Great Florida Outdoors - Saltwater Fishing Report

March 3

Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, 'Monday, I fished with Mike and Lee Conneally, son Clint and Clint's girlfriend, Anna. We fished the reefs off Bonita beach in calm seas, which was a pleasant change from the rough waters of last week. Using live shrimp, we caught five large sheepshead, but lost one to a seven-foot sandbar shark that Clint reeled in and lost another to a big goliath grouper that ate it boat-side. We also caught porkfish to add to the sheepshead so the Conneallys ended up with plenty of fish for dinner, even after feeding the shark-burglar.

Tuesday, with seas building offshore all day in advance of a strong cold front, Andy Ungar and Tony Pastore traded their gulf fishing plans for a morning of fishing in EsteroBay. We caught two fifteen inch sheepshead, an eighteen inch whiting, and released two cravalle jacks to three pounds and a 23 inch snook.

I cancelled my planned fishing trips Wednesday and Thursday, due to high seas offshore and low-tide, dry conditions in EsteroBay.

Friday morning, seas were predicted to be two to three feet offshore, but when I headed out with Larry Dahlburg and five of his friends, we had rough seas right out of the pass. We started out fishing with live shrimp at the reefs, where we caught nine nice sheepshead to 17 inches. When seas started calming down, we headed south and out a little further, where we caught three keeper mangrove snapper and released a dozen small snapper. We also caught a half dozen lane snapper to 11 inches and three Spanish mackerel to 24 inches before the blue runners moved in. we released lots of blue runners, along with triggerfish and gag grouper to 19 inches.

Saturday morning I returned to the reefs off Bonita Beach, this time with Carl Graham and Paul Long. We caught a 24 inch Spanish mackerel and a mess of sheepshead, kept three of the largest, and released the rest along with gag grouper shorts, smaller Spanish mackerel and blue runners. We had another encounter with a goliath that ate one of the big sheepshead as we were reeling in."

I cancelled my planned fishing trips Wednesday and Thursday, due to high seas offshore and low-tide, dry conditions in EsteroBay.

Capt. Dave Hanson

Marti Hanson, Manager

Fishbuster Charters, Inc.

239 947-1688

Fishbuster Charters

Anglers Margaret & Scott Danielak with a porgie and a trio of gag grouper caught before grouper season closed, on an offshore Fishbuster Charter.

South Indian River Fishing Report

By Capt.Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

February 28 Report

INSHORE:

In spite of the latest cold front that cruised through the Treasure Coast, it's really been a mild winter. I think I only had to dig out the ol' long johns once this season. The coming weekend should bring some mild temperatures and great fishing weather. Let's go fishing!

Trout was our best fish to target again this week. We totaled over a hundred trout in three outings over the past week. Bob Alton topped off the trout catch with one around 24" at first light. The majority were caught on DOA CAL jerk baits and shad glow and root beer colors. As long as the water temps stay up above 70 degrees, look for the action to continue in 2 - 5 feet of water.

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South West Coast Report

By Capt. Dave Hanson

Fishbuster Charters

239-947-1688

February 25

Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, I fished on a windy morning in EsteroBay Monday with Chuck and Steve Nebes. We worked our live shrimp along the channel from WigginsPass to BarefootBeach on a catch-and-release trip that yielded two snook 20 and 22 inches, six keeper-sized mangrove snapper and sixteen sheepshead, ten of which were keeper-sized.

Tuesday there was a small craft advisory in effect until 9AM and seas were predicted to be choppy. My anglers included a few prone to seasickness, so they decided to cancel their plans to fish.

Wednesday I fished close in at the reefs off Bonita Beach, where it was still very sloppy for the first two hours of the morning, with seas of 3-4 feet. It calmed some by mid-morning and we ended up with five nice sheepshead, three Spanish mackerel a keeper mangrove snapper and grunts. We lost a couple of big sheepshead to the goliath grouper and actually saw a goliath eat one of those right under the boat.

Andy Unger, son David Unger, Tony Pastori, Jim Sistek and Bob Wilson headed out with me Thursday to fish in 39 to 45 feet of water out of NewPass. We had a good day of fishing, with a final tally of fourteen nice mangrove snapper to 17 inches, sheepshead to 18 inches, five hogfish including two keepers at 15 inches, Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, triggerfish and whitebone porgies. We caught and released a pair of 24 inch gag grouper and one 20 � inch red grouper, all of which are out of season in federal waters currently. I missed out on photos because of a dead camera battery, but I am hoping one of my anglers will send a few.

In 35 feet out of NewPass Friday, Emily Bowden, Bill Koscher, son Gary Koscher and Gary?s children, Katie and Kevin, caught a nice variety of fish on shrimp, that is, when we weren?t running from the dolphin. Every time we started getting lots of bites the dolphin showed up to spoil the fishing, but the kids enjoyed seeing the dolphin anyway. We ended up with a 15 inch hogfish, a few keeper mangrove snapper, a few keeper lane snapper, a 13 � inch triggerfish, porkfish and grunts. We released lots of gag and red grouper shorts.

Saturday morning I headed out to about 25 feet, staying a little closer to shore because of the winds and higher seas offshore. I fished with Brad Clemons, Amanda McCrackin, Amanda?s parents John and Debbie McCrackin, and friends Kevin and Carrie Kelly. We released accumulative total of nearly 700 pounds of goliath grouper?one weighed close to 400 pounds and the other about 275 pounds, according to my estimates. Both bit large blue runners. For table-fare, we caught seven nice sheepshead, all 15 and 16 inches, on live shrimp. We released gag grouper shorts."

Capt. Dave Hanson

Marti Hanson, Manager

Fishbuster Charters, Inc.

239 947-1688

Fishbuster Charters

Angler Bob Carter with a pair of hogfish caught on live shrimp on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter

South Indian River Fishing Report

By Capt.Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

February 21 Report

INSHORE:

Well, this week, we must first get to the CATCH OF THE WEEK! We welcomed our newest grandson, Brody, into the world last Friday and couldn't be more excited. I already gave him his first fishing rod and reel, but I guess he will just have to grow into it. Congratulations to Dena and Rick for such a wonderful grandson!

We had some very nice weather most of the past week and some good fishing adventures out on the Indian River. I had Kyle Collins and his five year old son, Kameron, along with Grandfather Bernie earlier in the week. It was such a joy watching Kameron's excitement while he battled numerous fish to the boat. It was a great day out there. Todd and Rhonda Monzeglio joined me this week and they caught 40 plus trout on the flats. Louie and Louis Natale along with Dave Backer also had some great action with 40 plus trout around the Indian River flats. It was a fantastic week to be on the water!

Trout action really heated up this week. Warmer water around some areas of the river helped get the trout active. Most were caught on DOA CAL shad tails or jerk baits in lighter colors on the grass flats. Remember........fish them slowly! Dave topped the catch with a nice 24", while most were in the 14 - 16" range. It was a fast and furious bit of action. Live shrimp on popping corks and jerk baits were our best producers out there. We fished both north and south of Fort Pierce on grass flats that were 3 - 4 feet deep.

Snook action has been mostly a nighttime affair with the turning basin, bridges and jetties the best place to fish. Pinfish, live shrimp or feather jigs have been the hottest options. Charles Galley reported catching five nice snook up to 41". He is still trying to get that magic slot size landed! As the water warms up, look for action to continue.

Redfish are still on the flats, but need the temps to warm up a little to become more active. It won't be long and they will be out there hungry and chasing your lures again. Look for them up on the shallows as the sun warms up. Flounder have been around the river this week. Louie boated a nice 4 pounder for dinner and we landed another 12" one that day. Pompano are still out there also. Bernie boated a 3 pounder for dinner also. It's been a good week and provided lots of fun.

Bridges have held black drum, sheephead and snapper. Live or dead shrimp will get you some of that action. The SURF has been mostly whiting and pompano. The pomp bite has been much better this year and lots of anglers have been enjoying the tasty table fare. Shrimp and sand fleas are the best baits out there.

Tip of the Week:

Water temperatures have a noted affect on fish during winter and early spring. Look for the warmer water out there. It can change due to weather, tides and temperatures, so be prepared to look for other places. Cooler water can make fish lethargic and less likely to feed. The trout bite was hot where the water had warmed up to the mid 70's. It's hard to say where to fish as it changes often each day. A simple pool thermometer can give you enough information on where to fish or when to move on. Have fun out there!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,

Captain Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

Email: Captian Charlie

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South Indian River Fishing Report

By Capt.Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

February 15 Report

INSHORE:

Once the latest weather front moved through the Treasure Coast, the summer like conditions returned to the area. We were fortunate to have some very nice days to fish the Indian River this week. Some windy days are still ahead of us, but the coming weekend should be pretty nice to get out fishing again. We did have some fun this week on the water.

I had Mark Boucher with dad, Fred, and seven year old Cody on the boat this week. Cody had a good day fishing and bought in the biggest trout, along with his fair share of ladyfish and jacks. Jay Fields and Gerry Sniffen were on the boat today. We saw lots of fish, but could only muster the jacks and ladyfish to cooperate. We had numerous shots at redfish, but they were keeping tight lips today.

Trout have been on the flats, but harder to coax into biting the past several days. The water is clearing up nicely and I expect the bite to improve with better water quality and an increase in temperature. We saw several over 25" cruising the flats today. Young Cody did pull in a fat 17" trout this week.

Redfish are on the flats in shallow water. We drifted up on a couple tailing and found a good number under the mangroves and in the shallow flats. They are picky this time of year, but keep on fishing and they will bite sooner or later once the water temps begin to rise! I'll be after them again next week.

Snook fishing has been mostly around the inlet and bridges. You can still find some under the docks when the weather permits fishing them. Live bait has worked best along with pink feather jigs around the bridges and inlet.

Most of the bridges have held black drum and sheephead. Live or dead shrimp is the bait to use. The jetties have produced some snook, jacks, mackerel and bluefish. The SURF anglers have been catching whiting, pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Shrimp or sand fleas on the pomps and whiting and shiny lures for the rest. We continue to find ladyfish and jacks all over the river.

Tip of the Week:

Bring something back to the ramp each time you are on the water. There is always the trash of the inconsiderate out there floating around the river. Yes, sometimes it's blown out by accident, but it's our responsibility to keep our waterways clean. When you see a bottle, can or bag floating nearby....pick it up and bring it back to a trash container. Make sure your own trash is secured in the boat to keep it from blowing out. We can all do a little to help out a lot........

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,

Captain Charlie Conner

Mega-Bite Inshore Charters

772-284-3852

Email: Captian Charlie

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Panhandle Fishing Report

By Capt. John Rivers

850-341-9816

February 13 Report

Well, only 5 weeks away and spring will be knocking at our doors. But in the meantime, winter is still here to deal out the occasional cold day. Fishing in the bay has been pretty good this past week. We hooked up a few nice Grouper by trolling stretches, and we hooked up some fat 33"+ Redfish by trolling the same area. We were using the Mann's Textured Stretch 25" & 30" in the colors of Cabo Sunset & Redhead Holographic; these two colors have been producing some quality catches. The White Trout bite is still on fire near 3-mile bridge. I've been catching 40+ trout every time we go out, and they are running big, (most are in the 16- 18" range, but a few are well over 20"). We have also hooked up some good eating whiting and a few reds in this area. The lures of choice are the Berkley Gulp Curly Tail and 3" shrimp. Put these on a 1/4 - 1/2 oz jig head and you're sure to have a banner day. With spring just around the corner, it's the perfect time to book a fishing trip. Reserve your trip now, because the Sheepshead fishing in March is superb, and they are fun to catch and eat.

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Treasure Coast Fishing Report

By Capt. Gus Brugger

www.SebastionFishingguides.com - Pattern Setter Charters

February Report

THE CENTRAL INDIAN RIVER LAGOON MIDDLE TO LATE WINTER FISHING FORECAST

The latter half of the winter season is a time when Sebastian area anglers have to take advantage of what is available and not dwell on the species of fish that are just not numerous enough to catch with any regularity. This is for sure one of the times of year that when someone asks me what I'm fishing for I respond with, "Whatever bites." I find that if you find biting fish (ladyfish, jacks, blues, small trout, etc.) this time of year it behooves you to stay with them and more than occasionally you will be surprised by something big or a tasty meal (pompano). I'm not saying the lagoon doesn't have quality fish available this time of year, but you will have to fish specifically for them using methods that sometimes entail a little more effort than usual.

The saying that 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water is even truer now than at other times of the year. This is because the fall rains combined with winters shortening day lengths have killed off much of the grass beds that are the mainstay of our inshore fishery the rest of the year. This is normal, although this year is more severe than the last few. This is a double edge sword, it will be harder to find the fish, but there will most likely be higher concentrations in areas of productive habitat.

The top two fish that I pursue in the latter half of the winter are seatrout and redfish. A couple of factors will determine where and how to catch both, temperature and water level. First, let us talk redfish because the rules are simple. Regardless of temperature or water clarity, you need to find a grass flat or mangrove shoreline with enough water to float your boat or with a hard enough bottom for you to wade. Then drift, pole or trolling motor very quietly throwing a weedless gold spoon, jerkbait or tipped skimmer jig and cover as much area as possible. If the water is gin clear you can sight fish along the mangrove shorelines and pitch live shrimp, skimmer jigs or flies to reds hanging around the pockets and points formed by the mangrove roots.

As for trout fishing, we have to divide trout into two categories, over 18" and under 18". There are some overlaps on occasion, though overwhelmingly in February the two are found in different locals. Smaller trout are generally found in deeper open water areas usually relating specifically to a drop-off. Spoil island banks, sandbars, edges of flats, natural and manmade channels, and deeper water grass beds around the inlet are good places to work a jig, D.O.A. shrimp, small diving plug or live shrimp to stay busy with small to keeper size trout. Bigger trout will be on the flats sunning themselves and ambushing the larger baits they prefer on all but the coldest days. The higher the water the more trout there will be, but there must be some grass or bait to hold them. D.O.A. 4 inch C.A.L. baits on 1/8th oz. jig heads, Bass Assassin jerkbaits, Mirro-lure catch 2000 Jr., and handpicked shrimp on a short leader below a small float will take these bigger fish. Be quiet, stay low and cast long.

Investing in a pair of waders can pay great dividends this time of year. Wade fishing spoil islands, flats edges and sunny shorelines with live shrimp, flies and artificials can lead to some of the best catches of the year. Use the wind and current to make long casts and natural drifts to get into gator trout and reds.

Pompano will still be a target of both surf and lagoon anglers in February. Sandfleas and cut clams are the preferred baits of surf fishermen who line up north and south of Sebastian Inlet. Yellow and chartreuse Doc's Goofy Jigs have accounted for most of my pompano in the last few years. Hopping the jigs along the bottom behind the inlet and around spoil islands is the best way to target the tasty hard fighting pomps. Look for "skipping" pompano in your wake as you run from spot to spot. If you see or hear them stop and fish the jigs, it could make your day.

The rest of the fishing available in the central lagoon area includes some big reds and a few snook at night from the A1A bridge east on jigs, plugs and live baits. Warm days may activate some of the holdover snook and tarpon in the St. Sebastian River. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel have been known to invade the near shore Atlantic later in the month, and there is always the good old ladyfish when all else fails.

Check out my review of Piranha Propellers Composite Modular Propeller system also in this issue.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Gus Brugger

www.SebastionFishingguides.com - Pattern Setter Charters

Capt. Gus Brugger is a full time inshore fishing guide with over 15 years of charter fishing experience in the Sebastian area. He and his 18' Maverick flats skiff the Pattern Setter are available for charter by one to three anglers with reservations. Captain Hiram's Resort is home base for Pattern Setter Charters and is a perfect get away for serious anglers or family fun. Give Gus a call today and book a trip to east central Florida's finest fishing destination.

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South West Coast Report

By Capt. Dave Hanson

Fishbuster Charters

239-947-1688

February 9

Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, Mother and son anglers Carole and Kenny Mathis fished EsteroBay with me Monday morning, from BarefootBeach to WigginsPass. We used live shrimp to catch three keeper mangrove snapper and a pair of 16 inch whitings. We released small sheepshead and a 22 inch snook.

Tuesday, fishing in 45 feet out of New Pass with Ron Musick, Dick Arnett, Jim Novak and Bob Mayer, we caught two 16 inch hogfish, eight mangrove snapper to 16 inches, a mess of whitebone porgies, all 14 and 15 inches, and three nice sheepshead to 20 inches. We were literally swarmed by bluefish, which we had fun catching and releasing, along with a red grouper just an inch shy of keeper size at 19 inches, all on live shrimp and light tackle.

Wednesday, although seas were predicted to be two to three feet, they were mostly three to four, and it was rougher in close to the beach than out a little further. I fished in about 40 feet out of NewPass with Tom Batchellor, Lee Larsen, Steve Sidlik and Bud Glanzer. We caught five keeper mangrove snapper to 16 inches and whitebone porgies on shrimp, and we released gag grouper shorts and red grouper to 19 inches.

Thursday seas were a little calmer when I fished with Bob Lozier and friends 17 miles west of NewPass. We caught eight mangrove snapper to 15 inches, a 15 inch hogfish, triggerfish and grunts, using live shrimp. We lost a big grouper when it broke a line.

Friday morning I fished in EsteroBay with Mike and Nora Cole, from WigginsPass to BarefootBeach. We caught seven nice sheepshead to 18 inches and released all but two of those. We also released two 17 inch redfish, mangrove snapper and a 20 inch cravalle jack, all on shrimp.

Fishing in 47 feet out of NewPass Saturday with Tom & Noreen Petracelli, Hank & Judy Norman, and John & JoAnne Hoogenden, we caught eight keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, whitebone porgies, grunts, triggerfish and porkfish on live shrimp. We released gag and red grouper shorts, a 25 inch goliath grouper and a small hogfish.

Capt. Dave Hanso

Marti Hanson, Manager

Fishbuster Charters, Inc.

239 947-1688

Fishbuster Charters

Anglers Eric & Tricia Walters and Mike & Bobbie Paquette with four gag grouper ranging 22 inches to 27 inches, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.

Gold Coast Fishing Report

By Capt.Andy Roydhouse

Fort Lauderdale Fishing Charter - Sport fishing charter and drift fishing boat for dolphin, kingfish, tuna, wahoo, and other big game fish in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida with Fishing Headquarters.

754-214-7863

February 8 Report

It's February and the big game fish are moving through again. Every year, this time of year, we get a massive migration of some monster game fish. February though May is probably the best time of the year to go fishing in South Florida. Right off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, the Gulf Stream current comes closer to shore than anywhere else on the eastern seaboard. Right on the edge of the stream, usually about 2-3 miles offshore is where we like to fish. Lately, kite fishing on that current edge has been yielding some very large fish. Huge game sharks, like hammerheads, threshers, sand bar sharks, bull sharks, and sometimes even makos will be biting for the next few months. This month alone we've already released a ton of big game sharks we've caught for our customers. Yes, this is the time of year where you can catch something bigger than you are.

The best bite lately has been with kite fishing. If you've never tried kite fishing before, it's a great technique. We fly kites off the back of the boat and dangle live baits from pressure release clips along the kite line. The result is the bait is suspended right on the surface of the water, splashing around and making vibrations for the bigger game fish to pick up on. When that sailfish, big game shark or monster mahi mahi comes up to eat the bait, the fish literally has to stick his back out of the water to eat the bait. You get to see the whole bite sequence when the big fish comes up and chases the bait around on the top of the water. It is very exciting. This month has been and will continue to be great for sailfishing.

With the kites out and baits on the top of the water, there is still room to put out some big baits on the bottom. We like to fish a great big bloody bonito or a fresh kingfish head as a bottom bait. With one or 2 big bottom baits down, you never know what might bite them. This time of year, we get monster sharks, big golden amberjacks, and huge groupers on the bottom baits we put out. This is an extremely effective way to fish this time of the year and you can expect to see some monster fish caught in the next few months. Already the big sailfish have been biting voraciously. Kite fishing and trolling have been working excellent for sailfish, big mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo and more.

The Swordfishing lately has been productive lately as well. Night fishing is still the best for catching numbers of swordfish, although the new style of daytime Swordfishing has been catching all the biggest ones. In the daytime swordfish go down to the bottom to rest and sometimes feed on the creatures down at those abysmal depths. In the nights, swordfish rise to within a few hundred feet of the surface to feed on the schools of squids and mackerels. Our night Swordfishing trips have been coming in with an average of 2 swordfish per trip lately. Some nights are slower than others, but the norm has been great fishing on our night time Swordfishing trips. Daytime Swordfishing is hit or miss lately, but if you are lucky enough to hook into one, there's a good chance it's going to be a monster swordfish.

All in all, great fishing lately and we are getting right into the best time of year to go fishing. If you're looking for some awesome big game fishing, great bottom wreck fishing, or some fun action on the troll, this is about the best time of year to fish in the Fort Lauderdale area. See ya all out on the water.

By Capt.Andy Roydhouse

Fort Lauderdale Fishing Charter - Sport fishing charter and drift fishing boat for dolphin, kingfish, tuna, wahoo, and other big game fish in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida with Fishing Headquarters.

754-214-7863

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South Indian River Fishing Report

By Capt.Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

February 8 Report

INSHORE:

What a great week on the water. Not only did we have some fantastic summer-like days to fish, I saw a number of friends again and met some new ones on the boat. Fishing was great most days and we did catch a variety of species. Dolphin were all over the river to put on their show and lots of wildlife to enjoy out along the Treasure Coast. What a wonderful area we live in!

Keith, Bob, Turner and Frank were visiting again and we had a wonderful time watching the boys, Turner and Frank, have fun with the ladyfish and jacks. Dave was back in town again and we had a good time catching up on a years worth of news and catching fish in between. I met Bob and Haley and enjoyed the weather and fishing on a bright Sunday morning. Scott and his son, Jeremy, were out with me and I believe that Scott won the battle with the fish that day. Ray, Danny and Mike were having a great battle on who would catch the most fish. Emmet was down on Thursday and we tried our best on a fly rod, but only got a number of rolls on it. It turned out to be fabulous weather and great fun fishing out on the Indian River.

Snook fishing has been pretty good around most of the docks. We caught several nice ones and lost a few others when we could reach the docks. Dave did catch one nice linesider that was a couple inches short of slot. Night anglers have continued to catch some nice snook around the bridges, turning basin and Taylor Creek area. Live bait or feather jigs have worked best.

Trout fishing was good some days and slower another day. It picked up on Wednesday, but slowed down again Thursday for us. We did manage trout on several days out there. Live shrimp on popping corks or soft baits have worked best. As the water clears back up from the latest winds, look for the bite to improve again. Redfish were quiet this week, but Keith did manage to pull one out from under the mangroves.

Pompano have been cruising around the river and we caught several nice slab sides for dinner. Dave caught the largest, with Ray coming in a close second for the week. Live shrimp or small jigs tipped with shrimp have worked the best in the river. Still a lot of sheephead out there around the area. Bob boated three that would go 2 - 3 pounds each. A lot of schools of them around the flats, docks and bridges are keeping anglers, who are targeting them, busy. Croakers and black drum have been around the catwalks and along channel edges. Spanish mackerel are still around the inlet and a few in the channels. Ladyfish, jacks and bluefish have continued to be everywhere. They provide lots of fun, especially for the young anglers!

Surf:

Whiting, pompano, bluefish and mackerel have been patrolling the beaches. The pompano bite has been good again this week and many anglers have had some nice catches. Shrimp or sand fleas for the whiting and pomps, and shiny lures for the toothy guys. The lighter winds have given us some good days to enjoy the beach.

Tip of the Week:

You hear me talk a lot about kids and fishing. Those days when I see parents like Keith and Bob who share a day fishing with their children make it all worth while. I watched as Bob with his daughter, Hailey, and Keith with sons, Turner and Frank, took the time to make sure that the kids have a time to remember for a long time. It's parents like them that keep the fishing spirit alive in all of us and are creating the future for the generations to come. I am proud that Bob and Keith were on my boat!

As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!!

Good Fishing and Be Safe,

Captain Charlie Conner

772-284-3852

Email: Captian Charlie

CATCHES THIS WEEK:

Dave with a nice pompano and snook....

Ray with a nice pompano and Bob with one of several nice sheephead...

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South West Coast Report

By Capt. Dave Hanson

Fishbuster Charters

239-947-1688

February 2

Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, Monday, 1-28, the seas calmed enough to get offshore, although we stayed fairly close in 30 feet out of NewPass. I fished with Leonard White, Butch White, Bill Banish and Ted Ressler. Butch caught a nice gag grouper 30 inches using a small sheepshead as bait on a heavy pole. Bill followed up with a 23 inch gag, caught on shrimp. The group also caught a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper, all 13 and 14 inches, two keeper sheepshead at 14 inches and 15 inches, grunts and porgies. We also released a small hogfish. It was pretty chilly on the water in the early morning, but the fish sure didn't seem to mind!

Earl Meturfman, Joey Kennedy, Pete Watrous and Tony Grasso fished with me on Tuesday in 33 feet out of NewPass. The wind shifted direction and picked up a bit, causing seas to be a little higher than they were on Monday. We did well with live shrimp and caught a 15 inch hogfish, a mess of sheepshead to 16 inches, of which we kept eight, and 8 keeper mangrove snapper, along with grunts, porkfish and triggerfish. We released gag shorts to 21 inches and red grouper to 16 inches.

Wednesday, conditions changed and fishing was tougher offshore in 37 feet out of NewPass. The winds were S-SE and increased throughout the morning. The winds and waves were going in opposite directions and the current was slow. The water was crystal clear, but the bite wasn?t as strong as it had been the earlier part of the week. Lee Wampler, Chris Corrie, his son, Jason, and six-year-old granddaughter, Celestra, still fared pretty well, though, landing two 14 inch hogfish and a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper and some porgies, all on shrimp.

Seas were a little sloppy on Thursday when I headed out to 42 feet from NewPass with John Bileau. We caught eight keeper mangrove snapper and a mess of 12-15 inch porgies, and released lots of gag and red groper shorts, several gags just an inch or so shy of keepers.

Friday, with strong winds out of the south-southwest, seas continued to build offshore. I stayed close in at the reefs with Peder Engebretson, Mike Higgins, Sr. and Mike Higgins, Jr. we used shrimp to catch mostly sheepshead and caught about thirty of those ranging from 12 = to 19 inches. The guys kept four of those and released the rest, along with grunts and gag shorts to 21 = inches.

Capt. Dave Hanso

Marti Hanson, Manager

Fishbuster Charters, Inc.

239 947-1688