Fishing Report - Naples, Ft. Myers, Bonita Beach & Estero Bay

Black Grouper! Gag, Goliaths, Spanish & Snapper: Bonita beach, SW FL I fished Monday, 8/15, in 35 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch keeper Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper. We also caught some jack cravalle and blue runners to use as goliath grouper bait. We released three goliaths, 20 lbs., 45 lbs., and 70 lbs. Thursday, fishing in 35 to 45 feet, northwest of New Pass, we were very happy to catch a true black grouper (photo at right), which is the first I have caught around here. The most common groupers in my fishing area are gag and red. This black was a nice on at 26 inches, and pretty well made our day. We also caught a 23 inch gag grouper, Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, some nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and keeper yellowtail snapper. Fishing the Bonita reefs on Friday, we caught Spanish mackerels on shrimp and shiners, and released a barracuda.