Story tools: E-mail story | Printer-friendly | iPod friendly

Fish Tales

By CATHY COTTRILL (Contact)

Monday, March 12, 2007

Blustery weather early last week cleared and made way for some days of fine fishing. Anglers had luck with sheepshead, mangrove snapper, mackerel and tripletail.

For Fishbuster Charters' Capt. Dave Hanson, last Monday morning was chilly and windy, with rough seas offshore.

"Low tide in the bay made for less than ideal conditions, but my father-son angling team, Bill and Mike Evans, decided to give it a go. We fished anywhere we found water deep enough in Estero Bay, up toward New Pass. We did OK, considering conditions, with four keeper sheepshead all around 14 inches, a keeper mangrove snapper, and two whiting. We released lots of ladyfish."

Last Tuesday, the seas were still pretty rough early, but they calmed down quite a bit by mid-morning. Hanson fished in 35 feet off Sanibel with Gary and Kathy Yatteau, and daughters Eileen Yatteau and Laurie Grieco on a catch and release trip that provided fun with eight sheepshead to 17 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches.

Jim Chisholm and friends wanted some eating fish, and they got a cooler full of sheepshead to 17 inches, mangrove snapper, porgies and Spanish mackerel. They released lots of red and gag grouper also, in 35-47 feet off Sanibel, fishing with live shrimp.

Thursday, Jerry and Barb Rudan fished with Hanson on a catch and release trip in 35 feet off Sanibel. They released sheepshead to 18 inches, mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel. Seas were calm, the weather was perfect, and the action was steady.

A cooler full of sheepshead made my anglers happy on Friday. Bill Story, Leonard White, and friends Merv, Hank and Mike caught a total of 20 of those, and kept 15 of them to 20 inches. They also caught Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, all on live shrimp, in 35-40 feet off Sanibel.

Saturday, Carol Younkins took her young sons, Andy and Mark, fishing with Hanson. They went after more sheepshead, since Hanson knew they were a sure bet, and would be fun for the boys to catch. They got seven of those to 18 inches, fishing with live shrimp in 30 feet off Sanibel.

On Friday, Capt. Terry Davis, of Bonita Springs, had the opportunity to fish with Tim Arendell and his father-in-law from Missouri. In the morning, they headed offshore, giving the tide a chance to turn and come in to Estero Bay.

"With shrimp in hand, we started sight-fishing for tripletail. After several small ones, we finally got a 9 pound tripletail to take our shrimp," said Davis. "We named him Dinner. After cast-netting some threads for baits, we headed into the bay for some snook action. The bite was spottie at best. We moved several times, but only found one or two fish at each spot. We ended up with 10 snook, with about 4 snook close to the lower slot size and five jack crevalle up to 8 pounds.

His son, Capt. Eric Davis, has been fishing tripletail at 3 to 5 miles offshore and catching several in the 10 to 20 pound size. He also has been fishing Pine Island Sound and doing well with redfish and snook with some bigger spotted sea trout showing up on the grass flats and while fishing potholes.

"With the warm weather, the bite can only improve and we are looking for a great spring of fishing," Davis said. "Remember that a day on the water beats a day at work anytime." Capt. Ron Kowalyk saw a gangbuster bite in the central drifts of Estero Bay last week, with loads of trout, ladyfish, blues and Spanish making for action on fly and grub-tipped jigs. The wayback lagoons and creeks held good numbers of snook, reds, snapper, sheepies and some first of the year smallish tarpon.

"We jumped several poons in the 10-30 pound range, but they were very picky, he said. "The hottest action was on the near shore reefs where we found schools of big Spanish, blues and jacks that mangled our flies, jigs and inhaled shrimp-tipped jigs. The big redfish on the reefs required large weighted baits to keep off the gangs of marauding Spanish."

Kowalyk's Captain's Corner: A bit of wire trace was helpful in the mad fray offshore. When the Spanish are on a chew, they'll often ignore the wire and the big redfish are anything but leader shy. Bigger whitebait, pinfish, crabs and cut stuff work well for the reds as long as you can stick it close to the bottom.

Don't be surprised if you come up with a grouper, shark, cobia or king when soaking the bigger baits. The bottom-bouncing rigs are best served with slightly heavier tackle; a 20 pound spinner or conventional reel with a baitrunner or clicker is a handy tool.

Leaders for bottom rigs can be made up of heavier mono, say 40-50 pound test. Fluorocarbon isn't necessary. Sabiki rigs are a good addition to your offshore kit as there are threadfins and pinfish available for easy bat gathering are the reefs.

Bring a few extra Sabikis as the Spanish will hack them off when they're loaded with bait or just attracted to the flash.