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Ft. Myers - Offshore

Capt. Rick Featherstone
November 19, 2000
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Winter or Summer?

Greetings;

Our weather patterns lately have the fish and myself a bit confused. The good news is we have been able to catch fish of all kinds and sizes in spite of my confusion! One day its chilly and falling water temperatures, the next day its warmer than normal. Some evenings you can see your breath, then by mid morning its down right hot. Winter fish that started to migrate into our waters stopped coming, and summer fish that were leaving, stalled their departure. This leaves and unusual mix of things to get after out there. I have broken from the typical routine and am back on a summer pattern of fishing, except when I switch to winter style! Basically I am leaving the dock rigged and ready for anything that I think might happen. When running Its all eyes open for any sign that might point to fish activity.

Our king mackerel run has been sporadic with much of the main body of fish still to our north due to the warm water. That said there are some very nice smoker kings around. Spanish mackerel are scattered everywhere, with no major concentrations in any one place. Still with effort these little fighters are here and very willing to bite. I would like to tell you where to find kings. But all I can say is watch for bait concentrations and tide lines for birds. I have caught fish this week from the beach all the way out to thirty miles. Spoons get things started then I work live baits for the bigger fish.

Bull redfish are sure here. Many over twenty pounds are around. We have caught at least one on every trip. One fish over thirty pounds was released yesterday. Live baits have been the hot ticket. We got the thirty ponder on a small spot tail.

Cudas are still happy to play. Tube lures and live baits bring the strike. I love cuda fishing on light tackle. Just be sure to duck if one leaps for your lure and flies right over the boat as one did to us this week.

There seems to be plenty of mangrove snappers over the ledges. I have been able to get them going with ground chum then use a mylar jig with a shrimp tip. Grouper fishing has been on the slow side. Our big red tide of two weeks ago damaged a large area. The grouper have been migrating back in with each passing front though. Gag grouper have not migrated inshore as of yet in any big numbers. They are biting well but still well offshore. Red grouper will take a thirty mile run to be consistent. Cut baits and live baits have produced fish.

Jewfish are on every piece of structure I fish. They are very aggressive too. My angler was landing a snapper yesterday in forty feet of water when he started hollering. I looked just in time to see a huge gaping mouth the size that could swallow a bowling ball roll on the surface and suck in his snapper. His fifteen pound line screamed off for a minute or two then was gone. I guess that spinning rig with twenty pound leader is not the ticket for a hundred and fifty pound fish! I can not imagine a fish that big hungry enough to come up that far after a French fry sized meal.

Sincerely,

Capt. Rick Featherstone

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Light tackle deep sea fishing charters. Backcountry light tackle and fly. Naples, Ft. Myers, Sanibel. Family's, no experience necessary. Tarpon, Shark, Permit, Cuda, Goliath Grouper, Snook Redfish, Trout, and more. Three boats available, Corporate charters available. Fly fishing, plug, spin, and live bait. 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours.

Contact Info:

Magic Hook Charters
2210 20th Ave NE
Naples, FL 34120
Phone: 239-455-0006
Alt. Phone: 239-821-6229
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