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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 91
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 21, 2004 - 11:23 am: | |
Winds and seas were pretty rough the beginning of this week, and I did not get offshore. Friday, I fished central Estero Bay. Using live shrimp, we caught five redfish, including a 18 ½ inch keeper, one big sheepshead at 20 ¼ inches, and released jack cravalle and mangrove snapper.
Saturday, we had calm seas, and I fished 18-20 miles off New Pass. We had a productive day, using live bait. We caught a 21 inch red grouper, two keeper yellowtail snapper at 13 and 14 inches, twenty-four lane snapper that were good eatin’ size, two hogfish and 15 and 16 inches, grunts, porkfish, whitebone porgies to 15 inches, and nine keeper mangrove snapper, which ended once the barracuda found us. We released lots of red and gag grouper shorts.
The photo attached is of a 28 inch gag we got last week, on a live pinfish. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 90
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 13, 2004 - 11:22 am: | |
Last week, I fished Estero Bay a couple of hours, and released snook to 25 inches and Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, using shiners. I also fished offshore, taking a 4 year old boy on his first gulf fishing expedition. It was a bit rough out there that day, but the little guy hung in there, and he caught most of the fish, which consisted of porgies and grunts, and short red grouper and yellowtail snapper.
Monday, we used live bait—shrimp and shiners, fished about 18 miles west of New Pass, and caught a 24 inch gag grouper, lane snapper to 15 inches, Spanish mackerel, porkfish, porgies, and grunts. We released red grouper to 19 inches, four little tunnies, ranging 8-10 pounds, and two ten pound goliath grouper.
Thursday, I fished 17 miles off New Pass, where we caught a 16 inch hogfish, whitebone porgies to 16 inches, mangrove snapper, porkfish and grunts, fishing in 40 feet with live shrimp and pinfish. We released gags to 21 inches and red grouper to 19 inches.
Friday, fishing 18 miles out New Pass again, we caught a 28 inch gag grouper on a pinfish. We released shorter gags, red grouper, grunts, porgies, triggerfish, along with an 8 lb. little tunny, and a 4 foot nurse shark, all of which bit live shrimp.
I fished Saturday in central Estero Bay, using live shrimp and shiners, and released redfish, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, jack cravalle, and four snook. The attached photo is of a 35 inch cobia we got 10/29.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 88
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 23, 2004 - 1:46 pm: | |
I fished Monday with Chester Yanik, son Mark, and friends Jim, Tom & Bob. We were16 to 28 miles west of New Pass, with live shrimp, and caught 25 lane snapper to 14 inches. We released red grouper shorts, and one angler lost a big grouper that pulled the hook.
Tuesday, fishing with live shrimp in Estero bay, around the Wiggins Pass area with brothers, Wayne and Bob Niskala, we celebrated Bob’s birthday with catches of redfish, snook, sand bream, mangrove snapper, jack cravalle, and sheepshead. One of the 6 reds we caught was a keeper at 21 inches, and we released the 5 others, all around 18 inches. One of several sheepshead was also keeper size, at 15 inches. We released snook to 20 inches. We had a nice red hooked at one point, but the line frayed over the oyster bar, and that one got away.
Thursday, I fished with the ken Barringer party, again 16 to 28 miles off new Pass. We used live shrimp, big pinfish, and tomtates for bait. We caught lane snapper to 12 inches, grunts, porkfish, porgies, and released yellowtail snapper to 11 inches, red grouper to 19 inches and gag grouper to 20 inches—No keeper grouper, but we caught fish steadily all day, until our arms were worn out. We also played with five goliath grouper—too big to get boatside for a photo, but lots of fun.
Friday, I fished in 38 feet off new Pass with Steve Parker and Bob Giarla. We photographed and released a 40 pound goliath grouper 9photo attached), as well as one smaller one. They bit live pinfish. We used live shrimp to catch keeper lane snapper, mangrove snapper, porkfish and grunts. We released red grouper shorts and gags to 20 inches, and also released a 90 pound nurse shark.
Craig Snow and friend, Scott, fished Saturday with me, 29 miles west of New Pass. We caught a bunch of red grouper, two of which were keepers at 20 inches and 21 inches. We released two goliath grouper, mangrove and lane snapper, and porgies. The grouper bit live pinfish, and the goliaths bit grunts. We used live shrimp for the rest.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 87
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 11:29 am: | |
Wednesday, 10/13, I fished with honeymooners Jason and Sara Toner, in 38 feet, about 13 miles off New Pass. The winds picked up to 15 to 20 knots, and seas were 3 to 4 feet, but we had steady bites on live shrimp. We caught lots of gag grouper, one keeper a 23 inches (photo attached), along with eighteen lane snapper to 12 inches, and some keeper mangrove snapper.
Thursday, I fished with Jim Miller and his daughter, Jennifer, on the west side of Estero Bay. We caught three redfish, two of which were keepers at 22 inches. Jennifer lost two big ones, over slot size, when they broke her 12 # test line boatside. We released three snook to 19 inches, sand bream, ladyfish and two jack cravalle.
Saturday was a tough day fishing, in four to five foot seas that were predicted to be two foot. I fished with the John Stabile party, in 20-25 knot winds, with live shrimp. We caught lane snapper, and released lots of grunts and blue runners.
The Chester Yanik party fished with me Sunday, 19 miles out New Pass, where we caught yellowtail snapper, sheepshead, jolthead porgies, grunts and a keeper red grouper. We used live shrimp, except for the grouper, which bit a spot-tail grunt.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 86
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2004 - 11:33 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay and behind Ft. Myers Beach Monday with Owen Feeney, Dr. Owen Feeney Jr., and his 4 year old son, Justin. We used live shrimp to catch seven redfish, one of which was a keeper at 21 inches (photo attached). We also caught two keeper sheepshead at 14 inches each, two sand bream, and two keeper mangrove snapper. We released three snook to 18 inches.
I fished the bay again on Saturday with the Doug Eckman party. We had steady bites all day on live shrimp, and released lots of redfish to 17 inches and snook to 22 inches. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 85
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 11:43 am: | |
I fished Wednesday, 9/29, with Jerry Rudan and friend, Brian, about 18 miles off New Pass. We fished with live shrimp, and caught thirty-one keeper lane snapper and a keeper yellowtail. We released a short mutton snapper, along with lots of gag grouper to 21 inches. We were broken off twice by what were likely large grouper.
Friday, I returned to the same fishing area, 18-21 miles off New Pass, hoping to catch some of those larger grouper that cut us off on Wednesday. I fished with Bill & Nancy Stephens, in 50 feet, and we had a productive half-day of fishing, with five gag grouper to 27 ¾ inches (photo of 3 attached), an 18 inch yellowtail snapper, six keeper mangrove snapper, and a few keeper lane snapper. We released a lot of gag and red grouper shorts, and we were broken off once by either a large gag or a goliath grouper. We used live shrimp for the snapper and one 26 inch gag. The rest of the gags bit live grunts or pinfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 84
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 11:41 am: | |
I fished Wednesday, 9/29, with Jerry Rudan and friend, Brian, about 18 miles off New Pass. We fished with live shrimp, and caught thirty-one keeper lane snapper and a keeper yellowtail. We released a short mutton snapper, along with lots of gag grouper to 21 inches. We were broken off twice by what were likely large grouper.
Friday, I returned to the same fishing area, 18-21 miles off New Pass, hoping to catch some of those larger grouper that cut us off on Wednesday. I fished with Bill & Nancy Stephens, in 50 feet, and we had a productive half-day of fishing, with five gag grouper to 27 ¾ inches, (see photo of 3 attached) an 18 inch yellowtail snapper, six keeper mangrove snapper, and a few keeper lane snapper. We released a lot of gag and red grouper shorts, and we were broken off once by either a large gag or a goliath grouper. We used live shrimp for the snapper and one 26 inch gag. The rest of the gags bit live grunts or pinfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 83
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 11:40 am: | |
I fished Wednesday, 9/29, with Jerry Rudan and friend, Brian, about 18 miles off New Pass. We fished with live shrimp, and caught thirty-one keeper lane snapper and a keeper yellowtail. We released a short mutton snapper, along with lots of gag grouper to 21 inches. We were broken off twice by what were likely large grouper.
Friday, I returned to the same fishing area, 18-21 miles off New Pass, hoping to catch some of those larger grouper that cut us off on Wednesday. I fished with Bill & Nancy Stephens, in 50 feet, and we had a productive half-day of fishing, with five gag grouper to 27 ¾ inches, (see photo of 3 attached) an 18 inch yellowtail snapper, six keeper mangrove snapper, and a few keeper lane snapper. We released a lot of gag and red grouper shorts, and we were broken off once by either a large gag or a goliath grouper. We used live shrimp for the snapper and one 26 inch gag. The rest of the gags bit live grunts or pinfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 83
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 11:40 am: | |
I fished Wednesday, 9/29, with Jerry Rudan and friend, Brian, about 18 miles off New Pass. We fished with live shrimp, and caught thirty-one keeper lane snapper and a keeper yellowtail. We released a short mutton snapper, along with lots of gag grouper to 21 inches. We were broken off twice by what were likely large grouper.
Friday, I returned to the same fishing area, 18-21 miles off New Pass, hoping to catch some of those larger grouper that cut us off on Wednesday. I fished with Bill & Nancy Stephens, in 50 feet, and we had a productive half-day of fishing, with five gag grouper to 27 ¾ inches, (see photo of 3 attached) an 18 inch yellowtail snapper, six keeper mangrove snapper, and a few keeper lane snapper. We released a lot of gag and red grouper shorts, and we were broken off once by either a large gag or a goliath grouper. We used live shrimp for the snapper and one 26 inch gag. The rest of the gags bit live grunts or pinfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 82
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 12:12 pm: | |
I fished in Estero Bay Saturday, 9/18, with finger mullet that I netted, and released ladyfish and snook to 25 inches (see photo below). Monday, I fished in 3-4 foot seas with Scott Kempfert and Josh Loper. We fished with live shrimp, in 21 to 35 feet off Naples. We caught a 24 inch Spanish mackerel, keeper lane snapper and grunts, and four slot redfish at 18 inches, 21 inches and two at 22 inches (see photo below). Redfish are often schooled up around structure offshore this time of year. We released the two smallest ones, since the bag limit on redfish is one per person. We also released lots of ladyfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 78
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 4:41 pm: | |
I fished Estero BayThursday, on the west wall by Spring Creek, with Jim Cullen and daughter, Lauren. We released seven snook to 21 inches, and a couple of redfish, and caught one keeper redfish at 20 ½ inches photo attached). We also caught three keeper sheepshead to 16 ½ inches, keeper mangrove snapper and sand bream, on live shrimp.
Friday, I fished 28 miles west of New Pass in 57-70 feet, with Rudy Zikesch, John Pennza, Phil Young, and James Perry. We caught two keeper red grouper(photo attached), a big Spanish mackerel, thirty-one lane snapper, a nice trigerfish and a large porgie. We released lots of grouper and mangrove snapper shorts. The red grouper bit grunt heads, the lane snapper preferred cut bait and sardines, and the Spanish was caught on a live shrimp. We also released a 3 foot lemon shark.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 77
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 10:42 am: | |
On a first day back to fishing post-Hurricane Charley, Fishbuster Charters’ Captain Dave Hanson reports he fished with the Sarah Gordon party, in 37 feet, thirteen miles west of New Pass Thursday. “We caught a hogfish, a red grouper, seventeen mangrove snapper, and fourteen triggerfish, a whitebone porgy, and a jolthead porgy, all on live shrimp. We released lots of ladyfish, snapper and grouper shorts.
Friday, I fished again off New Pass, with Peter Haluenen and friends, Shauna, Mark & Mike. We caught two hogfish See photo), fifteen mangrove snapper, nine triggerfish, and porkfish. We released lots of gag and red grouper, but did not catch any keeper size grouper. The snapper bite has been especially strong in the aftermath of the hurricane.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 76
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 10:17 am: | |
Bayside, we got this 21 1/2 inch snook last week. Had to get wet to do it, but it was worth it! |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 75
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 10:14 am: | |
I fished the Bonita reefs Monday, finally in dry weather and calm seas, with Pat Fitzgerald and young sons Jimmy and Tommy. We caught nine keeper mangrove snapper and triggerfish, and released a 5½ foot nurse shark, which was exciting for the boys.
Tuesday, fishing with George Reiff and friends, Ron, Tom & Mark, 24 miles west of New Pass, we had a productive morning. We caught a 21 ½ inch red grouper, two hogfish, keeper mangrove snapper, big grunts and porkfish. We also released a goliath grouper estimated at 50 pounds Photo attached). We used live shrimp and cut grunts for bait.
The end of the week brought us Hurricane Charley, so by Thursday we were battening down the hatches, aware that what is usually our pleasant fishing playground is also a force to be respected.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 74
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 10:45 am: | |
After an entire week of cancelled trips, due to rain and rough seas, I fished Estero Bay, on the east side of Big Hickory on Friday. These guys were bound and determined to fish, and willing to get wet…and we did! But, we caught a 21 ½ inch redfish and released 11 snook to 20 ½ inches. We also caught two sand bream, all on live shrimp, and got to see some small tarpon rolling. The attached photo is of anglers Emily and Natalie, with a 27 inch gag grouper, caught last Friday on a Fishbuster charter to the Bonita Beach reefs. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 73
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2004 - 9:44 am: | |
I fished off Naples the first part of the week, but ended the week fishing off Bonita Beach.
Friday, Tom VonFelt, daughter Emily, and friend Natalie fished the reefs off Bonita Beach with me. We caught a 27 inch gag grouper, which bit a small blue runner(see photo attached). We also caught six nice mangrove snapper and four good sized triggerfish, on live shrimp.
Saturday, Pat Fitzgerald and his two sons, with friend Brian and his son, headed to MAY Reef with me. They wanted the young boys, ages 7-11 to catch fish, and they immediately started catching snapper and jack cravalle, including 3 keeper-sized mangrove snapper. But the seas were pretty rough, and in 18 feet of water, it was rough enough to cause some seasickness, so we headed in a bit early. There was a dark cloud overhead anyway, and we got in just before the rain began.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 71
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 24, 2004 - 11:10 am: | |
My offshore trips for Monday and Tuesday were cancelled, due to a weather front that brought rain, winds, and rough seas. Wednesday, I fished off Naples, but spent the rest of the week fishing off Bonita Beach.
Harold King, son Mark, and grandson Josh fished with me Thursday, 28 miles off New Pass in 58 feet. We started out using Spanish sardines, and caught a few keeper red grouper. The tide changed, and the bite slowed, and we started catching pinfish, squirrel fish, grunts, and tomtates, which we threw in the live well. We moved a couple hundred yards, re-anchored on another spot of hard bottom (with potholes, so it resembles Swiss cheese), and dropped our live bait over. We had no bites for a few minutes, so we pulled up the baits, cut them in half, and tried fishing with cut-bait. Using the head portions only, we got two more 25 inch grouper. They seemed to like the grunt heads best. We ended up catching our limit (new limits are two per angler), a total of six red grouper. We caught about 75 grouper in all out there, released the shorts, and had a lot of action and fun.
Friday, I headed back out 28 miles from New Pass with Don & Sandy Crossen and son, Brian. We caught a 25 inch red grouper, and released about 40 others which were just short of keeper size. We moved several times when the tide slacked off and the bite slowed. We re-anchored over bottom that had some higher rocks on it, and caught keeper mangrove snapper and triggerfish there. Later, we decided to see if any sharks were around, so we dropped a large piece of cut-bait over, and caught and released a six foot nurse shark.
I fished Saturday with Carl Graham and friend, Walt, 21 miles out New Pass, where we caught mangrove snapper and fifteen lane snapper. The photo below is of a pair of red grouper, caught last week by anglers Linda & Jamie, on a Fishbuster Charter 28 miles off New Pass.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 69
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 17, 2004 - 10:20 am: | |
I fished off Naples this week, except for Friday, off Bonita Beach.
Friday, I fished with Dennis & Jamie Riddell and Jerry & Linda Steplars, 28 miles out of New Pass. We caught two 23 inch red grouper (see photos below), and keeper lane and mutton snapper. We released two 3 foot sharpnose sharks and a 3 1/2 foot bonnet shark.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 66
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 8:35 am: | |
I fished with Greg & Lynn Tombridge Thursday, at May Reef and the DGH Reef off Bonita Beach. We caught seven keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and Spanish mackerel. We used mostly live shrimp, but used small greenback shiners for the larger snapper.
Bill & Terry Major decided to hunt for tarpon with me Friday. We tried several spots around the reefs and off of Sanibel, but spotted no tarpon. We headed to the barge, hoping to find some permit, but none of those around either. Other than bottom-fish, we did not see or catch much.
John Kirby and father-in-law, Dave, fished Estero Bay with me Saturday, on a catch & release trip. We released small snook and keeper-sized mangrove snapper, as well a fifteen pound stingray.
The photo attached is the last of the 6 permit we caught during June. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 65
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 12:27 pm: | |
I fished Tuesday, 6/1, with John & Cathy Kowalewicz, in 26 feet at the Bonita reefs. We caught a 39 inch cobia (that’s good on 12 lb. spinning tackle)! We also caught four permit to 28 inches, Spanish mackerel to 26 inches and keeper mangrove snapper. We released all but what the couple wanted for dinner.
Wednesday, the Wayne Kaufman party fished with me on a catch and release trip to the Bonita reefs, where we caught six permit to 33 inches, ranging from five to fourteen pounds (see photo attached). We had a goliath grouper in hot pursuit of the last permit we reeled in, but we managed to get the permit boated, after a five minute competition with the goliath. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper.
After a couple of weeks fishing the Florida Keys on a busman’s holiday, Captain Dave Hanson returned to Bonita's waters Wednesday, 6/23, when he fished in 35 feet with the Richard Slama party. We used live shrimp, which have been very small recently. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, porkfish, and Spanish mackerel. Thursday was about the same, fishing with the Peter Haluenen party. Slow tide and very warm water temperatures probably have something to do with the slow bite.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 64
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 12:26 pm: | |
I fished Tuesday, 6/1, with John & Cathy Kowalewicz, in 26 feet at the Bonita reefs. We caught a 39 inch cobia (that’s good on 12 lb. spinning tackle)! We also caught four permit to 28 inches, Spanish mackerel to 26 inches and keeper mangrove snapper. We released all but what the couple wanted for dinner.
Wednesday, the Wayne Kaufman party fished with me on a catch and release trip to the Bonita reefs, where we caught six permit to 33 inches, ranging from five to fourteen pounds (see photo attached). We had a goliath grouper in hot pursuit of the last permit we reeled in, but we managed to get the permit boated, after a five minute competition with the goliath. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper.
After a couple of weeks fishing the Florida Keys on a busman’s holiday, Captain Dave Hanson returned to Bonita's waters Wednesday, 6/23, when he fished in 35 feet with the Richard Slama party. We used live shrimp, which have been very small recently. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, porkfish, and Spanish mackerel. Thursday was about the same, fishing with the Peter Haluenen party. Slow tide and very warm water temperatures probably have something to do with the slow bite.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 61
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 10:23 am: | |
Wednesday, Jim Burnley & Steve Able fished with me, with plans to go after tarpon and goliaths. We fished in 16 feet off Ft. Myers beach, and hooked up on a tarpon over 100 pounds. He ran and jumped a few times before breaking our 50 lb. braid. We hooked and fought a couple of big sharks—Not sure what kind, but from the way they circled the boat, my guess would be hammerheads. We also caught and released three lemon shark to 4 feet, and a blacktip. We left the beach area then, caught some bait, and went after goliaths. We hooked one over 250 pounds(see photo attached), and fought it until it finally broke us off. All in all, it was a great day of sport fishing.
I fished Thursday in 35 feet off New Pass, with Ernie Moffett and son, Tim. We caught and released a 34 inch cobia, and caught Spanish mackerel to 27 inches, along with keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish, and porkfish.
Friday, John Carmack and Bill Moslow fished with me about 25 miles out, 17 miles SW of Sanibel. We fished at Doc Kline Reef first, where we got into a whole bunch of big mangrove snapper to 21 inches, then went to another ledge, where we caught several banded rudder fish (lesser amberjack) to 10 pounds, huge triggerfish to six pounds, and Spanish mackerel to 28 inches. We hooked a 47 inch kingfish, but it wrapped around the anchor line, and broke us off. We also released a 4 ½ foot lemon shark, which we caught on a piece of mackerel. We caught everything else on live shrimp. We released gag and scamp grouper shorts, along with a variety of other bottom fish.
I headed out to the reefs off Bonita Beach with Pete Murphy on Sunday, where we found some long-awaited permit, in about 35 feet. We caught three, all in the 10-12 pound range, and released two of those because Pete wasn’t able to eat that many during his stay. We also caught a 23 inch keeper gag grouper, keeper mangrove snapper, large porkfish, and Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, all on live shrimp.
Check the Naples area report for the catches there this week.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 59
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 15, 2004 - 12:15 pm: | |
I fished at the reefs off Bonita Beach Monday with Bill Grigsby, and Chad, Kim, five year old Sophia, and six year old Sam Toops. We used live shrimp to catch a 24 inch gag grouper (see attached photo), three large triggerfish (15 inches), Spanish mackerel, and blue runners. We released all but the gag and one triggerfish. We also had fun with a goliath grouper that bit the hook three different times, and tried to eat the gag we pulled up, but we won that battle! Sophie also got to see a remora, which suctioned itself to her hand for a photograph.
Wednesday, conditions called for 2-3 foot seas up to 60 miles offshore: That was not at all what I encountered fishing with Chris & Lisa Stimack at the Bonita reefs. Even just 5 or 6 miles offshore, we faced a southeast wind of 20 knots, and four foot seas. We caught Spanish mackerel, grunts, and blue runners for a little while, then decided to head in, as it was pretty unpleasant out there.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 56
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 10:34 am: | |
The winds and seas persisted through Thursday, cancelling my offshore plans.
On Friday, I fished in the calm waters of Estero Bay, along the shoreline between Big Carlos Pass and Hickory Bay, with live shrimp. Pat McKeown and son, Chris, caught one keeper redfish (photo attached), and released a smaller one. They also caught a sheepshead, and released two small snook, jack cravalle, mangrove snapper, and ladyfish.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 54
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 25, 2004 - 9:36 am: | |
I fished at the Bonita Reefs Monday with Fred Marunde and daughters, Chris and Nadine. We used live shrimp, and caught three nice flounder, each about 16 inches (see photo attached), an 18 inch sheepshead, and a large triggerfish. Seas were still pretty rough offshore, which is why we decided to fish near shore.
I fished off Naples the rest of the week, and had good action there, so check out that report too.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 52
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 12:04 pm: | |
Wild weather greeted us this week, and I was unable to get any fishing trips offshore. Thursday, I fished the backbay with the George Oliver party, but the tide was very low, and fishing was slow. We caught and released sheepshead, and we were wishing we could head offshore, but residual high winds and seas prevented that.
The photo attached is of a 5 lb. sheepshead, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter off Bonita Beach, by angler Lloyd Lack.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 50
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 1:03 pm: | |
I was happy to see winds dying down Monday. It was still a bit rough out there early Monday morning, but was calmer by late morning. I fished with Craig and Jan Royal, son Dan, and daughter Keri, at the Bonita reefs. We caught keeper mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel, and also caught and released a 25 inch snook, just one inch short of legal size (photo attached). We also released gag grouper shorts to 20 inches.
The rest of the week, I fished off Naples, so check that report for those catches.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 48
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 8:51 am: | |
Tuesday, I fished central Estero Bay with Ronald Constantini and friend, Rick. We used live shrimp and white baits, to catch and release six snook to 20 inches, jack cravalle, and a small gag grouper. We even caught a small barracuda, which is a bit unusual bayside, in a creek mouth off the bay.
I fished several days offshore from Naples, so check our report for there also.
For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
The photo attached is of Rob & Mary Fish (really!) with a triggerfish and a sheepshead, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter out of Bonita Beach. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 47
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 10:46 am: | |
I fished Monday with Robyn & Mary Fish, and Mary’s dad, Ed, at the Bonita reefs. Fishing was slow, and conditions a bit sloppy, but toward the latter part of the morning we started catching nice sheepshead, and landed six of those to 18 inches. We had one larger sheepshead hooked, but a goliath grouper got to that one before we could boat it. We also caught a 15 inch triggerfish, which is quite large for that species.
Tuesday, I just beat the rain fishing with the Bill Schraeder party in 3-4 foot seas, around the reefs, where we again cleaned up on nice sheepshead—nine of those to 19 inches—along with three Spanish mackerel to 20 inches and a 14 inch triggerfish. We released gag grouper shorts to 18 inches.
Jeff Kirk, friend also named Jeff, and father-in-law Richard Heimlich braved 3-4 foot seas with me on Wednesday at the Bonita reefs, where we used live shrimp to cull nine sheepshead to 4 pounds, and Spanish mackerel to 23 inches. We released lots of gag grouper shorts to 21 inches. We had a fun encounter with a goliath grouper that tried to eat one of our catches. We tried to catch that goliath on 80 # test, had a good fight, but he broke the line before we could get him photographed.
Fishing was slow Thursday in 25 feet off Bonita, with the Bob Coolmyer party. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and porkfish. We released lots of blue runners, and saw some Spanish mackerel, but did not get any of those to bite a shrimp.
I fished the bay off Naples Friday and Saturday--pretty windy, and pretty slow there.
The attached photo is of angler, Jillian, with an 18 inch shgeepshead, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 45
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2004 - 9:44 am: | |
Monday brought us high seas again, and we stayed in port. We took advantage of a brief window of opportunity on Tuesday, when seas were temporarily calmer, until they again picked up Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday. Tuesday, fishing with the Bernie Salvatore party in 24 feet around the Bonita reefs, we used live shrimp to catch a few keeper mangrove snapper, five sheepshead to 4 pounds, and Spanish mackerel to 20 inches. A goliath grouper came around later, and ate everything else we hooked before we could reel in!
Wednesday blew hard again, and it was Thursday before I got out again, this time with Gregg Bedell, around the reefs in 28-35 feet. We caught ten keeper mangrove snapper, one keeper gag grouper at 24 inches, and released lots of sheepshead in the 16 to 18 inch range.
Friday, the bite was kind of slow at the reefs, where I fished with Don Lewis, son Jim, son-in-law Mike, and friend Brant. We caught a few keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead, and released porkfish, grunts, small Spanish mackerel, and grouper shorts.
Saturday, I fished off Naples, so check our report for that area too.
Sunday, Peter Kenney, daughter Sue, and grandchildren Jillian, Mitchell, and Reagan, fished the Bonita reefs with me. We caught a couple keeper mangrove snapper, five sheepshead to 18 inches, and Spanish mackerel.The photo attached is of three anglers with catches of a 31 inch gag, a 23 inch gag, and mangrove snapper to 20 inches, all caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 43
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 11:03 am: | |
I fished Monday in 45 feet, west of New Pass, with Jeff & Christine Eldridge, and Christine’s dad, Lloyd and sister, Beth. We fished in 2-3 footers most of the time, but toward the end of our trip, the winds picked up, and seas were 3-4 foot again. We caught some beautiful snapper—3 limits of them—to 20 inches, as well as sheepshead to five pounds, and large grunts, all on live shrimp. We released gag grouper shorts to 21 inches.
Tuesday, the Bill Story party fished with me in 40 feet off New Pass. The bite was slow at first, and we were catching mostly porgies, but then we started catching nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We caught twenty-two of those, seventeen of them in about a 30 minute period. We also got some nice triggerfish, and released gag grouper to 20 inches and red grouper to 16 inches. The blue runners showed up too, which might be an indication that king mackerel are not far behind.
Fishing was great in 45 feet off New Pass Wednesday with Brad Hayes, Randy Nichols, and Mark Willis. We used live shrimp, and caught two keeper gag grouper at 31 inches and 23 inches, along with a couple limits of mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We released additional keeper-sized snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish, red grouper just ½ inch short of legal (19 ¾ inches), and a file-fish.
Fishing with me in 47 feet off New Pass Thursday, the Jerry Rangaard party caught twenty mangrove snapper to 17 ½ inches. We released gag grouper to 20 inches, red grouper to 16 inches, triggerfish, and grunts. Fishing began slow, but picked up in the afternoon.
I tried to fish Friday, but right out of New Pass, began taking 3 and 4 foot waves on, and decided to turn back. Saturday, I fished with the Ron Wilder party, on a catch-and-release trip in 28 feet off New Pass. Seas weren’t too bad until early afternoon, then they picked up again, so we traveled back in 3 to 4 footers. We used live shrimp, and released keeper-sized mangrove snapper, and sheepshead, as well as gags to 17 inches. The photo attached is of angler Randy Nichols, with the 31 inch gag he caught this past Wednesday, on a Fishbuster Charter out New Pass, Bonita Beach. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 42
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 29, 2004 - 10:27 am: | |
I fished Monday with Gary Bell and Dick Griffin, around the ledges off Bonita, in 38 feet. We caught two limits of nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches, and released a bunch more, along with short gags to 20 inches. We also caught a couple of large sheepshead and triggerfish, all on live shrimp.
Tuesday, the winds and seas were building, preceding the front that brought downpours Wednesday, and kept winds blustering and seas unsafe for navigation for the remainder of the week. Sunday, the Fred Williams party decided to brave the seas, which had diminished from earlier in the week, but were still 3 to 4 feet. We fished, again in 38 feet off Bonita, with live shrimp, and caught a couple limits of mangrove snapper, keeper sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and porkfish. The photo attached is of newlywed angler, Lisa B. with a 17 inch hogfish, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. For full info and fish photos by species, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 40
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:12 am: | |
Monday was still too rough to get offshore. The 13 foot seas of Sunday night kept things stirred up in the Gulf, with large swells. Tuesday, however, Dick Leonard and friend, Mark, decided to brave the residual 3-4 foot seas and 15 knot winds with me, southwest of May reef, in 28 feet. We caught two keeper sheepshead to 17 inches, and kept two limits of a total eight limits of mangrove snapper, to 14 inches. We probably caught over fifty keeper-sized mangrove snapper in just one spot. We caught fish steadily for over three hours, before the bite slowed a bit.
Wednesday and Thursday, another front activated the small craft advisory again, with 6-8 foot seas predicted, so we were once again forced into being landlubbers. I got back offshore Friday, and fished with the Don Lewis party at the Bonita reefs. Using live shrimp, we caught twenty-two mangrove snapper to 14 inches, keeper sheepshead, and released small Spanish mackerel and porgies.
Fishing Saturday in 38 feet off Bonita with Joel & Ellen Bednerek, their newlywed son, Jeff and wife Lisa, and friends Jim & Nancy, we caught nineteen mangrove snapper to 15 inches, a 17 inch hogfish, keeper sheepshead and porgies. We released grouper shorts. Angler Dan G. is shown in the attached photo, with a Spanish mackerel, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. For full info and fish photos by species, please visit www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 39
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 10:02 am: | |
I fished Monday with Lee Wampler and friends, Kenny, Bob, Bill & Mike. We fished with live shrimp in 50 feet off New Pass, where we caught twenty-five mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and released short gag grouper and porgies. Seas were still pretty rough, but a lot better than they were over the weekend.
Wednesday, fishing in 40 feet off Bonita with the Bill Schroeder party, we caught fifteen snapper to 17 inches, two hogfish, whitebone porgies, and released gag grouper shorts.
The Bill Story party fished with me Thursday, 12 miles off Bonita Beach, where we caught thirty keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and a dozen Spanish mackerel to 20 inches. We released a small hogfish.
Fishing Friday, again 12 miles off Bonita, with Frank Partee and son-in-law Joe Regan, we caught three limits of mangrove snapper—nice ones to 19 inches, and released a good 25 additional snapper, along with porgies and gag grouper shorts. We also caught Spanish mackerel to 20 inches, all on live shrimp.
I fished off Naples a couple days thias week, so check our report for there too.
Sunday’s 6-8 foot seas kept us in port. The photo attached is of a cooler of snapper and grouper, taken on a recent Fishbuster Charter. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 37
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 12:33 pm: | |
I fished Tuesday with Jerome & Joyce Sagez and Lawrence & Maxine Vaughn in 50 feet, 20 miles west of New Pass. Using live shrimp, we caught seventeen mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and released gag grouper to 20 inches, red grouper to 18 inches, sheepshead, and porgies.
Thursday, I braved some rough seas at the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach with Ken Payne and friends, Ron & Jerry. We caught nice sheepshead to six pounds, on live shrimp. We released gag and red grouper shorts, and then headed out of the seas, which were on the increase. With seas predicted between 5 and 8 feet for the weekend, the best place to be was on land. The photo below is of a 29 inch gag we got 19 miles off Bonita Beach last Friday. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 35
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 10:17 am: | |
Another cold front brought rough seas this week, and kept us in port until Thursday. On Thursday, I fished with the Frank Bettendorf party at the reefs off Bonita, where we caught sheepshead to 17 inches, and released gag and red grouper shorts.
Friday, I had a great day fishing with Dan Gaus, 19 miles off Bonita, with live shrimp. We caught three keeper gag grouper to 29 inches. The largest one bit a snapper we were reeling in on top of the water, and we used the snapper to tease the grouper while we got another pole that was baited with a piece of cut bait into the water. The gag bit the cut bait, and we reeled him in! We also kept ten mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and released a bunch more, along with Spanish mackerel to 23 inches, porkfish, grunts and porgies. The photo below is of angler Mike Jones, with a 23 inch gag grouper, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 34
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 10:40 am: | |
Thursday, I fished in about 50 feet, 19 miles west of New Pass on a small rocky edge, with the Don Stevenson party. Though forecasts were for 1-3 foot seas, we fished in 3-4 footers, with a steady wind of at least 15 knots. The bite was a bit slow initially, but we ended up with eighteen mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and released gag grouper shorts and porgies.
Saturday, John Burlingame and daughters Riley and Kaliegh, and grandfather, Ken fished with me west of New Pass. We caught nine mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and released porgies, short gag grouper, and a 17 inch red grouper. The water temperature was quite cold, and the bite was slow, but we had fun, and caught dinner for the family! I fished off Naples this week too, and caught a huge permit--Check the report and photo for Naples. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Tom Van Horn (Mosquitocoast)
New member
Username: Mosquitocoast
Post Number: 8
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 5:27 pm: | |
Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report, January 12, 2004
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
This past week, I was drawn to the southern end of the Lagoon to work the Stuart Boat Show with Coastal Angler Magazine. Like many diehard anglers, I knew it to be unwise to travel to such a magnificent fishing location without arming oneself with at least a basic spinning outfit and a handful of tackle, and once again I was rewarded by my incite and the fact I forgot to bring one last year.
Early Saturday morning, I awoke at my normal time (4am) tucked deep within my blankets to the sound of a rooster crowing just outside my window. With reservation I was hesitant to depart the warmth of my cozy nest, but my anticipation of the early morning bite was drawing me to the water. Quickly and quietly I got dressed and slipped out the door of our cottage with my fishing rod in hand. As I walked to the water, the prefrontal morning was calm and damp and the darkness of the overcast sky and tropical surrounding gave me the feeling was walking through the environs of tropical rain forest. For a brief moment, I had the feeling I was still asleep and the entire splendor before me was just a dream.
As I silently stepped on to the dock, I observed through the haze someone leaning on the railing at the end, and I was not surprised to find my good friend Captain Rodney Smith with fishing rod in hand, slowly working his bait through the water. To the northwest, I could clearly see the rolling puffy clouds of the approaching cold front moving in, and I knew the fishing conditions would be favorable and our time on the dock would be brief. Rodney was tossing a DOA glow shrimp, and he had already caught and released three snook up to five pounds, and he missed one with some serious shoulders. As we conversed, I began tossing a Rip-Tide Realistic Shrimp on a ¼ ounce jig combined with a Woodie’s Rattle, and together we caught one nice trout after another until the rainsqualls and wind ran us off the dock. In a brief 30-minute time span, we caught too many fish to count, and with temperatures dropping, we knew the bite was over and my attention quickly shifted to a warm dry location and a hot cup of coffee.
You might think by my description, we were fishing and staying in some exotic South American lagoon, but the truth is, we were simply staying at the River Palms Cottages and Fish Camp in Jensen Beach on the shores of the southern Indian River Lagoon. Obviously, travel to some exotic country in not necessary when it comes to a great fishing location, we are privileged to have one in our own back yard.
Through the weekend, I conversed with many anglers who value and respect the IRL, and like their neighbors to the north, share the concerns of pressure applied by urban growth on the Lagoon. For them, it’s the problem of excess freshwater runoff flushed out of the central lakes into the St Lucie River diluting lagoon salinity, and up here it’s the need for desalination, with plans of removing up to 60 million gallons of lagoon water a day between the two Port St Johns power plants and replace it with 30 million gallons of dematerialized concentrate increasing salinity. Clearly, it’s time for us to focus on conservation before we consider new growth and the loss of the lagoon.
Sorry, I forgot this was a fishing report, so here’s what’s happening on the south end of the Lagoon. Last week, the effects of cold weather in our area have greatly benefited those in the Stuart area, which is only a two-hour drive south. First, pompano fishing is the best they’ve experienced in many years. The average catch has been between twenty and forty fish per day on the inside of the inlet. Second, the sailfish bite this past weekend is also going off, with conservative figures of 400 to 500 sails taken last weekend, and you know about the fish we caught standing on the dock. The only drawback, is that cooler weather could still bush these fish further south, so before I would head that way, I would call Henry at the Snook Nook, 772-334-2145 for information, and Rufus at River Palms Cottages, 800-305-0511, if you are looking for a place to stay.
Also, I’ll be working the Central Florida Boat Show in Orlando January 22, 23, 24,and 25th, so come by Coastal Angler Magazine’s Traveling Lagoon Booth and say hello.
As always, if you have questions or need information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
www.irl-fishing.com
captain@irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 31
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 1:05 pm: | |
I fished Tuesday with the John Link party, off New Pass, over live bottom. We caught a dozen keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish, triggerfish and porgies. We released lots of grunts. The kids on board were intrigued by a cowfish we also caught and released.
The next windy cold front arrived mid-week. we got a day to fish Friday (see our Naples report)then another front came through Saturday and Sunday, so we remained in port. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 28
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 11:53 am: | |
I fished Monday, 29 miles off New Pass in about 70 feet, with Dave Carr, Chester Yanik, and friend Bob. We used live shrimp to catch five nice lane snapper, all around 17 inches, keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, triggerfish and porkfish. We released at least a hundred short gag grouper to 20 inches, and several red grouper just short of keeper size, at 19 ½ inches.
I fished Tuesday 12 miles west of New Pass with Jack Heckle and Bob & T.J. We caught twelve keeper mangrove snapper, keeper sheepshead & porkfish, and some good-sized grunts, all on live shrimp. I fished several trips off Naples this week too, so check our Naples report also.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 25
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 1:43 pm: | |
I fished mostly off Naples this week (see our report for that area), but had a productive day off Bonita Beach on Tuesday, in 47 feet west of New Pass. I had a great day fishing with Clay and Monica Hall. We got five keeper gag grouper, a 28 incher, two 27 inchers, a 26 inch and a 24 inch. We also got keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, triggerfish and grunts. We used live shrimp, small blue runners, and small coral snapper (sand perch) for bait. The photo below is of Monica with the 28 inch gag.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 21
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 1:23 pm: | |
I fished Monday with Larry Vigliotti, 18 miles out of New Pass, using live shrimp. We caught thirty keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches (see photo below), and released all but two limits of those, along with triggerfish, grunts, porkfish, blue runners and short gag grouper.
The Bill Story party took advantage of predictions for a relatively calm Tuesday forecast, with a rainy cold front headed our way Wednesday and Thursday. Seas Tuesday were 2-3 foot, but mostly 3 footers, which made for sloppy and wet south/west travelling conditions. We fished with live shrimp, southwest of New Pass, where we boated twenty assorted reef dwellers, including mangrove snapper, triggerfish, good sized porkfish, and Spanish mackerel. We fought a goliath grouper, using a blue runner, until the line broke.
I fished off Naples a couple times this week too, so check our report for there.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 19
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 15, 2003 - 9:46 am: | |
Winds and seas were relentless most of the week, but we got a slight reprieve on Thursday, when the seas were about three feet—Not ideal, but definitely better than 6 feet! I fished Thursday at the reefs, about 6 miles off New Pass, with Gary Bell and sons Paul and Winfield. Using live shrimp, we caught mangrove snapper, porgies, and an 18 inch permit, and released blue runners and gag grouper shorts. We also hooked up on a 5 foot barracuda, and fought it for about ten minutes, until it pulled off. We re-baited with a white porgie, and hooked up on a huge goliath grouper, which pulled my 6000 pound boat around for about 30 minutes, before hitting a snag and breaking the line. We put a blue runner on for bait, and caught and released a 5 foot nurse shark.
Saturday, I fished at the reefs with Gregg Gifford, six year old son Brandon, and Brandon’s Uncle Robert. We caught a 27 inch gag grouper, six keeper mangrove snapper, keeper Spanish mackerel, triggerfish, porfish, and blue runners. We released all but the grouper and snapper. We had two goliath grouper battles, which broke our lines, and left us with only bruises and good stories to tell. The photo below is of anglers Paul Oleff and Lou Citterman, with a 23 inch gag grouper and 19 inch mangrove snapper, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 18
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 8:41 am: | |
I fished with John Jordano and Dick Leonard, off New Pass at the Bonita reefs Wednesday morning, before the heavy rains came. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper mangrove snapper and porgies, and released grunts and blue runners. We got broken off a few times by goliath grouper too.
Saturday, I fished with Paul Oleff in Estero Bay, in front of Spring Creek. We caught and released redfish, good-sized sheepshead, jack and stingray. Paul lost a big red when it broke his line.
I fished off Naples this week too, so check the report for there. Below is a photo of angler, brett Cunninghame, with a 40 inch cobia caught on a recent Fishbuster charter off Bonita Beach. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 16
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2003 - 9:45 am: | |
I fished Monday with Paul Oleff and Lou Citterman, 19 miles out New Pass. We had a good morning of fishing, using live shrimp. Paul caught a 23 inch gag grouper, and collectively, we also caught a dozen keeper mangrove snapper to 19 inches, a 15 inch mutton snapper, and triggerfish.
As this week progressed, seas got rougher, but I tried the Bonita reefs Thursday with Marlyn Cunningham, son Dan and grandson Brett. We used live shrimp to catch fifteen mangrove snapper, and we released lots of blue runners and grunts. We used a grunt for cobia bait, and boated a 40-inch cobia, and lost an even bigger one. It was too rough Friday and the weekend to fish, with seas upwards of 7 feet, so we stayed in port. The photo below is of angler Ken Adams with a 42 inch, 18 pound kingfish caught last week on a Fishbuster Charter. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 14
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 25, 2003 - 12:16 pm: | |
Fishing Estero Bay Wednesday with Joe Braden, Tom & Bill Iverson, and Richard Corkin, we used live shrimp and shiners to catch and release two redfish, four snook, jack cravalle, mangrove snapper and sand bream.
I fished in pretty rough seas at MAY Reef Thursday, with Peter Haluenen and friends, Jim and Dave. We caught fifteen keeper mangrove snapper, and triggerfish. We released short gags, sheepshead and blue runners.
The rest of this week, I fished in Naples, so check our Naples report too--Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Lindy Yow (Captainlindy)
New member
Username: Captainlindy
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 10:12 am: | |
10.20.03 High Hopes Charters
Walter Abicht and Tommy Hill of Ontario Canada had an excellent day onboard
the High Hopes with Capt. Lindy Yow.
9:20 am. It took about 30 minuets to get the first bite after anchoring on
a 4 mile reef. Walter set the hook and the first fight of the day was on. It
didn't take long to realize it was a big cobia. 20 minuets we had a 31 lb. -
46 inch cobia on Ice.That was on a Penn 750 with 30 lb test Momoi Hi Vis
Monofilament. Bimini Twist to 50 lb. leader to 60 lb leader and circle hook,
with a live pin fish.
9:45 am. The line was a little twisted but we put another pin fish on and
Walter cast it out again. Two turns of the crank and he had another fish on.
Setting the hook, and thinking another cobia, he immediately handed the rod
off to his buddy Tommy. 100 yards of line, and seconds later,
a monster Tarpon tailed danced across the water. I released the anchor and
chased it down to get some line back on the spool. After an hour of this and
half a dozen jumps the fish went down and headed south. He would come to the
surface and roll and gulp air every 5 or 10 minuets, but it never jumped
again. No Lunch and short on water we all though it would be over in a
couple hours.
2 pm. This fish is a monster. Steady pulls, then surges that would take 25
or 50 yards of line then surface and roll, then sound straight to the bottom
and start again. Under continual pressure for over 4 hours and it is just as
strong as ever. Tommy is holding up good too, and doing an outstanding job
keeping the pressure on. You can see the rod pulsating from the Tarpons body
hitting the line every time it swings it tail. If my knots hold, and the
leader can stand the chafing, and the drag doesn't burn up, if the hook
doesn't straighten out, if, if I don't miss my opportunity with the gaff
we're gonna have a big fish in the boat.
4 pm. We're winning. The tarpon is tiring. Shorter, slower runs. Tommy is
able to keep it closer to the boat now. Several passes I had a chance with
the gaff, but not a clean shot. This is a big fish, I get one chance. I
don't want to lose the fish, but I certainly don't want to injure it either.
So Tommy continued the pressure. The fish is slowing down more and more.
4:55 pm. The fish is finally in the boat. 64 inches approx 100++ lbs.
(Weight to be calculated) After a few pictures we put her back in the water
and she immediately kicked and swam slowly away.
7 hours and 10 minuets, 2.75 miles south of the hook up spot, we had boated
and released what sometimes is only a dream.
We're eating Cobia for dinner!
Contact Capt. Lindy at 239.273.6122 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 13
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 11:27 am: | |
I fished at Hell’s Gate and Charlie’s Hole Thursday with Chris Fisher, five year old daughter Kayla, and her grandpa, Frank. Using live shrimp, we caught seven keeper mangrove snapper, one keeper sheepshead, and released twenty smaller mangroves and ten smaller sheepshead--Kayla caught the most!
Fishing Friday with the Chester Yanik party, 17-29 miles off New Pass, we caught three keeper yellowtail snapper, three keeper mangrove snapper, keeper Spanish mackerel and large porgies. We released lots of red grouper shorts.
I had an awesome trip bayside Saturday with Earl Millet, and friends, Rob & Pat. We headed up to the beach to catch shiners, then fished Estero Bay for a few hours. We caught and released nine Spanish mackerels to 22 inches (odd in the bay), on the tide line, by New Pass. We also released mangrove snapper and jack cravalle there. When the tide started dropping, we went to a creek mouth, and chummed the area. We caught and released twenty-five snook (one keeper-sized) to 26 ½ inches, and more jack cravalle. The group treated themselves to dinner by keeping two redfish, at 20 inches and 24 ½ inches.
The Chester Yanik party fished again with me on Sunday at the Bonita reefs, where we caught keeper Spanish mackerel. We’d been hoping for some goliath action, but the big boys weren’t around. The photo below is of angler,Rob, with a 26 1/2 inch snook caught yesterday on a bayside Fishbuster Charter.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 11
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 12:02 pm: | |
Chris Kory and friend, Mike, fished with me Tuesday at the Bonita reefs, where we caught keeper mangrove snapper, large grunts and porkfish, and Spanish mackerel to 23 inches. We released lots of blue runners, which are nearly always around when the mackerel are. I fished naples a couple days too, so check the report there too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 10
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2003 - 1:01 pm: | |
I fished Saturday with Jim Manwell and friend, Mark, using live shrimp and pinfish 16 to 28 miles off New Pass. We caught a couple limits of mangrove snapper and large grunts, released gag and red grouper shorts, as well as a 40 pound goliath grouper. We hooked a couple other big goliaths, but they broke our lines before we got them boatside. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 9
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 27, 2003 - 12:17 pm: | |
I fished with brothers Gilford and Houston Crane on Monday around Spring Creek in Estero Bay, and at the oyster bars. Using shiners, we caught 8 snook to 27 inches (one keeper), two redfish to 22 inches, and jack cravalle to 4 pounds (photo below). Fishing central Estero Bay with shiners again Tuesday with Chris Garner and Joe Moon, we caught a 28 inch snook and three keeper mangrove snapper, and had fun with some jacks.
Wednesday, I headed offshore to the Bonita artificial reefs with Steve Parker and friends Bob & Lynn Giarla. We caught a mess of Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, and keeper triggerfish, using live shrimp and shiners. We also had our lines broken by goliath grouper. Saturday, I dodged rain in central Estero Bay with Joe Braden and friends, Claudia, Nick & Glen. We used shrimp and shiners to catch keeper mangrove snapper, and released jack cravalle and stingray. A couple of folks had their lines broken by big redfish. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 6
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 2:32 pm: | |
I fished Estero Bay Thursday with Jim & Pat Hawkins. We caught and released four under-sized snook, and hooked two would-be keepers that broke the line. We also caught and released two redfish, one at 17 inches, and the other at 26 inches (pictured below). We used shiners at New Pass and the oyster bars.
Saturday, I fished ten miles off the Ritz Carlton with Lynn Welch and daughter, Vicki. Using live shrimp, we caught fourteen keeper mangrove snapper and keeper triggerfish, and released gag grouper shorts.
Sunday, John Carmack and Bill Maslow fished with me between 21 and 30 miles off Naples. We caught 3 nice bonito about 28 miles out, at the Monique shrimp boat wreck, using live pinfish. We also got a bunch of nice lane snapper and two limits of mangrove snapper on live shrimp, and we released grunts, blue runners, and grouper shorts.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 5
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 11:17 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay Tuesday, in the holes by the oyster bars, with Bill & Terry Major. We had a great day, and caught five snook to 33 ½ inches, all on shiners. We released them all, although two were keeper-size. The photo below is of the 33 1/2 inch snook, proudly displayed by angler, Terry Major.  Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Charles Walker (Captchas)
New member
Username: Captchas
Post Number: 1
Registered: 9-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 6:24 am: | |
Tampa Bay Area
Fishing Report
Captain Charles Walker
8/31/03
What a beautiful week this was. It almost seemed like we were back in a Florida summer instead of the tropical rainforest weather that we’ve had for the past few months. Offshore fishing picked up, mainly because the weather allowed everyone to go out more than one day last week. Grouper, triggerfish, mangrove snapper, grunts, porgies, amberjack, barracuda and plenty of Spanish mackerel were biting in waters from 45 to 80 feet deep. Those that ventured farther out brought back some big grouper and red snapper but they traveled a long way for them. The weekend brought some wind and high seas for offshore anglers but the forecasts look good again for the first part of the coming week.
On to the bait house reports:
Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Reds are just jumping in the boat this week. Most of them are really big. Anglers have to fish for several hours just to get a keeper because there are so many of the oversized fish. The Port Manatee area and the artificial reefs are producing lots of mangrove snapper and there have been some nice pompano caught near the Skyway. Trout are still biting on the flats around Cockroach Bay, primarily in the deeper grass flat areas. The bait shrimp are finally getting up to a nice size but the greenbacks are still scarce.
Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Reds are biting well on the flats around Coffee Pot, Weedon Island, and the 4th St. Bridge. Some nice mangrove snapper are coming in from the Gandy Bridge. A few cobia have been caught this week and some black drum in the 20 pound class were caught around the bridge pilings.
Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Snapper, grouper, jacks, some Spanish mackerel, and sheepshead have all come from our gas docks this week. Our offshore boats did well earlier in the week until the winds picked up, with grouper, mangrove snapper, and a variety of other fish coming in from water depth of 60 to 120 feet.
The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Mangrove snapper are really biting well. Spanish mackerel are biting well and some nice keeper grouper have come in. Some really nice trout have been brought in. Pompano are really biting well, some as big as 15 inches. The best bets for the Spanish mackerel are still Gotcha Plugs and for pompano Doc’s Goofy Jigs.
Folks, feel free to call any of the places in my report for more information, and be sure to tell them that you read about the fishing in their area in Capt. Charlie’s fishing report on the Internet.
If you want more information about fishing in the Tampa Bay area or wish to book a charter, simply e-mail me at captchas@flfish.com or if you wish to arrange a charter faster, call me at 727-546-7257. Be sure and visit my web site for lots more Tampa Bay Area fishing info at: http://www.floridasaltwater.com .
Good fishing and tight lines,
Capt. Charlie
http://www.flfish.com
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 9:59 am: | |
I fished Thursday with Dean & Angela Lomack at the Bonita reefs. We caught and released a goliath grouper estimated at 100-150 pounds, using blue runners and porgies for bait. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper and triggerfish. Sunday, Ernie Kusterer fished with me on a 270 degree heading out of Big Carlos Pass, putting us about 31 miles off Sanibel. We had 5 foot seas out there, which made it slow-going coming in, but we figured it was worth it, after catching a 23 inch keeper gag grouper (on pinfish) and five nice mangrove snapper (on live shrimp). We released numerous red grouper shorts. The photo shown is of angler, Bob McCoy with a 49 inch barracuda, photographed and released on a recent Fishbuster Charter (it looks like a 2-headed fish because of the silk-screened bass on Bob's T-shirt!) Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:56 am: | |
I fished Monday with Robert Menendez and girlfriend, Karen, 12 miles southwest of New Pass, using live shrimp. We caught two limits of keeper mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, porkfish & grunts, and released ladyfish and jack cravalle.
Tuesday, the Beck family, who fished last week with me at the 240 Ledge, fished again, this time 12 miles southwest of New Pass—We tried the Ledge first, but porpoise were around, so we headed to another spot. We caught 20 keeper mangrove snapper, a nice Spanish mackerel, triggerfish and grunts. We released grouper shorts. Young angler, Chase, is showing off his 26 inch Spanish mackerel in the photo below. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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fishbuster (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 11, 2003 - 7:11 am: | |
I fished the artificial reefs Monday with the Bob Jakubowski family. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel.
Mel & Mary Henkes and children Mark, Mandy and Mason fished Tuesday with me 12 and 18 miles out New Pass on a 260 degree heading, in 45 feet. We had a great day of fishing, landing a 28¼ gag grouper, which we caught on a grunt. We also used live shrimp to catch Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, triggerfish, and twenty mangrove snapper ranging 14 to 16 inches. We released about 30 additional snapper, gag shorts, red grouper shorts, porgies, porkfish, grunts, blue runners, and a 34 inch goliath grouper, which was caught on a grunt.
Wednesday, I fished with Jay Mowery and friend, Brian, 12 miles southwest of New Pass. The bite was a lot slower than the day before, and there was a barracuda running some fish off, but we managed to catch Spanish mackerel, porgies, grunts and porkfish, and released red grouper shorts to 15 inches.
I fished off Naples Thursday (see report for there), and cancelled Friday's trip, due to stormy conditions.
Craig Snow and friends Scott and Susan tried wishing the storms away Saturday morning, but faced rains and 4 foot seas fishing with me only a few miles out, close to the Bonita reefs. We caught blue runners and mangrove snapper, before conditions drove us in early. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 3:20 pm: | |
Subject: Goliaths Win Battle; Keeper Spanish Mackerel
I fished with the George & Bob Cordoza on Sunday, offshore at the Bonita reefs. We had some crabs for bait, and set out looking for permit, but there were too many boats out this holiday weekend to do much good there. We had fun with two goliath grouper, which eventually broke our lines. We also caught and released keeper-sized Spanish mackerel and triggerfish, along with gag grouper shorts. We fished off Naples the rest of this week, so check out our report for there too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 6:36 pm: | |
Subject: Keeper Red Grouper, Snapper, Big King & Shark
We fished with Gregg Bedell and friend, Tybe, Friday. We fished 28 miles out of New Pass in 67 feet. Tybe caught a keeper red grouper and all the keeper mangrove snapper for the day. Gregg caught keeper lane snapper, and released a 44 inch king mackerel, a 40 inch sharp-nose shark, and lots of red and gag grouper shorts. We fished off Naples the rest of this week, so check our report for there too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 11:06 pm: | |
Subject: More Goliath Battles, Snapper- Bonita Reefs
Fishing the artificial reefs Thursday with Fred Marunde and daughter, Christen, we caught keeper mangrove snapper & triggerfish, and released jack cravalle and gag grouper shorts. We battled two goliath grouper, and they won. We also saw one dead goliath grouper offshore, estimated at 200 pounds, and a dead manatee in the bay around marker # 46. Both were likely victims of red tide. We fished off naples the rest of this week, so check our report for there too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 12:57 pm: | |
Subject: Kings, Lanes Mangroves & Hogs- New Pass Area
We fished mostly off Naples this week (check our report for there too), but, Wednesday, the Bob
Johnson party fished with us 18 miles out New Pass. We caught king mackerel to 30 inches, mangrove snapper to 18 inches, ten keeper lane snapper, a keeper hogfish, grunts and porkfish, and released lots of grouper shorts.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 10:28 am: | |
Subject: Trout, Sheepshead, Snapper, Hogfish & Gags
We fished Tuesday, the first day calm enough to get off shore since last Saturday. Fishing with the Leo McDonald party, we caught two trout at 17 inches and 20 inches, and keeper sheepshead. We released small mangrove snapper, gag grouper, jack cravalle and soapfish, at the Bonita reefs, in 20 feet.
Fishing 18 miles out New Pass with Sandy Hook, son Rusty (no kidding on those names!),and nephews Matt & Ryan. We again caught and released over 200 pounds total of gag groupers that were one to ½ inch shy of legal size. We also caught keeper triggerfish to 15 inches, jolthead porgies, a dozen mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and an 18 inch hogfish. We fished off Naples a couple of times this week also, so check our report for there too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 3:21 pm: | |
Subject: Kings to 40 inches, Spanish Mackerel, A Keeper Gag
We encountered rough seas fishing Monday with the Dan Gabouer party at the Bonita reefs. We caught keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper, and released small Spanish mackerel and grouper. There was lots of red tide around, and in places, we could see the actual algae blooms. We fished in rough seas at the Bonita reefs Tuesday with the Ann Ready party. We caught keeper triggerfish, and released small Spanish mackerel, grunts, and gag grouper. The red tide smell was especially bad in the bay, coming in, with the wind direction blowing it in, but that is predicted to subside soon. Thursday, we again listened to reports of 10 knot winds, but faced 15-20 knots with 5 foot seas at the Bonita reefs with Richard Heimlich and Jeff Kirk. We caught keeper sheepshead and Spanish mackerel, and released grouper shorts during the couple of hours that we braved it out there, before returning to the dock. Saturday was calm, so we headed out 21 miles off New Pass with Jim Ring. We caught fifteen king mackerel to 40 inches, kept two, and released the rest along with some gag and red grouper shorts. We also got a keeper gag at 22 inches, and lots of keeper-sized triggerfish, which we released. We also fished off Naples this week, so check our report for there. Another weather front kicked up seas to between 6 and 8 feet for Sunday and Monday, so we stayed in port. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 2:30 pm: | |
Subject: Snook, Trout, Drum, Big Jacks & Rough Seas
The Bill Murphy party tried to get out on a Fishbuster Charter Monday, but we encountered 5 foot seas, just barely outside the pass, and we decided to return to the dock. The rainy front that moved in Sunday evening had things pretty stirred up. Tuesday, it was still a bit rough at the Bonita reefs, with 15 knot winds and 3 foot seas. We fished with the Ray Ford party, and caught and released a nice variety, including some unusual catches for gulfside: a 20 inch snook, whiting, and four trout to 18 inches. We also caught loads of ladyfish, Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, and jack cravalle to 6 pounds, along with grouper shorts. We had similar catches at the reef with the Jerry Fox party Wednesday. We fished in 3-4 foot rough seas, with wind gusts of 15 mph, even though 2-3 foot seas and 5-10 knot winds were predicted. We caught sheepshead to 17 inches, an 18 inch black drum, and released two trout at 17 inches each, a 6 pound jack cravalle, and small Spanish mackerel. With winds and seas predicted to be even rougher on Thursday and Friday, we stayed in port. saturday, we fished off Naples, so check our report for there too. Sunday rained out, and we are hoping next week brings improved conditions.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 12:39 pm: | |
Subject: Kings Here, Big Spanish, A Keeper Grouper, Permit
John Carmack and Bill Maslow fished Monday with us at the Bonita reefs. We caught sheepshead to 18 inches, Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, big porkfish & triggerfish, and lots of blue runners. We lost something big to a goliath grouper, but never got the big boy to bite. The Don Lewis party fished with us Tuesday, using live shrimp 8 miles off Bonita Beach. We again caught Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, sheepshead to 17 inches, porkfish, grunts, and a keeper mangrove snapper. The snapper have tapered off to very few the past several days, with Spanish mackerel now taking their place as the most abundant near-shore catch. Wednesday, the Fred Williams party fished the Bonita reefs with us, and caught Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, a 23 inch permit, sheepshead to 15 inches, and a keeper snapper and triggerfish. We had a great day of fishing Thursday with John Carmack and Bill Maslow again. We found the big mangrove snapper again, much further out, about 21 miles out New Pass. We caught about 35, and kept 3 limits of those to 18 inches. We also got a huge triggerfish, at 5 ½ pounds, a 35 inch king mackerel (first of the season), and a 34 inch Spanish mackerel, along with porgies and grunts, all on free-lined shrimp. We released gag grouper to 21 inches, just an inch short of legal, and red grouper to 19 ¾ inches, just ¼ inch short of legal size. The water was so clear we could see bottom in 45 feet. We spotted a school of thread herrings that was about ½ mile long and a quarter mile wide. The Bob Pumford party fished Friday with us, and we headed out New Pass again, as we did the day before. We caught eleven mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and released a bunch of smaller ones, along with lots of grouper shorts. We did catch one keeper red grouper, as well as lots of triggerfish and grunts. Saturday, the Celeste Enfante party fished the Bonita reefs with us, and we caught keeper Spanish mackerel and keeper sheepshead. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 3:24 pm: | |
Subject: A Surprise Goliath,Spanish Macks In,Sheeps,Snapper
We fished with the Carl Graham party Monday, 8 miles off Bonita Beach, with live shrimp. We caught 30 sheepshead to 20 inches, releasing all the large females, and keeping ten. We also got two limits of mangrove snapper and keeper-sized triggerfish. Tuesday, the Dick Leonard party fished with us, 9 miles west of Bonita Beach. Catches were similar to the day before, with sheepshead to 18 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish & triggerfish. The Bill Schraeder party fished Wednesday with us, going after snapper 8 miles off Bonita Beach. We caught six limits of them, along with some keeper sheepshead and triggerfish. We fished with Dave Schmidt and Mike Strohmier Thursday in 3-4 foot seas, even though the prediction was for 1-2 feet. Using live shrimp, at the floating docks behind Ft. Myers Beach, we caught keeper mangrove snapper, and big sheepshead to 20 inches. We had even a bigger sheepshead on, when a goliath grouper, estimated at 200 + pounds, ate it, one inch under the surface—Scared us to death! Sunday, Gary Ade and friend, Bill fished 8 miles off Bonita Beach with us, and caught nice Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, keeper sheepshead & mangrove snapper, and released gag grouper shorts. Check our report this week for Naples also.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 02, 2003 - 3:11 pm: | |
Subject: Snapper by the Limit & Huge Sheepshead
Tuesday, the Steve Alfoldy party fished with us in 32 feet, off Bonita Beach. We caught nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches, and large sheepshead to 19 inches, and released grouper shorts, and triggerfish. Rod Lindstrom fished with us Wednesday, 9 miles off Bonita Beach. The early morning tide was slow, producing a slow bite until about 11:00 AM, when the sea-breeze picked up. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, sheepshead to 18 inches, porkfish, and triggerfish, keeping enough for dinner, and releasing the rest. The Carl McCall party fished the Bonita reefs with us Thursday, with live shrimp. We caught keeper-sized triggerfish, and lots of nice sheepshead, the biggest one 20 inches, caught by twelve year old, Robert. We also had fun with snapper and gag shorts. We released all catches. Friday John & Josephine Comandini fished the Bonita reefs with us, and we caught more large sheepshead that day than the sum total for the month! We caught 20-30 of them to 20 inches, and released all but two. We also caught a couple dozen keeper mangrove snapper, and released all but six, along with triggerfish and gag grouper shorts. Mike Suave and Dan Gallagher fished Sunday with us, 10 miles off Bonita Beach, and had a very productive day. We caught 60 sheepshead between 15 and 20 inches, twenty keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish, and cowfish, releasing all but 15 snapper.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 6:24 pm: | |
Subject: Sheepshead & Snapper Bite Strong
We fished Sunday with John Leach, at the Bonita reefs. Seas were rough, and fishing was slow, but we got 6 keeper sheepshead, and released gag grouper shorts. We fished Monday with Ray Ford and son, Brian, again in rough seas at the Bonita reefs, using live shrimp. We caught nice sheepshead to 19 ½ inches, and keeper mangrove snapper, and released gag grouper shorts to 20 inches. Fishing Tuesday with the Jerry Fox party in 28 feet off Bonita Beach, we caught 4 limits (20) mangrove snapper and two porkfish in the first hour and 45 minutes of fishing! We also released gag shorts. Wednesday we fished with the Fred Williams party, at the Bonita reefs, and caught 12 mangrove snapper all about 15 inches, along with keeper triggerfish and white porgies. Peter Haluenen and friend, Dirk, fished with us Thursday in 29 feet off Bonita Beach. We caught 3 limits of mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and released one limit. We also caught big sheepshead to 18 inches, and porkfish, all on shrimp. Fishing Friday 10 miles off Bonita Beach with the Jim Sistek party, we caught 3 limits of mangrove snapper to 14 inches, sheepshead to 17 inches, and grunts. We released gag grouper shorts. Winds howled over the weekend, keeping us in port.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 3:01 pm: | |
Subject: Nice sheepshead & Snapper- SW FL Fishbuster Dave
We fished Tuesday with Don Lewis, Brant, John & Warren, 10 miles west of Bonita Beach, using live shrimp. We caught mangrove snapper to 15 inches, sheepshead to 15 inches, grunts, porkfish and triggerfish. Wednesday, the Lee Wampler party fished with us 9 miles off Bonita, and caught two limits of mangrove snapper. We released keeper-sized triggerfish, grunts, porkfish, small sheepshead, and gag grouper to 21 ½ inches. The Jack Cade party fished Thursday with us at the Bonita reefs, where we caught keeper sheepshead to 18 inches, and keeper mangrove snapper and triggerfish. Friday the Bill Boyce party fished with us at the Bonita Reefs. We had the best day for sheepshead yet—caught nine of them to 19 inches, along with keeper mangrove snapper & triggerfish, and throw-back gag grouper. Check our report for Naples this week too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 7:17 pm: | |
Subject: Snapper, Sheepshead & Hogfish
Monday, the Chuck Gornick party fished with us 14 miles off Bonita, 258 degrees out New Pass. They caught keeper mangrove snapper, released red and gag grouper to 19 ¾ inches, and boated two nice hogfish at 15 inches and 19 inches, all on live shrimp. The Tom Batchellor party fished the Bonita reefs with us Thursday. We went after sheepshead, and we found them—got seven nice ones to 21 inches, on shrimp. Check our report for Naples this week too. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 8:59 pm: | |
Subject: A Few More Hogs & Sheep- SW FL Fishbuster Dave
Thursday was the calmest day offshore in many weeks—a little too calm. The lack of current, wind and wave action made fishing tough with the Tom Petruzelli party on Thursday. We caught loads of grunts, some sheepshead, snapper, and porkfish. The tide was slow all morning. The water temperature was 56.8 degrees until we found a slightly warmer spot at 57.1 degrees, which provided us the best action of the day, fishing about 10 miles off Bonita Beach. It was still smooth, with a slow tide Friday, but conditions were slightly more favorable. We fished with John Purvis, Dan Gardner, and Dan’s 4-year old grandson, Blake. We caught keeper sheepshead, and Blake was proud to say he caught the biggest one at 17 inches (with a bit of help from the Captain!) He was a bit reluctant to have his catch filleted, but after we photographed it so he could show his mom, he consented! We released small snapper and grouper, all caught at the Bonita reefs. Harry Auch, Dan & Ben fished with us Sunday, eight miles off Bonita Beach in 32 feet. We caught and released lots of sheepshead, got two limits of keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, a 15 inch hogfish, grunts, and triggerfish.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 5:02 pm: | |
Subject: A Few Hogs Spice Up the Week- Fishbuster Dave
We fished at the Bonita reefs, and 9 ½ miles out, over live bottom Monday with Steve & Barbara Alfoldy. Using live shrimp, we caught and released 40 keeper-sized mangrove snapper, keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, and grouper shorts. We lost the biggest sheepshead, estimated at 19 inches. Winter generally brings the large sheepshead to the area, so we’ll be looking for some upwards of 8-10 pounds. Cliff & Jan fished Tuesday with us, in 34 feet off Wiggins Pass with live shrimp. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish, triggerfish, and grunts, as well as lots of catch-and-release red & gag grouper. Wednesday warmed up nicely, and fishing nine miles off Bonita, over live bottom, was fruitful for Jerry Fox and friends Bill, Al and Earl. We caught three nice hogfish to 18 inches, eighteen keeper mangrove snapper, keeper triggerfish and porkfish—No keeper groupers, but lots of shorts again in the 18-19 inch range. The bite was pretty slow Saturday at the Bonita reefs with the Carl Grey party. We got sheepshead to 15 inches—We were fishing in 3 foot seas, with a water temperature of 54.6, and air temperature of 44. Sunday, Alan & Cynthia Gitken fished with us ten miles off Bonita Beach, in warmer weather with better action. We caught two limits of mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and released gag shorts to 20 inches, using live shrimp.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 6:14 pm: | |
Subject: Wow--A 22 inch Sheepshead!
Dale Chorba and Tom Schrader fished with us Thursday,on a Fishbuster Charter to the Bonita reefs off New Pass. We caught large sheepshead to 22 inches, and released mangrove snapper, triggerfish and gag shorts. Check our fishing report for Naples this week too.
Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 6:17 pm: | |
Subject: Big Snapper, Keeper Gafgs, Hogs & Little Tunnys
Fishing 10 miles off Doc’s Sunday, with the Billy Fritzo party, we caught four limits of mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and released keeper-sized triggerfish, grunts, and a 50 pound black drum, all on live shrimp. The black drum have been around for several weeks now, and the ones we have caught and released have ranged between 30 and 45 pounds, consistently. Fishing Thursday with the Howard Walker party, in 33 feet off Doc’s Beach House, we caught mangrove snapper to 16 inches, triggerfish, porkfish, grunts, and a 9 pound little tunny, using live shrimp. Saturday, conditions appeared calm, but once out about 10 miles, we encountered 4’ swells with the Bob Pumford party. It was rainy, with poor visibility, and action was slow most of the morning, with only grunts, porkfish & triggerfish. We eventually hooked up on some mangrove snapper, and also gag grouper, but only to 19 inches. Sunday began rough, but calmed down as the day progressed. Fishing 11 miles off Bonita Beach with the Andy Ungar party, we did well with a variety of fish: keeper gag grouper to 24 inches, mangrove snapper to 18 inches, big sheepshead & triggerfish, two hogfish to 15 inches, and a ten pound little tunny, all on live shrimp. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com |
Captain Dave Hanson
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 1:19 pm: | |
Subject: Limits of Snapper & A Keeper Gag- Fishbuster Dave
Fishing 10 miles off Doc’s Beach House, Bonita, on Sunday with the Al Gallo party, we used shrimp to land three limits of mangrove snapper, triggerfish, porkfish, and three 16” hogfish (released the female).
Fishing Monday with Irv Shoemaker, Bob & Earl Kuhlmeier, and Jerry Lindmeyer, in 34 feet off Doc’s Beach House, we used live shrimp to catch twenty mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and keeper-sized triggerfish, porkfish, and sheepshead. Tuesday & Wednesday the weather kept us in port, but Thursday we fished in 34 feet off Doc’s, with Don & Kate Stevenson and friend, Pate. We caught three limits of mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and a 24 inch gag grouper. We released keeper-sized triggerfish and grunts, all on shrimp. We lost several trips this week, due to a weather front that increased seas to 5-7 feet--Hoping for improved conditions next week, though we'll be fighting El Nino all season. Find complete info and fish photo album at www.fishbustercharters.com
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