Ben Sampson and girlfriend Jill just wanted to catch fish Monday morning, 5/21, so we headed out in some fairly rough seas to the 5 mile reef. We caught triggerfish and keeper mangrove snapper there, but it was pretty sloppy, and for everyone’s comfort, we moved in closer to MAY reef. We got into a lot of Spanish there, and kept seven of those, along with some lane snapper.
Tuesday, I fished Estero Bay in the area of New Pass with George Peterman and friends Donna, Richard and Mike. We caught a couple keeper mangrove snapper and a couple of keeper sheepshead, and we released a 19 inch snook and a cravalle jack.
My offshore trips for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday never materialized, with winds howling once again. Wind has been the main theme around here since early April, with just a few calm days during the past six or seven weeks.
Saturday morning, my anglers who had scheduled an offshore trip were willing to try the bay instead, with winds and seas still rough offshore. Paul and Joyce Cherubino and nephew Bob Leeks fished the tree lines on the east side of New Pass and Big Hickory Pass, with live shrimp. Bob landed two 21 inch redfish. Paul followed up with a 20 inch red, and Joyce caught a 15 inch sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead.
The photo shown is of Cap’t. Dave with a 23 inch gag grouper, caught on an offshore trip earlier this month on a less windy week.
