Estero Bay Producing Good Catches: Pompano, Snook & Reds

{%image_id=49272%}Southwest Florida is in the midst of summer and the bite is on. Early mornings are best for catches of snook and redfish in the backcountry with quite a few big ones mixed in. There have also been a lot of small tarpon cruising with the snook. Live pilchards are the bait of choice but don't hesitate to put on a live shrimp or an artificial that looks like live bait. Soft plastics have worked the best. The passes of Estero Bay have been producing pompano with some to 3 pounds. An occasional catfish, shark or ladyfish is also a possibility. A little further offshore watch for birds working over the water. They are after the bait that's being pushed up by game fish and that will usually lead to a hookup on spanish mackerel, jacks and ladyfish. If you\'re fishing later in the day, try hitting the oyster bars with some cut bait. I use 30 pound leader and a circle hook. The cut bait provides all the weight you'll need for casting. Look for points around the bars with good current. This effort should lead to some nice surprise catches of redfish, snook and sea trout.