts and a keeper red grouper. We used live shrimp, except for the grouper, which bit a spot-tail grunt.