SW FL-Bonita Beach: Reds & Snook Inshore; Shark, Grouper & Snapper Offshore

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Ogata fished a catch-and-release trip with me in southern Estero Bay on Monday morning, 7/24. They used live shrimp and sardines to catch fourteen snook to 22 inches, two sheepshead, and a sand bream.

Wednesday morning, 7/26, I headed 23 miles offshore with long-time customer Jose Garcia and his family, Melissa, Emily and Brian, along with family friends Frank Landrode and his son, Justin. The group used cut-bait and squid to box a keeper 22-inch red grouper, along with two dozen lane snapper keepers to 15 inches. They released between thirty and forty red grouper shorts.


The photo shown is of Frank Landrode, with a keeper 22-inch red grouper, caught on squid on a recent offshore trip.

Mike Wethington, friend, Rob, and friends, Cory Altman and his three young children, Jude, Izayah, and Ashton, had planned to fish offshore with me on Tuesday, 8/1, but Tropical Storm Emily threw a wrench into those plans, so we rescheduled for Thursday, 8/3. Seas were still a little choppy, but way calmer than they had been for the previous days. We headed 23 miles offshore, with cut-bait and squid. The group caught twenty-three red grouper shorts to 18 inches, which were fun for the boys to reel in and release. They also caught some keeper fish, including two dozen lane snapper and a half-dozen grunts.

After lots of rainy days, paired with a light summer schedule, I got back offshore on Wednesday, 8/9, when I fished 24 miles west of New Pass with Ingo Merz and his two sons. Using shrimp and cut-bait, the guys caught and released two dozen red grouper shorts to 19 ¾ inches, just shy of keeper size. They boxed 24 lane snapper to 15 inches, along with a dozen grunts.

Diane McVay and friends, Peggy and Mike, fished southern Estero Bay with me Friday morning, 8/11, using live shrimp for bait. With all the fresh water influx into the backwaters from recent heavy rains, fishing was not the best it could be, but the group caught a 15-inch black drum and a 14-inch sheepshead, and released a few sheepshead shorts, along with four stingray that were all about two pounds.

Ingo Merz and sons, Matt and Max, who fished with me last Wednesday, fished offshore again with me this Monday, 8/14. This time, the boys were seeking out the thrill of big fish, rather than only table-fare. We headed out to spots between 12 and 23 miles west of New Pass, where the guys used cut-bait and squid to lure a few monsters. They fought and released two goliath grouper, one estimated at 80 pounds, and one estimated at 140 pounds. They also battled and released an 8-foot-plus bull shark. They had three additional big sharks hooked, but those cut the line and took off. Needless to say arms were tired and adrenaline surged! The guys caught and released twenty-five red grouper shorts to 19 inches, and also landed one keeper red grouper at 21 inches. They added to the fish box six keeper lane snapper and a half dozen grunts.

Susan Baker and her now grown-up daughter, Anna, fished 17 miles offshore with me on Wednesday, 8/16/17. Anna was a young child when she last fished with me about ten years ago! The mother-daughter anglers used squid and cut-bait to catch and release a dozen red grouper shorts to 19 inches, and to box six keeper lane snapper and a half-dozen grunts.


The photo shown is of David Jack, with a 24-inch snook, caught on shrimp and released in Estero Bay on a recent inshore trip.

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