With rough seas offshore Tuesday, we changed our offshore plans to fish the east side of Estero Bay. We fished the current eddies at the corners of the oyster bars, mostly free-lining live shrimp. We caught twenty sheepshead, ten of which were keepers, to 17 inches. We released cravalle jacks and ladyfish.
Fishing Estero Bay on Wednesday, there was a strong wind that had blown the water out of the bay. We fished the edges along the channel, wherever the water was deep enough, with live shrimp. The bite was slow, but we managed keeper sheepshead, a keeper trout, and released a 17 inch redfish.
Fishing the east side of Estero Bay again Thursday, we fought a stiff wind all morning. We released two snook to 20 inches, small snapper and sheepshead.
Friday, I returned to Estero Bay’s east side with Andy Ungar and friends Jim, John and Dave. We traded our offshore plans for the bay, with gusty winds kicking up seas to three to five feet offshore. We caught ten keeper sheepshead, and an 18 inch trout, using live shrimp.
The photo shown is of angler, Darrin Key, with a 19 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent reef fishing trip.
