Nice Gags, Large Snapper: Bonita Beach, FL Fishbuster Dave
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:06 pmI fished Monday in 45 feet, west of New Pass, with Jeff & Christine Eldridge, and Christine’s dad, Lloyd and sister, Beth. We fished in 2-3 footers most of the time, but toward the end of our trip, the winds picked up, and seas were 3-4 foot again. We caught some beautiful snapper—3 limits of them—to 20 inches, as well as sheepshead to five pounds, and large grunts, all on live shrimp. We released gag grouper shorts to 21 inches.
Tuesday, the Bill Story party fished with me in 40 feet off New Pass. The bite was slow at first, and we were catching mostly porgies, but then we started catching nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We caught twenty-two of those, seventeen of them in about a 30 minute period. We also got some nice triggerfish, and released gag grouper to 20 inches and red grouper to 16 inches. The blue runners showed up too, which might be an indication that king mackerel are not far behind.
Fishing was great in 45 feet off New Pass Wednesday with Brad Hayes, Randy Nichols, and Mark Willis. We used live shrimp, and caught two keeper gag grouper at 31 inches (see attached photo), and 23 inches, along with a couple limits of mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We released additional keeper-sized snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish, red grouper just ½ inch short of legal (19 ¾ inches), and a file-fish.
Fishing with me in 47 feet off New Pass Thursday, the Jerry Rangaard party caught twenty mangrove snapper to 17 ½ inches. We released gag grouper to 20 inches, red grouper to 16 inches, triggerfish, and grunts. Fishing began slow, but picked up in the afternoon.
I tried to fish Friday, but right out of New Pass, began taking 3 and 4 foot waves on, and decided to turn back. Saturday, I fished with the Ron Wilder party, on a catch-and-release trip in 28 feet off New Pass. Seas weren’t too bad until early afternoon, then they picked up again, so we traveled back in 3 to 4 footers. We used live shrimp, and released keeper-sized mangrove snapper, and sheepshead, as well as gags to 17 inches. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
Tuesday, the Bill Story party fished with me in 40 feet off New Pass. The bite was slow at first, and we were catching mostly porgies, but then we started catching nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We caught twenty-two of those, seventeen of them in about a 30 minute period. We also got some nice triggerfish, and released gag grouper to 20 inches and red grouper to 16 inches. The blue runners showed up too, which might be an indication that king mackerel are not far behind.
Fishing was great in 45 feet off New Pass Wednesday with Brad Hayes, Randy Nichols, and Mark Willis. We used live shrimp, and caught two keeper gag grouper at 31 inches (see attached photo), and 23 inches, along with a couple limits of mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We released additional keeper-sized snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish, red grouper just ½ inch short of legal (19 ¾ inches), and a file-fish.
Fishing with me in 47 feet off New Pass Thursday, the Jerry Rangaard party caught twenty mangrove snapper to 17 ½ inches. We released gag grouper to 20 inches, red grouper to 16 inches, triggerfish, and grunts. Fishing began slow, but picked up in the afternoon.
I tried to fish Friday, but right out of New Pass, began taking 3 and 4 foot waves on, and decided to turn back. Saturday, I fished with the Ron Wilder party, on a catch-and-release trip in 28 feet off New Pass. Seas weren’t too bad until early afternoon, then they picked up again, so we traveled back in 3 to 4 footers. We used live shrimp, and released keeper-sized mangrove snapper, and sheepshead, as well as gags to 17 inches. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com