Fishing Report

Tides will start to improve this coming week as we move toward the full moon.  That will put the fish on the feed and make for very productive fishing trips on Estero Bay and in the Gulf.  Mix in some sunshine and warmer temperatures and you have the makings for a great day on the water.

The overall bite was good this past week despite tides that were a bit slow.  If you could find the moving water, the fish would be close by.  The creeks and squeezes between mangrove islands were a good place to start and produced some good size sheepshead, mangrove snapper and black drum.  Live shrimp on jigs moved slowly across the bottom worked well.  The sheepshead are finally moving to their spawning locations and there are quite a few large ones in the mix.

Sea trout were on the flats but spread out over a wide area.  Drifting using popping cork rigs was the best way to find them.  Live shrimp was the bait of choice but they’d also go after artificials like Berkley Gulp Shrimp and soft plastics.  There were quite a few ladyfish and jacks in the same area, so action wasn’t a problem. 

The rock ledges and near shore reef bite is improving.  A mix of sheepshead, mangrove snapper, spanish mackerel and sea trout are all biting on live shrimp and cut bait.  The middle of the inbound or outbound tide worked best and don’t stay if you don’t get a bite.

Redfish are still biting well around oyster bars and mangrove islands.  Fish the top of the tide right through the change for the most action.  Live shrimp on jig heads got the most strikes and it wasn’t unusual to pick up a stray flounder.