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

SW FL-Bonita Beach: snapper bite hot, shark, Spanish mackerel I headed offshore Thursday with Chuck and Sheila Peterson and teenage sons, C.J. and Andy. We fished with live shrimp in about 40 feet out of New Pass. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches, lane snapper to 12 inches, Spanish mackerel to 20 inches, along with triggerfish, porkfish and porgies. We released red grouper shorts. The Petersons will be back in March, and hoping for some king mackerel action then. Saturday, Dan Wampler, his son Barry, and his eight year old grandson, Matt fished with me. We headed out to about 40 feet, to a spot that had been good for yellowtail last week. Using live shrimp, we caught sixteen keeper snapper—thirteen mangroves to 15 inches, two yellowtail 15 and 16 inches, and one 12 inch lane. We released a 40 inch shark, which was quite a treat for Matt to help catch, and triggerfish. The photo shown above is of angler Mike Twiss, with a 4 foot bull shark, released on a recent offshore trip.