Ft. Myers - Offshore

Fishing Again! Greetings, Well with hurricane Charlie cleanup started, we also started fishing again this week. Thankfully Bonita Springs and Bonita Beach were spared any major damage as was our pick up point Lovers Key untouched. Lots of floating debris and some strange things are in the Gulf so watch where you are going especially within the first five miles. Water near shore is green but somewhat turbid. I did not see much activity I.e. birds, bait, etc. so we ran to twenty miles plus where the water clarity was better. I am sure it will not be very long with these calm days that things are back to normal inshore, likely by Sunday for sure. On our two trips this week we concentrated on fishing patches of live bottom from fifty to sixty feet of water. The red grouper bite is quite good and the average size is good as well. Using mostly live bait like small squirrel fish, and pinfish along with sardines and squid we found the action pretty much non stop. At one point the bite slowed way down so I dropped a large lane snapper to the bottom. A short time later a huge cobia was giving my angler all he could handle. The five foot cobia eventually beat him around the anchor line and broke free. There are trigger fish, mangrove snapper, and the odd gag grouper on the live bottom as well. Unlike before the storm we did not catch a single shark. If you go watch the afternoon storms they seem to have a lot of energy lately. Plan to be at the dock by two o’clock and you will be fine. Otherwise it is beautiful. Calm seas, and good fishing. Bow em’ up, Capt. Rick