A few nice gags this week, little tunnies: Bonita Beach, FL

[fishbuster]

Last week, I fished Estero Bay a couple of hours, and released snook to 25 inches and Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, using shiners. I also fished offshore, taking a 4 year old boy on his first gulf fishing expedition. It was a bit rough out there that day, but the little guy hung in there, and he caught most of the fish, which consisted of porgies and grunts, and short red grouper and yellowtail snapper.

Monday, we used live bait—shrimp and shiners, fished about 18 miles west of New Pass, and caught a 24 inch gag grouper, lane snapper to 15 inches, Spanish mackerel, porkfish, porgies, and grunts. We released red grouper to 19 inches, four little tunnies, ranging 8-10 pounds, and two ten pound goliath grouper.

Thursday, I fished 17 miles off New Pass, where we caught a 16 inch hogfish, whitebone porgies to 16 inches, mangrove snapper, porkfish and grunts, fishing in 40 feet with live shrimp and pinfish. We released gags to 21 inches and red grouper to 19 inches.

Friday, fishing 18 miles out New Pass again, we caught a 28 inch gag grouper on a pinfish. We released shorter gags, red grouper, grunts, porgies, triggerfish, along with an 8 lb. little tunny, and a 4 foot nurse shark, all of which bit live shrimp.

I fished Saturday in central Estero Bay, using live shrimp and shiners, and released redfish, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, jack cravalle, and four snook.