Cooler Weather, Better Bite for Redfish, Seatrout and Pompano
Capt. Rob Modys
October 26, 2014
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
The previous week held a mix of sunny and cloudy weather but the fish didn't seem to care. Both the early morning and late day bites were good and it looks like more of the same is in store for anglers this coming week. We had our first real cold front of the season come and go. The first few days were business as usual but the north winds increased and that made things a little bit trickier. It's almost time to switch gears and start working the winter patterns for locations and lures.
We caught a nice mix of redfish, seatrout, sheepshead, mangrove snapper and snook over the past week. The reds were biting best near the mangrove shorelines close to the turn of the tide. Look for schools of mullet hanging in the area and you'll find the reds close by. The best bite was on live shrimp on jigs tossed as close as possible to the branch overhangs. We also got a lot of snook in the same area but most were on the small side.
Seatrout are still hit or miss. There are days when they are everywhere and most are nice size, but then there are days when they are really tough to find. Not sure what's causing this but persistence will pay off. Our best bite came during outbound tide in and around the passes. Jigs tipped with shrimp, bounced along the bottom got hookups. Mangrove snapper were also being caught in the same area.
The sheepshead bite was very good early in the week and several large ones were caught. These are normally a winter catch but it might be time to get serious and look for them in your favorite spots. Live shrimp, broken in two, and then placed on a small jig or hook will do the trick. Sheepshead are finicky eaters so patience is a virtue. Let them pick it up before setting the hook.
Pompano can be found in both the nearshore waters just outside the passes and along oyster bars on the inside. We've thrown a bunch of stuff at them but the best seems to be a popping cork rig and jig combo with a live shrimp attached. Brighter colors on the jig are a must and we did best with any shade of light green or yellow.
The nearshore Gulf waters are the place to be for action. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and blue runners were everywhere! Look for the diving birds working over schools of bait and you'll find the fish. Come up on them from upwind, stop the motor and let the boat drift down to the target. That will keep the bait from running away and make it easier to reach the fish with a cast. Something bright and shiny on the end of the line will get their attention. We've been having a lot of success with small spoons and light colored Rattletraps.
The gag grouper are moving closer to shore thanks to the cool down and can be caught in as little as 20 feet of water. Work the nearshore patch reefs and wrecks. Best bet for bait has been pinfish (alive or dead) and cut threadfin herrings. Beef up your rigs, add a little weight and drop it to the bottom.
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