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Fishing Report - Naples, Ft. Myers, Bonita Beach & Estero Bay
Capt. Dave Hanson
May 29, 2005
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report
Redfish, permit, yellowtail, kings, amberjack, goliaths: Bonita Beach, SW FL
I fished central Estero Bay Monday, around the oyster bars. We had a good success with live shrimp, and caught three keeper-sized redfish, two at 24 inches (see photo above) and one at 20 inches, a 20 inch permit, and an 18 inch sheepshead. We released the 20 inch red, along with small snook, snapper, jack cravalle, and a leopard ray.
With winds and seas high Tuesday and Wednesday, I stayed in port, but I fished offshore on Thursday. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, triggerfish and porkfish, using live shrimp. We released grouper shorts, long with a 20 pound goliath grouper, which bit a blue runner.
Fishing in 40 feet off New Pass Friday with Carl & Susan Baker, son Matthew, and daughter Anna, we caught keeper yellowtail and mangrove snapper, and two king mackerels, 25 inches and 30 inches. We released lots of Spanish mackerel and a few smaller kings.
Saturday, there was a slow tide and slow bite, when I fished about 17 miles west of New Pass. We caught keeper yellowtail and mangrove snapper, and released grunts, short red grouper and Spanish mackerel, along with a 40 inch sharpnose shark.
Sunday, I fished about 26 miles west of New Pass. The group was looking for some excitement, such as goliaths, so we targeted those, and fought six of them, wrestling two to the top. One was about 150 pounds, and the other well over 200 pounds, estimated at 225. We photographed the biggest one before releasing. We also caught several banded rudder fish (lesser amberjack), and in fact, it was one of those that served as bait for the big goliath. The other goliath bit a blue runner. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper mangrove snapper and porkfish, and a decent sized king mackerel, whose carcass measured 25 inches, minus the tail that was eaten by a barracuda on the way up.
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