SW FL-Bonita Beach: Inshore Report

Hot, hot, hot! Air and water temps are unbelievably hot this week.

Tuesday morning, 6/16, I fished with Larry Battiste and his young son, Lorenzo, in Estero Bay. We used live shrimp to catch seven keeper mangrove snapper and a 14 inch sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead, snapper and trout.

Wednesday morning, I fished Estero Bay again, with Cody Hennessey, on a catch and release trip. We released a dozen mangrove snapper and a 15 inch sheepshead. We hooked a big red but he got away from us before we could boat him.

Saturday morning, 6/20, I fished a very warm Estero Bay with John McGushin and friend, Mike. We used shrimp to catch five keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches and we released crevalle jack and ladyfish. We couldn’t get any reds to bite—maybe the warm water temps are making them lethargic. We half expected the fish to be reeled in already cooked!

The photo shown is of angler, Steve Vender, with a 24 1/2 inch redfish, caught on shrimp, on a recent inshore trip.