| Fishing Guide / Author |
Fishing Reports for Local Area - Location |
    
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 244
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 1:21 pm: | |
Monday, 2/11, the winds were blowing in the early morning but without the strength they gathered late on in the day. Predictions were for 2-3 foot seas close-in, so I headed to the artificial reefs with Ed and Margie Bock. We were only five miles offshore and we had 4 foot seas most of the morning. The wind was howling and it was tough to even stay anchored up. We caught two nice sheepshead, each 18 inches, along with a 15 inch triggerfish. We released gag and red grouper shorts and small Spanish mackerel.
Tuesday, winds looked just slightly calmer on land but I knew what it would be like offshore with a weather front approaching from the gulf. Estero Bay’s water level was dead-low so that left few options for a day of successful fishing. I advised my anglers to cancel their trip. Sure enough, the rain moved in from offshore by late morning and winds gusted on and off. A small craft advisory was issued through late Wednesday, causing me to cancel my trip for Wednesday also.
Thursday, with seas offshore still trying to calm down, Herb Guaracio and friends decided to try their luck in Estero Bay. The tide was very low and it was a slow ride back to shore in shallow water. We caught a couple of trout on shrimp, but nothing else seemed to be biting.
Our luck was better in Estero Bay on Friday, where I fished with Leeds Hutchinson and Pete Solden, along the mangroves toward Wiggins Pass. We caught a dozen whitings and a keeper trout, lost another trout and released lady fish and small sheepshead.
Saturday, I headed to 43 feet out of New Pass with Gary Jacobson, son Chuck Jacobson, grandson Grayson and family friend, Tom Batcheller. We could have had a few nice gag grouper if the season for those in federal waters had not just closed. Sadly, we had to release three or four that would have been keepers to 23 inches. We also released some shorter gags and red grouper to 19 ¾ inches, along with porkfish, triggerfish, whitebone porgies and Spanish mackerel. Though it was disappointing to have to release the grouper, the snapper bite was also hot and pretty much made up for the grouper. We kept our limit of mangs, releasing thirty of fifty caught. Of those fifty, about half were keeper-size to 17 inches. We used shrimp for everything.
The photo shown is of sister-anglers, Erin and Emily Bowden, with a Spanish mackerel, a flounder and a mangrove snapper all caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/Erin-EmilyBowden-Sp--flounder-man g.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 243
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 1:17 pm: | |
Mother and son anglers Carole and Kenny Mathis fished Estero Bay with me Monday morning, 2/4, from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass. We used live shrimp to catch three keeper mangrove snapper and a pair of 16 inch whitings. We released small sheepshead and a 22 inch snook.
Tuesday, fishing in 45 feet out of New Pass with Ron Musick, Dick Arnett, Jim Novak and Bob Mayer, we caught two 16 inch hogfish, eight mangrove snapper to 16 inches, a mess of whitebone porgies, all 14 and 15 inches, and three nice sheepshead to 20 inches. We were literally swarmed by bluefish, which we had fun catching and releasing, along with a red grouper just an inch shy of keeper size at 19 inches, all on live shrimp and light tackle.
Wednesday, although seas were predicted to be two to three feet, they were mostly three to four, and it was rougher in close to the beach than out a little further. I fished in about 40 feet out of New Pass with Tom Batcheller, Lee Larsen, Steve Sidlik and Bud Glanzer. We caught five keeper mangrove snapper to 16 inches and whitebone porgies on shrimp, and we released gag grouper shorts and red grouper to 19 inches.
Thursday seas were a little calmer when I fished with Bob Lozier and friends 17 miles west of New Pass. We caught eight mangrove snapper to 15 inches, a 15 inch hogfish, triggerfish and grunts, using live shrimp. We lost a big grouper when it broke a line.
Friday morning I fished in Estero Bay with Mike and Nora Cole, from Wiggins Pass to Barefoot Beach. We caught seven nice sheepshead to 18 inches and released all but two of those. We also released two 17 inch redfish, mangrove snapper and a 20 inch cravalle jack, all on shrimp.
Fishing in 47 feet out of New Pass Saturday with Tom & Noreen Petracelli, Hank & Judy Norman, and John & JoAnne Hoogenden, we caught eight keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, whitebone porgies, grunts, triggerfish and porkfish on live shrimp. We released gag and red grouper shorts, a 25 inch goliath grouper and a small hogfish.
The photo shown is of anglers Eric & Tricia Walters and Mike & Bobbie Paquette with a quartet of gag grouper ranging 22-27 inches, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/Walters-Paquette-gags-22-25-26-27 .JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 242
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2008 - 10:07 am: | |
Monday, 1/28, the seas calmed enough to get offshore, although we stayed fairly close in 30 feet out of New Pass. I fished with Leonard White, Butch White, Bill Banish and Ted Ressler. Butch caught a nice gag grouper—30 inches—using a small sheepshead as bait on a heavy pole. Bill followed up with a 23 inch gag, caught on shrimp. The group also caught a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper, all 13 and 14 inches, two keeper sheepshead at 14 inches and 15 inches, grunts and porgies. We also released a small hogfish. It was pretty chilly on the water in the early morning, but the fish sure didn’t seem to mind!
Earl Meturfman, Joey Kennedy, Pete Watrous and Tony Grasso fished with me on Tuesday in 33 feet out of New Pass. The wind shifted direction and picked up a bit, causing seas to be a little higher than they were on Monday. We did well with live shrimp and caught a 15 inch hogfish, a mess of sheepshead to 16 inches, of which we kept eight, and 8 keeper mangrove snapper, along with grunts, porkfish and triggerfish. We released gag shorts to 21 inches and red grouper to 16 inches.
Wednesday, conditions changed and fishing was tougher offshore in 37 feet out of New Pass. The winds were S-SE and increased throughout the morning. The winds and waves were going in opposite directions and the current was slow. The water was crystal clear, but the bite wasn’t as strong as it had been the earlier part of the week. Lee Wampler, Chris Corrie, his son, Jason, and six-year-old granddaughter, Celestra, still fared pretty well, though, landing two 14 inch hogfish and a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper and some porgies, all on shrimp.
Seas were a little sloppy on Thursday when I headed out to 42 feet from New Pass with John Bileau. We caught eight keeper mangrove snapper and a mess of 12-15 inch porgies, and released lots of gag and red groper shorts, several gags just an inch or so shy of keepers.
Friday, with strong winds out of the south-southwest, seas continued to build offshore. I stayed close in at the reefs with Peder Engebretson, Mike Higgins, Sr. and Mike Higgins, Jr. we used shrimp to catch mostly sheepshead and caught about thirty of those ranging from 12 ½ to 19 inches. The guys kept four of those and released the rest, along with grunts and gag shorts to 21 ½ inches.
Saturday morning I fished the reefs with Jim Madsen, Brian Distesano, Frank Troy, Carl McDonald and Matt Keenan. We caught 15 nice sheepshead to 19 ½ inches and released seven of those, along with lots of gag grouper shorts. We also hooked a monster goliath grouper that was 6 ½ feet long—he bit an 18 inch sheepshead on 150 lb. test and gave us a fun fight before release.
The photo shown is of angler Blake Dargis with a 15 inch hogfish caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/BlakeDargis-15in-hog.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 241
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 10:53 am: | |
On Wednesday, 1/23, after several days of cancelled trips, due to weather conditions, I finally got back out with Bob Carter and friend, Harvey. Using shrimp in 32 feet of water out of New Pass, we caught three hogfish, two of which were keeper size. We also kept two (out of a dozen) keeper-sized sheepshead and released the rest, along with keeper-sized mangrove snapper, an 18 inch bluefish, and gag grouper shorts to 20 inches. Bob and Harvey had three bigger gags hooked over the course of the morning, but they buried in the rocks and broke off.
Thursday morning, I headed out in heavy fog, thankful for radar, with Ron Musick and friend Dick. We fished about 17 miles west of New Pass. We caught four hogfish but only one was a keeper at 15 inches so we released the other three along with lots of gag grouper shorts to 20 inches and red grouper to 19 inches. We also caught fourteen keeper mangrove snapper and a mess of whitebone porgies.
The photo shown is of angler Terry Hopkins with a hogfish, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/TerryHopkins-hog.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 240
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 10:16 am: | |
Sunday morning, 1/13, I fished Estero Bay from Wiggins Pass to Barefoot Beach with Kip & Lisa Price and their two sons, Aden, eight, and Cooper, four. We were a little worried about the rain that was predicted for Sunday, but as it turned out, we stayed dry all morning. Our mission was to let the boys catch some saltwater fish, which is something they don’t get to do in their hone-town of Denver. Using live shrimp, both boys had fun catching and releasing a variety of species, including sheepshead to 15 inches, mangrove snapper, pompano, whiting and puffer-fish. They were intrigued with the teeth on the various species and Cooper was most excited about “the fish with the bat-teeth” (sheepshead.) All-in-all they had a great time and topped off their trip with some fresh Florida grapefruit, also quite a novelty!
With seas of 3-5 feet on Monday accompanying a cold front and continuing into mid-week, I stayed in port. Thursday was even worse, with both rain and wind, so it was Friday before I headed out again. I fished with Eric & Tricia Walters and Mike and Bobbie Paquette, Tricia’s parents. We headed out in a dense fog and stayed that way for a good part of the day. It took some extra time to get to our destination, get our bearings and anchor up. But we had good success about 17 miles west of New Pass. We caught four keeper gag grouper, the 22 inch one on shrimp, and then a 25 inch, 26 inch and 27 inch on squirrelfish and blue runners. We lost a huge gag, probably about 25 pounds, when he twisted, rolled over the leader, and jerked the hook. We also caught thirteen keeper mangrove snapper, all about 13 inches and a keeper lane snapper on shrimp. We released porkfish and whitebone porgies and dozens of 15 and 16 inch bluefish.
Fishing with me in Estero Bay Saturday, from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass, Tom Einson, Chris Scutt and Dave Baines used live shrimp to catch a good variety of fish. We caught a keeper trout, two keeper sheepshead, a keeper mangrove snapper and a keeper whiting. We released smaller trout and ladyfish.
The photo shown is of angler Phillip Troutmann with a 23.5 inch gag grouper, both caught on shrimp on recent offshore trips.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/PhillipTroutmann-23-5in-gag.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 239
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 12:14 pm: | |
Monday, 1/7, I fished with Ed and Margie Bock in 30 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp. We caught a mess of nice sheepshead to 17 inches and kept a half dozen of those. We also caught two keeper mangrove snapper, a pair of 14 inch triggerfish and grunts. We released a 15 inch bluefish, small Spanish mackerel and grouper shorts.
Tuesday, I headed out 31 miles west of New Pass on a 270 degree heading, where I fished with live shrimp in 63 feet with Ron Musick and his friends, Dick and Mike. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel and porgies, brought home fifteen fish, and released lots of gag shorts to 20 inches and red grouper shorts to 18 inches.
Andy DiCarlo and son Andy, Jr. fished with me Wednesday morning over hard bottom, off the beaches in 30 feet. Using shrimp, we caught another nice mess of sheepshead to 20 inches. We kept ten of those in the 16 inch to 20 inch range and released the rest. We also caught keeper-sized triggerfish and grunts and released lots of small grouper.
Five business associates, Ray Malayter, Steve Casey, Jeff Robillard, Kelly Packard and Larry Brockhaus had a good morning of fishing on Thursday. We headed out of New Pass and fished in 27-36 feet. Ray caught a nice gag grouper at 26 inches (see photo) and, although Larry had to release his 20 inch fish, it was a true black grouper, more unusual than a gag. We also had lots of catch-and-release-grouper action with red grouper to 19 ¾ inches, a quarter inch shy of keeper-size, and lots of short gags. We also caught a keeper mangrove snapper and released smaller mangs, whitebone porgies and grunts.
Friday, Scott Danielak and Margaret Danielak fished with me for the day in several spots on the way out to 60 feet, west of New Pass. We started catching lots of gag grouper on shrimp and light tackle, mostly shorts, but then we were broken off three times by bigger ones so I readied some heavier tackle and baited with sand perch. We caught three keeper gags on those rigs, two at 22 inches and one at 24 inches. We also caught four keeper yellowtail snapper, a few keeper mangrove snapper and whitebone porgies. All but the gags were caught on shrimp.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/RayMalayter-26in-gag.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 238
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2008 - 10:22 am: | |
Monday, 12/31/07, I headed back out to federal waters, where two days earlier I had encountered a hot kingfish bite. On Monday, though, we didn’t get any kings. But I still had a good morning of fishing with Dan Brady, Peter Strazz, Andrew and Jim Bramlett and Tom Giordano. We released a 10 pound bonito, Spanish mackerel, red and gag grouper shorts, and some mangrove snapper that would have been keepers in state waters, but were a bit too short for federal waters. We also caught a 13 inch hogfish, whitebone porgies and grunts, fishing with shrimp in 39 feet out of New Pass.
New Years’ Day brought rain preceding a cold-front, which in turn brought high, gusty winds and very rough seas. As often happens during this time of year in cold-front conditions, the tides in Estero Bay were so low that it prevented any expectation of decent fishing bayside. I cancelled my trip for Wednesday. Those conditions persisted through Friday, so I ended up canceling my Thursday and Friday trips also.
By Saturday, the winds had calmed quite a bit, NOAA predicted seas of two to three feet and there was enough water back in the river and bay to float the boat. I headed offshore with Bill and Wendy Baumgartner, daughters Jenn and Melissa, and Melissa’s boyfriend, Brendon. We fished the reefs with live shrimp and caught 5 nice sheepshead ranging 16 to 20 inches, the largest caught by Melissa. We released a few bluefish to 15 inches, gag grouper shorts to 18 inches and red grouper to 14 inches, along with some small mangrove snapper. We had a goliath try to eat one of the short gags as we reeled in.
The photo shown is of angler Leon Mead with a 29 inch, 14 pound red grouper caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/LeonMead-14lb-29in-red-grouper.JP G |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 237
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 12:21 pm: | |
Christmas-eve morning, 12/24, I fished Estero Bay with Vince and Jenny Tomlinson and Katie and Mike. We caught a nice variety of fish on live shrimp. We released eleven spotted sea trout (currently out-of-season), cravalle jack, small sheepshead and ladyfish. We kept a half dozen mangrove snapper that all measured around the twelve-inch mark, along with some keeper whiting.”
Wednesday, Dr. Boyd Bowden, daughters Emily and Erin, and friend Ron Baldwin fished with me in 35 feet out of New Pass. We caught three keeper mangrove snapper, all about 14 inches, a 15 inch flounder, a 13 inch triggerfish, a 25 inch Spanish mackerel and some whitebone porgies. We released lots of grouper shorts to 18 inches.
On Thursday, I fished with Jerry and Andy Spetzler, Art Herman and friend, Ed, in 45 feet out of New Pass. We caught whitebone porgies, grunts, and released lots of red grouper to 19 ¾ inches, just a quarter inch shy of keeper-size, and lots of gag shorts. We also used a blue runner to hook an 80 pound goliath grouper, which was fun to fight and release.
Friday, in 31 feet out of New Pass I got into a strong king mackerel bite fishing with Terry Hopkins, Cody Hennessey, Brad Byk and his sons Ryan and Will Byk. We caught six kings to 30 pounds. We photographed the largest one and released it with all the others except for one 37 inch king (see photo). We also caught a keeper hogfish, several keeper mangrove snapper, a keeper sheepshead, triggerfish and porkfish. We caught everything on live shrimp except for the big mackerel: I saw that one jump so I threw a blue runner on a pole with 12 pound test and a piece of leader, and the mackerel struck that in about ten seconds.
Saturday morning, I was kind of aching to get back out where the kingfish were, but I had a backwater trip booked. I fished Estero Bay with John & Kelly Hull and John’s dad, Bob Hull. We released a 16 inch redfish, a 23 inch snook, cravalle jacks, ladyfish and some sea-trout that would have been nice ones if they had been in season. We kept two sheepshead at 13 inches and 15 inches, one mangrove snapper and some whiting. All were caught on live shrimp, from Wiggins Pass to Barefoot Beach.
I’m hoping the kings will be waiting for me on Monday.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/Cody-37inch-king.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 236
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 11:02 am: | |
Henry Froese and son, Bradley, from Ontario had planned to fish with me on Monday, but the weather front that passed through at the beginning of the week put a stop on those plans, due to seas of 7-12 feet offshore. We rescheduled for Friday. Friday morning, it rained early but passed through quickly, and once it did we headed out. We had hoped to play with a few goliaths to give Bradley the thrill of feeling a big fish on the line, but we never got the chance. After releasing some triggerfish, gag grouper shorts, grunts and Spanish mackerel, the sloppy seas started to get to my anglers’ stomachs, and we decided to head for shore a little sooner than planned.
Saturday morning, I headed offshore to areas around the reefs in 35 feet out of New Pass with Kevin Dineen and seventeen-year-old son, Troy. Kevin caught a nice 27 inch gag grouper and we were broken off by three more, fishing with light tackle. They weren’t biting heavy tackle at all. We had a live grunt on heavy tackle just a few feet away from where Kevin caught the 27 inch gag, but nothing hit it and we had 4 bites on the light rig. We released lots of gag shorts to 20 inches, along with Spanish mackerel to 28 inches, triggerfish and grunts. We also caught and kept nine mangrove snapper all around 13 inches. We had a goliath grouper that was about 300 pounds eat one of our gag grouper right at the water’s surface boat-side, which was a pretty exciting sight. After that, the goliaths surrounded us and attempted to eat everything we pulled in, so we picked up anchor.
The photo shown is of ten-year-old-angler, Blake Dargis, with a pair of 16 inch triggerfish caught on a recent offshore trip.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/BlakeDargis-trigger-pair.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 235
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2007 - 9:40 am: | |
Monday, 12/3, I fished in 45 feet out of New Pass with Dan Ayd, son Dan Jr., and friend, Steve. We caught four keeper mangrove snapper, all around 13 inches, along with some good-sized whitebone porgies, triggerfish and a tripletail. We had a 45 inch king mackerel on the line but he circled the boat three or four times like kings do and ran us around trying to keep him off the anchor line. Just before we had an opportunity to gaff him and get him boated, he broke free. We released red grouper shorts to 18 inches and two 40 inch bull sharks.
Jim Butcher and friends, Bob and Richard, fished Estero Bay with me from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass on Thursday. We caught five keeper sheepshead to 16 ½ inches, two keeper mangrove snapper and a sand bream. We released lots of smaller snapper and sheepshead, all on live shrimp.
Friday, Reiner Neumann and friends, Vince, Gino and Joe, fished in 38 feet out of New Pass with me. We caught keeper mangrove snapper that were all about 13 inches, a 14 inch hogfish, whitebone porgies to 15 inches and a couple of big triggerfish to 17 inches.
Leon Dargis, son Brett, and ten-year-old grandson, Blake, fished with me Saturday about 21 miles out of New Pass. We hit a hot snapper bite and caught over thirty keeper-sized mangs, and kept nine of them all close to 14 inches for the family’s dinner. We caught a 15 inch hogfish too. We also caught five nice triggerfish about 15 inches each and kept three of those. We released a half dozen large whitebone porgies about 16 inches and we had our lines broken three times while fishing just over a small ledge—we never got to see the brutes that broke us off.
The photo shown is of angler Elvira Ruetimann with a 15 inch hogfish, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/Elvira_Ruetimann-15in-hog.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 234
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 10:17 am: | |
Monday, 11/26, I fished a catch-and-release trip in Estero Bay in potholes between Wiggins Pass and Barefoot Beach with Dan Nimmer and his teenaged son, John. We released four keeper-sized sheepshead to 15 inches, a 17 inch redfish, and keeper-sized mangrove snapper, all caught with shrimp.
My next scheduled trip was for Wednesday, but with one angler coming from California, that one got scrapped due to the wildfires out there. Fortunately, the only problem for our client was a delay in travel plans. Others were not as fortunate, and our hearts to out to those who have dealt with this recent disaster.
Thursday’s client was dealt a problem of lesser intensity when he injured a foot in an accident but it still caused him to cancel his fishing plans. So it was Friday before I was out on the water again. It turned out to be a day worth waiting for. I fished with Dr. Leon Mead and his sons, Spencer and Alexander, about 38 miles west of New Pass. Leon caught two keeper red grouper, one 21 inches and the other a real beauty at 29 inches and 14 pounds--That one was tons of fun to reel in on 12 pound test! Alexander caught a nice keeper gag grouper at 24 inches, Spencer caught a keeper mangrove snapper and the group also caught three keeper yellowtail snapper. We released porgies, triggerfish and lots of red grouper shorts to 18 inches.
Saturday, fishing in 38 feet out of New Pass with Leon Dargis and Bob Rose, we caught four pretty nice lane snapper all around 13 inches, two 12 inch mangrove snapper, porgies and triggerfish. We released red and gag grouper shorts and small yellowtail snapper.
The photo shown is of a 28 inch gag grouper, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/CaptDave-28in-gag.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 233
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 10:08 am: | |
Monday, 11/19, I fished offshore with long time clients Jerry and Barb Rudan from Wisconsin. Jerry had his hopes up for battling a big grouper or two but first thing in the morning it was pretty windy and a little rough. We tried a few spots close-in, caught a few fish, but had no grouper action. Winds and seas calmed after a bit and we headed out to spots between 38 and 45 feet out of New Pass. Using shrimp, we caught a dozen good-sized whitebone porgies at 13-14 inches, a 13 inch triggerfish and three keeper mangrove snapper at 13-14 inches. We released lots of smaller snapper and grouper, along with some grunts. Barb hooked a nice gag grouper that was about 24 inches, but just as she got him to the surface, he rolled just right and came off her hook. Since Jerry wanted a battle, I rigged him up with a blue runner and took him where I knew he’d find a goliath grouper to fight. He caught and released a 25 pounder, his first goliath experience.
Tim Lopez and girlfriend, Torie Sardegna, from New York, fished Estero Bay with me on Tuesday. Tim caught a nice 25 ½ inch redfish and released a smaller one at 16 inches. Tim and Torie also caught seven keeper sheepshead to 19 inches and one keeper mangrove snapper, all on shrimp, between Wiggins pass and Barefoot Beach.
Wednesday, I fished Estero Bay again, this time with Don Weisberg and sons, Rob and Steve. We caught five keeper sheepshead to 17 inches and a 14 inch flounder. We released two 18 inch bluefish, ladyfish, two 17 inch redfish and smaller sheepshead.
Thursday I was talkin’ turkey instead of fish, but on Friday I had plans to fish offshore with Jim Mccarthy and his daughter. Seas were predicted to be 2-3 feet in the morning, building later as a cold front came through, with a slight chance of rain. We hoped to get the morning in, but we were literally headed off at the pass…Seas were 3-4 feet before we even got out of New Pass and it began to sprinkle. The skies were dark and it looked like harder rain was yet to come, so we reluctantly headed back to shore.
On Saturday, seas were still sloppy offshore, especially for two little guys that were onboard that day, so the Richard Baretta decided to stay close-in at the reefs. Richard’s little boys, Jack and Matt, had fun catching some triggerfish and the group also caught a keeper snapper and some grunts and released lots of gag and red grouper shorts.
The photo shown is of angler Linda Engebretson with a 16 inch sheepshead caught on shrimp on a recent inshore trip.
http://fishbustercharters.com/images/LindaEngebretson-16in-sheep.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 232
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 17, 2007 - 10:07 am: | |
On a third outing within a week with the Troutmann clan on Tuesday, 11/13/07, the family decided that just the guys would go offshore. Albert Troutmann and sons Patrick and Phillip fished with me in 40 feet south of Sanibel. We used live shrimp to catch a pair of 14 inch keeper hogfish two keeper mangrove snapper, and a 15 inch triggerfish. Baited with a live grunt on heavy tackle (80 pound line) we also landed a 28 inch gag grouper. We released lots of red grouper shorts to 19 inches, gag shorts to 21 inches, blue runners and whitebone porgies.
Thursday, 11/15, things looked calm from shore but with a cold-front approaching, the offshore waters were to become rougher as the day progressed. Anglers Peder Engebretson and Dan Fazendin traded their offshore plans for some catch-and-release fishing in the backwaters instead. We did well with live shrimp in potholes in central Estero Bay, where we released four trout ranging from 16 inches to 18 inches, four redfish to 17 inches, four sheepshead to 15 inches, one sand bream and a couple of mangrove snapper.
Friday the winds blew fiercely most of the day and seas were rough as a cold front moved through, Saturday wasn’t quite as windy but I stayed inshore, fishing with Matt Westall and friend, Chad, in Estero Bay from Wiggins Pass to Barefoot Beach. We caught five keeper sheepshead to 15 inches and two keeper mangrove snapper and released smaller snapper and sheepshead, along with a 16 inch redfish, all on live shrimp.
"http://fishbustercharters.com/images/ChesterYanik-10lb-bonito.JPG" |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 231
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 10:11 am: | |
Monday, 11/5, was predicted to be calm offshore. I headed out with Mike & Lea Connealy, Mike’s dad, and friend, Karen, but as we got a way offshore conditions got pretty sloppy and a little tough on the ladies’ stomachs. We decided to head in closer top shore and fish MAY reef. There, we caught a couple of keeper Spanish mackerel, large triggerfish, and released grunts, ladyfish and grouper shorts, fishing with live shrimp.
Jim VanAuken and Joe Ricci fished Estero Bay with me on Tuesday morning, along the mangrove shoreline from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass. The redfish liked our live shrimp and we caught four of them, two keepers at 21 inches and 26 inches and two around 18 inches that we released. We also released snook to 17 inches.
Another cold front approached on Wednesday with winds and seas predicted to pick up about mid-morning. I advised my anglers that the bay might be a better choice than the gulf, with the potential for rough seas offshore. Sure enough, the winds picked up about 10:30 AM but we were safely and calmly fishing Estero Bay, which turned out to be pretty productive. Bill & Christine Henry and Tom and Liz Morris ended up with a 22 inch redfish, a keeper flounder, one keeper-sized mangrove snapper out of about a dozen we caught, and a half dozen keeper sheepshead.
Thursday’s backwater anglers Albert & Joan Tr0utmann, son Patrick and his girlfriend, Elvira Ruetimann, enjoyed Estero Bay with me on Thursday. Elvira caught all the keeper-sized fish, her biggest brag being a 25 inch redfish, and her three other keepers were all sheepshead. We released three additional redfish, all 17 inches, and a half dozen smaller sheepshead, all caught on shrimp.
Hank Sherowski and friends decided to fish offshore with me on Friday. In 44 feet out of New Pass, seas were still a little sloppy until later in the day when they got calmer, especially closer in to shore. We fished with shrimp and expected to catch snapper but we only caught one keeper snapper. We caught a half dozen mutton snapper but they were all just about an inch short of keeper size so we released those along with lots of grouper shorts. We made up the difference in whitebone porgies—the group caught 40 good sized ones. The guys also fought a couple of goliath grouper until they broke the lines.
The Troutmann family, who fished in Estero Bay with me Thursday, fished offshore with me on Saturday. This time another son, Phillip, joined the family, and the five of them had a good time catching a variety of fish, using live shrimp in 35 feet out of New Pass. Phillip landed a nice 23 ½ inch gag grouper, Pat caught and released a 30 inch cobia (those must be 33 inches to the fork of the tail to be keepers), and Elvira caught a 15 inch hogfish. The group also kept one 13 inch mangrove snapper, two 15 inch Spanish mackerel and four of many whitebone porgies caught. They also released lots of grouper shorts to 21 inches and porkfish. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 230
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 10:48 am: | |
Friday morning, 10/26, I fished Estero Bay along the channel between Lely Barefoot Beach and Wiggins Pass with John Keener, teenaged son, Chris, and Chris’ friend, Mark. The tide was pretty low so I wasn’t sure how productive the trip would be but we had steady action and caught a few keepers for the guys’ dinner too. We caught four keeper sheepshead and released two smaller ones, four keeper mangrove snapper and released ten smaller ones, a keeper sand bream and we released an 18 inch snook.
Although Darryl Metzger and his dad, Paul, had planned to fish offshore with me Monday, we traded those plans for some inshore fishing because of six to eight foot seas offshore. Even in Estero Bay it was very windy and very dry by the time we came in at the half-day mark. We caught some dinner, though, with a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches. One of the guys lost a nice redfish when it got snagged on the edge of an oyster bar. We released an 18 inch snook, lots of mang shorts, sheepshead and cravalle jack, all caught on shrimp from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass.
Wednesday, the winds were howling but the tide was pretty good in the bay, where I fished with Marshall Swain, Ron Baldwin and Jim Chisholm. Marshall caught two nice redfish on shrimp—one a little too nice, since it was an inch too big to keep at 28 inches. We released that one but Marshall soon followed up with a 23 inch keeper-sized red. We also caught two keeper sheepshead and a keeper mangrove snapper, and we released lots of smaller mangs and sheepshead.
Friday’s winds decreased a little, but not enough to get offshore, with seas stirred up from the gusty week still ranging 3-6 feet. I fished a catch-and-release trip in Estero Bay with Peder and Linda Engebretson. We casted shrimp along mangrove shoreline and oyster bars from Barefoot Beach to Wiggins Pass and released a 24 inch redfish, a 22 inch red and two rat-reds about 17 inches. We also released a 14 inch sheepshead and a 16 inch sheepshead and a cravalle jack. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 229
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - 11:27 am: | |
Saturday morning, 10/20, with the radar looking not too favorable, I warned the Kinsel family that it could be a wet morning in Estero Bay. But with two boys eleven and seven years old wanting to go fishing, we decided to brave it and headed out, Mark & Ellen and Sammy and Jack, with rain ponchos on. Most of the rain we encountered was just drizzle-strength and our efforts were rewarded with three keeper redfish, one at 18 ½ inches and two at 23 inches and a keeper mangrove snapper. We released one short redfish, several mangrove snapper shorts, small sheepshead and a baby goliath grouper. The boys got to catch plenty of fish and had a good time fishing with shrimp along the channel from Barefoot beach to Wiggins Pass.
Sunday, winds picked up and kicked seas up to about 3 feet. I fished in 36 feet off New Pass with Tom Connolly and friend, Jim. We caught and released keeper-sized Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, five nearly-keeper mutton snapper that were an inch or so short of the 16 inch legal limit, a 3 pound cravalle jack, gag grouper shorts to 18 inches, red grouper shorts to 15 inches, three 25 inch goliath grouper, blue runners and small yellowtail snapper. We also caught a few keeper mangrove snapper, whitebone porgies and a 13 inch triggerfish. One of the gag grouper we released ate a small yellowtail as we were reeling it in, and the guys got a good photo of the gag with the yellowtail hanging out of its mouth. Tom thought he had a big goliath on the line at one point, and he fought it for about 20 minutes in 3 foot seas only to find that his bait had gotten snagged on a 25 pound rock—Jim teased him for the rest of the morning about the killer “rockfish” he’d landed!
My long-time fishing clients and friends Chester Yanik and Jim Basara fished with me Monday and Tuesday. Monday, we headed out about 28 miles from New Pass to fish with live shrimp in 63 feet. We had a great day—got into some king mackerel and caught four of those to twenty pounds, which we released since the guys didn’t want to eat them. For table-fare, they preferred snapper, and we caught four nice yellowtail snapper about 16 inches each, and released lots of smaller ones. We also got three nice mangrove snapper to 19 inches and released lots of smaller mangs, along with triggerfish and grunts. After the nice kings, we were a little tired but we got ready to fight some more and caught and released three bonito, all about ten pounds and two goliath grouper (they bit blue runners) that were approximately 40 pounds each.
On Tuesday we dealt with rougher conditions. When we headed out in what was predicted to be two to four foot seas, it was fairly calm but by 11AM the winds picked up and the clouds that marked an approaching frontal system rained on us by noon. Seas got progressively rougher with some five and six foot waves. But the fishing was good, 38 miles out of New Pass where we caught a 21 ½ inch red grouper, a 16 inch mutton snapper, nine yellowtail snapper to 14 inches and big grunts and whitebone porgies. We released lots of short red grouper, triggerfish and a 3 foot sharpnose shark. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 228
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007 - 10:13 am: | |
I fished with Shalom and Mendel New, Avroham, Mendel and Aryeh Wvensch and Mendel Pinson on Friday, 10/11. We headed out of New Pass to 37 feet where we caught a mess of mangrove snapper to 13 inches, grunts and porgies. We released lot of grouper and snapper shorts, blue runners and one 20 pound goliath grouper.
Wednesday, 10/17, I fished Estero Bay, from Wiggins Pass to Barefoot Beach, with Rick Szymanski, Joe Donisi and Al Orpenzo. We used shrimp and shiners to catch and release ten snook to 20 inches, several redfish to 16 ½ inches, cravalle jacks and small snapper. We also caught a keeper mangrove snapper and four keeper sheepshead, all around 13 inches.
Thursday, I got well offshore for the first time in awhile, fishing with brothers Matt and Mike Malinak and friend, Kevin Collen. We fished in 68 feet about 28 miles out of New Pass. We had great conditions, but I noticed a large amount of red tide on top of the water from about 8 miles offshore to about 21 miles. There weren’t a lot of dead fish around, but the southwest wind was pushing the red tide right into shore. We got out past it, where the water was pristine, but there wasn’t an abundance of fish. We did well, though, on shrimp with a keeper red grouper at 21 inches (see photo at "http: fishbustercharters.com/images/MattMalinak-21in-red-grouper.JPG"), a pair of 24 inch Spanish mackerel, a 14 inch triggerfish and five yellowtail snapper all about 13 inches. We also had fun with a 150 pound goliath grouper that bit a grunt and blue runner that were hooked together. We released the goliath, along with a 3 foot sharp-nose shark, lots of short red grouper to 16 inches and short yellowtail. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 227
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 10:18 am: | |
With peak slow-season upon us in southwest Florida, fishing trips have been scarcer this month. I was looking forward to two days of fishing this weekend, but with a last minute cancellation for one of them, I ended up offshore only on Saturday morning. I fished with Ron Lyrek, Pete Fredrickson, Will Williams, Bob Tofison, Craig Sneed and Tom Cartier. We headed out to about 38 feet west of New Pass in calm conditions, but with rough seas predicted to arrive later this afternoon and extend into at least the middle of next week, we already began to see rougher conditions on our way back in at mid-day. Using live shrimp, Craig caught a 14 inch hogfish, and the group caught seven keeper mangrove snapper that were all around 13 inches, keeper Spanish mackerel and whitebone porgies. We released triggerfish and short red grouper.
I fished Friday morning, 10/5, with Herb & Renee Gueracio and their son James, friend Steven Macenas, and Steven’s mother, Peggy Macenas. We headed out to about 35 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp and caught a good variety of fish including a 22 inch Spanish mackerel, three keeper lane snapper, some keeper mangs and triggerfish. We released about 25 gag grouper shorts to 18 inches and a bunch of smaller snapper. We also released three goliath grouper that ranged 15-25 pounds, which we caught on blue runners, and a 4-foot bull shark. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 226
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 10:13 am: | |
This week was a good one for snapper of all varieties. Terry Mooney, Mike Franklin, Bob Myers and Jim Schultz fished with me Monday in 45 feet straight out of New Pass. We did well with snapper. We caught two 14 inch yellowtails and twenty mangrove snapper to 15 inches. We also caught triggerfish and porkfish and released three short hogfish and gag grouper shorts. As we were reeling in one of the mangrove snapper, with a light spinning rod and no steel leader, a 4 foot barracuda bit the snapper and ended up hooking himself in the lip. We managed to get the cuda to the boat without breaking the line, photographed and released it.
Mike and Sandy Chandler fished with me Tuesday morning when seas were predicted to be two foot. In actuality, we had 3-4 foot seas and sloppy conditions in 45 feet out of New Pass, with a steady fifteen knot wind. But, the fishing was good, which compensated us for the rough seas. We caught a dozen nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, a keeper mutton snapper at 17 inches, a 13 inch hogfish and some whitebone porgies. We released smaller yellowtail and muttons, triggerfish, and a 15 pound goliath grouper. All were caught on shrimp, except for the goliath who ate a grunt as we were reeling it in.
The tropical weather system off our coast kicked up seas to 4-6 feet by Thursday, and I had to cancel my final trip for this week. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 225
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 10:28 am: | |
Tuesday, 9/4, I fished in 35 feet out of New Pass with Dennis & Jamie Riddell and Doyle and Kay Payne. We limited out on twenty mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and also caught some keeper Spanish mackerel and porgies on live shrimp. We used blue runners to entice three goliaths to fight with us, and released one approximately 40 pounds, one 80 pounds and 150 pounds.
Thursday, I fished with father and son anglers Jerry and Greg Elliot about fifteen miles west of New Pass. We played with goliath groupers for a while, baited with blue runners, and released two of those, one about 25 pounds and one about 80 pounds. We used live shrimp to catch a few mangrove snapper to 13 inches, a 13 inch triggerfish and a dozen whitebone porgies to 14 inches. We also released a few gag grouper shorts.
Friday, Mike Stong, his dad and two brothers fished in 37 feet out of new Pass with me. We caught a 24 inch Spanish mackerel, thirteen lane snapper to 13 inches, and a half-dozen keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches. We released a bunch of smaller mangs, along with a 30 pound goliath grouper. We used shrimp for the mackerel and snapper, and hooked the goliath on a blue runner.
Saturday, Billy and Angel Fritzo fished with me in 40 feet out of New Pass, where we caught a 13 inch hogfish, five mangrove snapper to 15 inches and a 14 inch triggerfish. We released red grouper shorts. |
CaptainIDS (Captainids)
New member
Username: Captainids
Post Number: 13
Registered: 9-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 10:00 am: | |
Are you a Licensed Coast Guard Captain?
This is for you
http://www.captainids.com/ |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 224
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 9:55 am: | |
Friday, 8/31, I fished an outgoing tide in Estero Bay around Wiggins Pass with Tom and Marsha Lynch. We caught a few keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches and released a 19 inch snook, cravalle jacks and ladyfish.
Saturday, 9/1, I fished with a husband-and-wife team who were actually both named Terry--Terry & Terry Lunsford and their friends Mel and Linda Vaughn. We headed out to about 32 feet out of New Pass, where we did pretty well with live shrimp. We caught a 23 inch keeper gag grouper, the first one of those in a good while this close in. We also caught 14 keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches and some porgies. We released a small hogfish and a 14 inch mutton snapper. Then, for some sport and excitement, we targeted goliath grouper with blue runners and cravalle jacks as bait. We released three goliaths, one that appeared to be over 15o pounds, one about 70 pounds and one about 50 pounds. All in all it was a hot, but good morning of fishing for fun and food. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 223
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 24, 2007 - 10:12 am: | |
I fished 17 miles out of New Pass on Thursday, 8/23, with Paul Fenwick, Pamela Harden, Chris Dicon, John Priddy and Jackie Myers. We caught seven keeper mangrove snapper, a few Spanish mackerel and porgies, and released two goliath grouper each about 20 pounds before we hit the jackpot with a 24 pound cobia. We had hooked a small remora on a shrimp, and the cobia was hanging around trying to eat the shrimp protruding from the remora’s mouth (cobia tend to swim with remora.) With a little coaxing, the cobia swam boat-side. I grabbed my gaff, and hitting it lucky, got the fish dead-on. A green cobia is notorious for its power and ability to tear up everything in the boat, and I was prepared for the worst, but I was lucky--the way the gaff caught him, he didn’t even wiggle.
Friday, fishing in 35-42 feet out of New Pass with Joe Lester, Paul Schaffer, and brothers Joe and John Berra, we released most of what we caught, except a few nice snapper for the group’s dinner. We caught lane snapper, mangrove snapper, a small hogfish, red grouper shorts to 18 ½ inches, triggerfish, porkfish, whitebone porgies and lots of ladyfish. A couple anglers had a couple of nice Spanish mackerel hooked, but they got their lines wrapped around each other and broke those off. We had a goliath try to eat one of our snappers on the way up, so we tossed the snapper back out for bait and released a 25 pound goliath. We were broken off by a larger goliath a while later. The water temperature was hot—91.1 degrees. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 222
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 18, 2007 - 10:03 am: | |
Monday morning, 8/13, I fished Estero Bay, down toward Wiggins Pass, with Kevin Deacy and George Romita. George had a big redfish hooked, but it started to run, and he tried to keep it from running too far and broke the line. We got a keeper mangrove snapper and a keeper sheepshead and we released smaller snapper and sheepshead, along with two bluefish that were 18 and 19 inches, all caught on live shrimp.
Thursday, I fished a catch-and-release trip with Barry Fitzgerald and friends Jim and Barry (yes, another “Barry”) in 37 feet out of New Pass. Live shrimp did well with fifteen mangrove snapper, a 15 inch hogfish, gag grouper shorts, porgies and grunts. We also got to play with an 80 pound goliath grouper.
Kevin Ackerman and Jeff Senna fished with me Saturday morning. We started out in about 45 feet out of New Pass and caught a few snapper, but we caught most of our fish closer in at a spot in 35 feet, using live shrimp. We caught six keeper lane snapper to 13 inches, six keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish, porgies, and a 14 inch hogfish. We used blue runners to hook and release three goliath grouper to 60 pounds. We also released lots of ladyfish and a five foot nurse shark. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 221
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 03, 2007 - 10:46 am: | |
Tuesday morning, 7/31, brought some threatening skies, but the rain looked like it was fairly light on radar and was making its way south from Cape Coral. Lou Dellorco and family decided to give it a go at the near-shore reefs. We did pretty well before we were run in by rain. By 10:30 AM, winds picked up, seas got rough, and the rain was upon us. But by that time we had boated a dozen mangrove snapper to 12 inches, Spanish mackerel to 20 inches and triggerfish to 15 inches, so it was a pretty productive morning.
The rain cancelled my planned full-day fishing excursion on Wednesday, but Thursday was a better day. I fished a catch-and-release trip in Estero Bay around New Pass on an outgoing tide with Andy Alvarez and his ten-year-old daughter, Danielle. We released three redfish at 26 inches, 23 inches and 22 inches, along with three snook to 18 inches and mangrove snapper to 12 inches, all on shrimp.
Fishing was slow at the reefs on Friday when I fished with Graham Connor. We caught some keeper mangrove snapper and released two small goliath grouper and some ladyfish. Pinfish were all over the place out there. We were broken off in the rocks twice by something we never got to see. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 220
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 10:32 am: | |
Greg and Terry Carns and their sons Mike, twelve, and Danny, nine, were scheduled to fish with me on Monday, but Monday morning brought thunderstorms and severe weather. Fortunately, we were able to reschedule for Tuesday. We fished in 18-26 feet at the Bonita reefs with live shrimp. Seas were pretty calm, at one to two feet, but it was a bit sloppy due to the storms we have been having. Mike’s stomach wasn’t feeling too good, and finally persuaded him to allow himself to be sick. Once he did so, he said he “never knew throwing up could make you feel so good”! I told him he actually helped chum the fish to the boat, so from then on, his nickname was “Chum-bucket”, and he had a good time for the rest of the morning. We kept ten mangrove snapper to 12 inches and released a whole bunch more that were keeper size. We also released Spanish mackerel, cravalle jacks, and three spotted trout.
Mark Gallardo and young sons Jordon and Mark, Jr. fished with me on Thursday in 26 feet at the reefs off Bonita with live shrimp. We caught three Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, a dozen keeper mangrove and lane snapper, and a fourteen inch flounder.
Saturday, Mike Lee and son, Nick, headed out to about 32 feet with me with a bait well full of shrimp. We had a nice snapper bite, and caught three limits of mangs to 12 inches. We kept three of about twenty keeper-sized Spanish mackerel that we caught free-lining shrimp behind the boat. We released small goliath grouper to 20 pounds and cravalle jacks to 3 pounds. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 219
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 10:24 am: | |
Canadians Jason Booker, Bill Dawson, Brett Carpenter and Matt Richard, in town for the roller hockey tournament, fished with me Tuesday, 7/17, twenty miles out of New Pass. We caught and released lots of red grouper to 19 inches, gag grouper to 21 inches, and yellowtail that were just under keeper size on live shrimp. After a while, the guys decided to warm up their muscles in preparation for their tournament this weekend by wrestling with a few goliath groupers so we moved to one of my goliath spots and released five of those, ranging from 40 to 80 pounds, using blue runners for bait.
Saturday morning, I headed out with Ryan and Natalie Vanhorn and friends Danny and Missy for what we hoped would be a full day of fishing. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas. We started fishing in 37 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp, and we immediately started catching snapper. The bite was still hot when we left that spot at about 10:30, but the thunderheads were growing more threatening, so we decided to move closer to shore, around the reefs. By that time, we had caught thirteen keeper mangrove snapper and released keeper-sized Spanish mackerel, a short mutton snapper, cravalle jacks and smaller mangs. We never got to fish at the reefs because the weather conditions worsened—we could actually hear static in the fishing poles and boat antenna, and I had no choice but to head for shore. We made it in just before the sky let loose and the lightening began, and I managed to get their fish cleaned so they’d have plenty for dinner. Next time, we’re hoping for a longer time offshore and perhaps some hogfish, the group‘s favorite. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 218
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 06, 2007 - 10:47 am: | |
Estero Bay was slow-going Monday morning when I fished with Don Hudson. We released an 18 inch snook, caught keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead, and released lots of small snapper, sheepshead and cravalle jacks.
Richard and Tracy Sturgill and six-year-old son Kendall, and friends, Neil and Sherri Moseley and eleven-year-old daughter Rachel, fished with me on Tuesday at the reefs off Bonita Beach. We had a good time catching Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, keeper flounder, and mangrove and lane snapper. We released ladyfish.
Ken Stachowski, wife, and two young children fished with me in less than ideal conditions on Thursday. The Stachowski family reserved two dates, one for offshore fishing and one for inshore. After consulting the weather, seas and tides predictions, we selected Thursday as our offshore date, with predictions of 1-2 foot seas, as it had been most of the week. The reality that morning was 3-4 foot seas and sloppy as could be, so we modified our plan to fish all day and headed for shore about noon. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches and released triggerfish and jacks at the artificial reef off Bonita Beach.
Friday, I fished with Reiner Neumann and sons Chris, Brian and Steven, along with family friend, Dennis. We started out at MAY reef, but it was kind of slow, so we headed out to about 35 feet off Naples where we caught keeper Spanish mackerel, triggerfish, porkfish and whitebone porgies on live shrimp. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 217
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 30, 2007 - 9:55 am: | |
Monday, Robert Annan and sons Matthew and Brad fished in 38 feet, about 18 miles out of New Pass. We caught a mess of nice Spanish mackerel to 28 inches and mangrove snapper to 13 inches. The guys kept 3 fish for dinner and released the rest. We also got broken off twice on light tackle by goliath grouper and we got a close-up sighting of a sailfish just behind the boat.
Steve Toyota and sons Jake, age eight, and Max, age four, along with family friend, Rob, fished Estero Bay, around New Pass, with me on Tuesday. We used live shrimp to catch mangrove snapper and sheepshead and a small snook. One angler lost a big snook that appeared to be over 36 inches when it jumped through the mangroves and broke off.
I fished Estero Bay on Thursday with Shane Hoover, her thirteen-year-old son Ben Griggs and Ben’s two friends, Michael Southern and Peter Ripke. We caught a keeper redfish at 20 inches, two keeper sheepshead, a fifteen inch flounder, a 15 inch black drum and a 20 inch bluefish. We released small mangrove snapper, all on live shrimp.
Carol Mathis, son Kenny and grandson Robert fished in 35 feet off new Pass with me on Friday. We caught some nice Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish and whitebone porgies. We released two bluefish and a 28 inch kingfish.
Saturday morning, I fished with Joe Consolo and his mother, Jerri, in 35 feet out of New Pass. We free-lined shrimp for Spanish mackerel, and caught about twenty of those, keeping a dozen nice ones 25-26 inches. Bottom fishing with shrimp, we caught four keeper mangrove snapper, whitebone porgies and, surprisingly, five hogfish. It is pretty unusual to catch that many hogfish in one trip, but Jerri had the magic touch—she hooked all five of them. Two of those were keeper size, so Joe and Jerri are in for some good eating. We released triggerfish and seven gag grouper shorts. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 216
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 11:16 am: | |
After a couple weeks off local waters, I fished Monday, 6/18 with brothers Mark and Robert Duhlberg and their children. We fished about 12 miles out of New Pass with live shrimp, and we caught Spanish mackerel to 23 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, whitebone porgies, triggerfish and porkfish. We released gag grouper shorts to 18 inches and a 3 ½ foot sand shark.
Tuesday, Gary Jones, his brother and seven-year-old nephew fished with me in 36 feet off New Pass. We caught Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, keeper lane snapper, porgies, grunts and triggerfish. Our little angler caught four nice Spanish and a load of porgies.
Uli and Uta Scheider and friends Bill and Joe fished in 32 feet out of New Pass with me on Wednesday. Their favorite is Spanish mackerel, and we did well with those to 26 inches free-lining shrimp in a chum slick. We also caught some porgies.
Dr. Leon Mead and son, Spencer, fished with me Thursday at the reefs off Bonita Beach, where we caught and released 30 Spanish mackerel to 26 inches. We also caught keeper mangrove and lane snapper to 12 inches and a 14 inch flounder, all on live shrimp.
It was a tough morning of fishing for the Bill Kaufman party on Friday. We started off the morning later than planned, due to no shrimp available at the bait shops. After delaying our trip 40 minutes for the promise of bait, we finally gave up and I brought a small reserve of live shrimp from my bait tank, along with some sardines. We headed out to about 30 feet out of New Pass, and we fished from 30 to 45 feet, having to move around a bit due to a slow bite and the interference from porpoise. I even turned my sonar off to deter the porpoise, but they found us no matter where we anchored. Although no bad weather was expected, we encountered three thunderstorms and four water spouts. One of the latter was pretty close by, and appeared to be about a quarter mile in size. Bill took some photos of that one. We ended up with keeper Spanish mackerel, porgies, and grunts—enough to keep the young angler onboard excited and happy, but short of the ideal we had hoped for. We released red and gag grouper shorts. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 215
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 01, 2007 - 9:17 am: | |
I fished the tree lines in Estero Bay around Hickory Bay with Homer Jack Moore and wife Lorraine on Tuesday. We caught and released lots of mangrove snapper and a 14 inch sheepshead. We lost a nice redfish boatside when I turned to get the landing net and Homer’s line caught on a mangrove root.
Wednesday’s planned bay trip cancelled at the last minute, so I didn’t get out fishing again until Thursday, when I fished Estero Bay with father and son Will and Justin Berry. We fished with live shrimp around Big Hickory Bay and caught a couple of keeper mangrove snapper and sand bream. We released short sheepshead.
Looks like some rain and rough weather coming our way for the next several days, with what is looking like a tropical depression right now. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 214
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 26, 2007 - 10:21 am: | |
Ben Sampson and girlfriend Jill just wanted to catch fish Monday morning, 5/21, so we headed out in some fairly rough seas to the 5 mile reef. We caught triggerfish and keeper mangrove snapper there, but it was pretty sloppy, and for everyone’s comfort, we moved in closer to MAY reef. We got into a lot of Spanish there, and kept seven of those, along with some lane snapper.
Tuesday, I fished Estero Bay in the area of New Pass with George Peterman and friends Donna, Richard and Mike. We caught a couple keeper mangrove snapper and a couple of keeper sheepshead, and we released a 19 inch snook and a cravalle jack.
My offshore trips for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday never materialized, with winds howling once again. Wind has been the main theme around here since early April, with just a few calm days during the past six or seven weeks.
Saturday morning, my anglers who had scheduled an offshore trip were willing to try the bay instead, with winds and seas still rough offshore. Paul and Joyce Cherubino and nephew Bob Leeks fished the tree lines on the east side of New Pass and Big Hickory Pass, with live shrimp. Bob landed two 21 inch redfish. Paul followed up with a 20 inch red, and Joyce caught a 15 inch sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 213
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 10:58 am: | |
Monday, 5/14, the winds were blowing once again. I advised my anglers, Patrick and Natalie Smith, to fish the bay instead of heading offshore for fear of rough seas out there. We used live shrimp in central Estero Bay to catch keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead. We had a couple of break-offs that were probably nice reds, but fishing treelines is tough for novice anglers--way too easy to get broken off.
My Tuesday anglers wanted a full-day well offshore, and with 3-5 foot seas building to 4-6 out there, we decided it would be best to defer that trip until we have better conditions.
Wednesday, I headed out to 38 miles on a 260 heading from New Pass with anglers, Dr. Paul Martz and friend Christian. We used live shrimp, sardines and cut bait to catch a dozen yellowtail to 16 inches and a few mangrove snapper to 15 inches. We released a 40 inch kingfish, grouper shorts, with the largest gag just 1/2 inch short of keeper-size, triggerfish, jolthead and whitebone porgies, amberjacks to 22 inches, and three bonito to seven pounds (the bonito were caught on spoons.) We saw two mahi-mahi, each about 3 foot long, jump about 50 feet from the boat.
Thursday, I headed back out again about 37 miles from New Pass, this time with Mike Cole and friend Jason. We caught some nice yellowtail and lane snapper again and kept a few of those for the guy’s dinner, then went catch and release for the rest of the day. We released more snapper, porgies, grunts, triggerfish, bonito to eight pounds, a 26 inch king mackerel, and a 3 foot sharpnose shark. We used shrimp, sardines and squid for bait. The guys had a couple of big kingfish hooked, but had their lines broken before they were boated.
Dr. Paul Martz and friend Christian LeClerc, who fished offshore with me Wednesday, fished the backwaters on Friday. We had good tide conditions in Estero Bay and plenty of live shrimp in the bait well. We caught three keeper redfish, one 21 inches and two at 20 inches each, and a fifteen inch sheepshead. We fished until the tide started coming in too fast and the water got cloudy, but we had already caught our limit of redfish.
Saturday morning I f returned to Estero Bay, this time with Dr. Roland Rivera, his dad Raphael Rivera, and friend Dr. John Jay. We caught two keeper redfish, 20” and 21”, a 13” sheepshead, and some keeper mangrove snapper, all on shrimp. We released a small snook, and jumped a small tarpon about 20 inches long.
<img> |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 212
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 1:36 pm: | |
The calm winds and seas of last week didn’t hold too long. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday brought strong gusty winds and high seas, which caused me to reschedule my offshore anglers for later in the week. I finally headed out Thursday on a catch-and-release trip with Harry Oleferak. NOAA had predicted two to four foot seas, but I knew they would be at the higher end of that range, with the winds still blowing hard. We stayed close in at the reefs off Bonita Beach, and even there we had three to four foot seas and a steady wind of 15 knots. We used small cravalle jack and blue runners for bait. We caught and released Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, and an eight pound goliath grouper. We also had a bigger goliath cut our line, and a 3 ½ foot barracuda eat one of our blue runners.
Anglers Eric Harper and Dave Enayert had been waiting since Monday for a day calm enough to go after goliath grouper. The two wanted the thrill of the big catches, and I knew trying to catch those in the rough seas we had earlier this week would be next to impossible. Friday we finally had two foot seas at the reefs, so we seized the opportunity to load up the heavy tackle. We released six goliaths boat-side that ranged from 75 pounds to over 200 pounds. The biggest one was 5 ½ feet long. We caught them all on blue runners and small Spanish mackerel.
Chris and Yvette Worthington and young sons Hunter and Peyton fished with me Saturday. We started out about 16 miles out of New Pass where we caught some snapper, but before long, the porpoise moved in, so we headed further out to about 37 miles. We caught a bunch of keeper yellowtail and lane snapper for food value, but my anglers also wanted some big fish for sport value. We caught two sharpnose sharks, each about three foot, then hooked a seven foot bull shark that gave us a good fight. We were broken off by something big and fast that I am guessing was a tuna. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 211
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 1:37 pm: | |
I was in port on Monday, but I fished Tuesday in 80 feet on a 265 heading out of New Pass with anglers Jim McCarthy and friend, Dan. We had one great day fishing. Baited with live shrimp, we began catching some nice yellowtail snapper to 16 inches, landed about eight of those along with keeper lane snapper to 12 inches. We kept four of the latter and released the rest. We also released ten nice-sized banded rudder fish, two king mackerel at 26 inches and 40 inches, and short grouper to 20 inches. Our best catch was a 25 pound blackfin tuna, which we caught, believe it or not, on half a shrimp (see photo.) We got that big boy boated, and I put a hunk of squid on the pole while I was getting the tuna on ice. Suddenly, the rod screamed--I thought it was another tuna. It spooled 200 plus yards of Power-Pro line. For 35 minutes with one angler on the reel and one on the top of the rod, we fought that fish. At the end of a long run, with no line left, I lifted the rod-tip ever so slightly. There was a big thrust on the end, and a 7 foot bull shark snapped the rod in half just under the big guide. With both pieces of the pole held fast, we fought that big boy to the end, thanked him for the fight, and released him. The thrill was well worth the damages!
Wednesday morning, my old friends Chris and Lissa Dillon from Indiana were in town for business, and they managed to reserve some pleasure time, along with friend Ed Bosch, to fish offshore with me. We headed out about 15 miles on a 260 heading from New Pass with some shrimp and pinfish in the bait well. We caught twenty keeper-sized lane snapper, Spanish mackerel to 20 inches, a 28 inch kingfish, porkfish, whitebone porgies, a 25 inch goliath and grouper shorts to 19 inches. We caught one keeper gag grouper at 23 inches on a pinfish. We released all but the keeper gag and a few lanes.
I fished with Jim McCarthy and Dan Gilbert again on Thursday, about 37 miles out of new Pass on a 260 heading. No tuna this time, but our shrimp and squid served up five mangrove snapper to 17 inches and ten keeper yellowtail snapper. We released gags just short of legal to 21 inches and red grouper to 18 inches, along with porgies. We had two big sharks cut lines a couple times, but never close enough to see what kind.
Saturday, I headed back out to the same area with Jim Ozark and two of his friends. We used shrimp and squid to catch a dozen keeper yellowtail snapper, a half dozen lane snapper, grunts porgies and triggerfish. We released a variety of grouper shorts—reds, gags and scamps.
<img> |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 210
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2007 - 10:05 am: | |
Monday, 4/23, the seas were still rough, but a little calmer, and I fished with Sandy Hook, son Rusty, Rusty's young son Charlie, and a friend, Sam. Fishing in 33 feet out of New Pass with shrimp, we caught ten keeper lane snapper, grunts and porgies, and released gag grouper shorts and blue runners.
Tuesday, I headed out on a 260 degree heading from New Pass with Ron Musick, Dick Arnell, Justin Baker and friend Jim. We started a chum line and were bottom fishing with live shrimp in three to four foot seas. We started to catch some pretty nice yellowtail and mangrove snapper to 16 inches, along with a lot of porgies. Suddenly, one of the rods took off running, and we thought it was a bonito, a king mackerel or a shark. It spooled down to the bottom of the spool, and after three more long runs, we worked it back up to the boat to finally get a glimpse. When we saw its 3 foot length we figured it wasn't a bonito. Then we saw the black on its back and knew it was a blackfin tuna. I grabbed a hunk of squid to put on another pole, and tossed it out. We were still rejoicing over the first one when a second one the same size hit. So we got two of those, which are the first two I have caught in all my years of fishing. It was a very good morning (see photo.)
Wednesday morning I fished Estero Bay, in the area of Wiggins Pass, with Ron Constantini and Rick Staubach. We caught a keeper redfish and a nice 16 inch sheepshead, and released smaller sheepshead and cravalle jacks.
Thursday it was still kind of sloppy even close-in at the reefs off Bonita Beach. I fished with Frank Vayda, and friends. We caught fourteen Spanish mackerel to 24 inches—a barracuda in the area ate a couple of them. We also caught a keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper. We released short grouper and a 40 inch lemon shark.
Harvey Cleland and friends Ed and Tim fished Estero Bay with me, in the Wiggins Pass area, on Friday morning. We fished with live shrimp until the tide quit moving, and caught four keeper sheepshead and keeper mangrove snapper. We released cravalle jacks.
I fished Estero Bay again Saturday morning with Terry Major and her friends, Carol, Cheryl and Rhonda. We caught a keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper, and released a 20 inch snook.
<img> |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 209
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 9:31 am: | |
Monday, 4/9, seas were predicted at two to three feet offshore, but fishing even close-in at the reefs, it was much rougher than that, especially as the winds increased mid-morning. I fished with Carl and Susan baker, and daughter Anna. We caught a few keeper snapper and sheepshead, and released lots of smaller snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish and grouper. We also released lots of blue runners, and we were broken off twice by a couple of king mackerel.
I fished in 40 feet out of New Pass on Tuesday with Dick Timbers, John, Chris and Dan King, and Shane Gannon. We caught keeper lane snapper, whitebone porgies, and Spanish mackerel. We released a seven pound cravalle jack, along with gag and red grouper shorts and triggerfish.
Wednesday, I fished an inshore trip with Leeds Hutchinson, son John, and grandsons Tommy and Brandon. Fishing in the New Pass area of Estero Bay with live shrimp, we caught a 20 inch redfish, two snook to 20 inches, two sheepshead to 15 inches, and a 2 ½ pound cravalle jack. We released all but the redfish.
Thursday, I awoke to thunderstorms. Radar indicated a good amount of rain offshore. I advised my anglers to wait for a bit so I could better see how conditions would shape up. There was some clearing by about 9AM, and it might have given us a chance to get out to the reefs, but I surely couldn’t guarantee a rain-free trip in smooth waters. With 4 youngsters included in their party, they thought it best to scrap our fishing plans. Because of a long-weekend family event, I remained off the water for the next three days also.
I was hoping to fish offshore on Monday, 4/16. But the winds that blew before I left were only worse on my return. With gusts to 40 mph and seas offshore at 10-12 feet, I had no choice but to cancel Monday’s fishing trip.
Tuesday, my anglers said they wanted to give near-shore a try, despite predictions for increasing winds and seas. We headed out toward the reefs, and within thirty minutes we had taken a wave over the bow. Seas were 3-5 feet. We reversed course and headed back to shore. The winds have been relentless so far this month.
It finally calmed enough on Wednesday to get offshore. I fished out about 36 miles on a 250 heading from New Pass with Ron Musick and friend, Dick. We caught and released a five foot black-tip shark, and had what would have been three keeper red grouper, had the sharks not gotten all but the heads. We did manage some eatin' fish, though, including a 16 inch mangrove snapper, keeper lane and yellowtail snapper, and Spanish mackerel. We released red grouper shorts to 19 inches--the sharks didn't mess with those, but took all our keeper reds.
Thursday, predictions were for two to four foot seas, but the winds blew over twenty knots all morning and seas ranged from three to nearly six feet. I fished in 28-30 feet off Bonita Beach with Dr. Bob James, Bob James Jr., and Doug James. Fishing was tough in those seas, and we released a 21 inch gag grouper, a few grunts and porgies.
My Friday anglers were driving in from Sarasota, a couple of hours away, and with seas predicted to persist into Friday and winds still strong Thursday evening, I couldn’t guarantee good conditions, and we scrapped the trip.
Repetitious as it may be, the winds were blowing hard Saturday morning. My anglers took my suggestion to fish Estero Bay. Peter Richards and his three young children, Marc, Danielle and Isabelle, fished with live shrimp in the area of Wiggins Pass. The kids had plenty of action and counted sixteen hooked fish. Among those were four keeper mangrove snapper, a keeper sheepshead and a whiting. We released the rest of the catches, which included smaller sheepshead and a 13 inch trout. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 208
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2007 - 5:40 am: | |
I fished the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach on Monday, with Dave Yoder and family. We started at the 5 mile reef, where we caught some decent sized triggerfish, then moved in to MAY reef to catch lots of Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, using live shrimp.
Tuesday I fished with Ross Christenson, Dave Kempston and Dave’s sons Alex, Brennan, and Connor, in 38 feet off Sanibel. With live shrimp for bait, we caught keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches, Spanish mackerel to 27 inches, whitebone porgies and other bottom fish. We released gag and red grouper to 19 inches, and 7 ½ year old Connor enjoyed posing with one of those gags before releasing it.
Wednesday I headed to the reefs with Scott Stuckey and his two young sons, eleven-year-old Jacob and seven-year-old Zachary. The tide was slow and the winds were variable, making it kind of tough to hook-up. But the boys had fun catching three keeper pompano to 14 inches, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches. They released lots of blue runners and gag grouper shorts.
Thursday I had a last minute cancellation, so I stayed in port to do some maintenance. Unfortunately, that hiatus extended into Friday and Saturday, as a late-season cold front arrived, bringing gusty winds and seas from 3-8 feet for the weekend. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 207
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2007 - 5:39 am: | |
I fished the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach on Monday, with Dave Yoder and family. We started at the 5 mile reef, where we caught some decent sized triggerfish, then moved in to MAY reef to catch lots of Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, using live shrimp.
Tuesday I fished with Ross Christenson, Dave Kempston and Dave’s sons Alex, Brennan, and Connor, in 38 feet off Sanibel. With live shrimp for bait, we caught keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches, Spanish mackerel to 27 inches, whitebone porgies and other bottom fish. We released gag and red grouper to 19 inches, and 7 ½ year old Connor enjoyed posing with one of those gags before releasing it.
Wednesday I headed to the reefs with Scott Stuckey and his two young sons, eleven-year-old Jacob and seven-year-old Zachary. The tide was slow and the winds were variable, making it kind of tough to hook-up. But the boys had fun catching three keeper pompano to 14 inches, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches. They released lots of blue runners and gag grouper shorts.
Thursday I had a last minute cancellation, so I stayed in port to do some maintenance. Unfortunately, that hiatus extended into Friday and Saturday, as a late-season cold front arrived, bringing gusty winds and seas from 3-8 feet for the weekend.
The photo shown is of anglers Tom Graham and John Hughes, with a 26 inch gag grouper, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 206
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 31, 2007 - 10:22 am: | |
I fished a catch and release trip in Estero Bay Monday, 3/26, with Leeds Hutchinson, son Bill, and grandsons Joe and Tim. We fished a slow incoming tide along the channel by New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught a keeper-sized redfish at 19 inches, two small snook, a few keeper-sized sheepshead and lots of smaller sheepshead, lady fish, and cravalle jacks.
Fishing Tuesday at the reefs off Sanibel with Tom Batchellor and friends Becky, Chris and Jean, we had to battle the goliath grouper for the sheepshead. We got some keepers to 14 inches, but the goliaths stole every one of the larger ones. We also caught Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, so there was plenty to fill the dinner bag. We released gag grouper shorts.
I fished Wednesday a little further out Wednesday in 40 feet off Sanibel, since the winds and seas were calmer than they have been in awhile. Fishing with Christine Elzinga, Ron Sparks, and Ron’s uncle, Joe Grimsley, we used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove and lane snapper to 15 inches, triggerfish, grunts, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches. We released gag and red grouper shorts to 18 ½ inches, along with two small 20 inch kingfish. I was happy to see some kings at last, and I am hoping the bigger ones are moving in now.
Fishing Thursday in 35 feet off Sanibel with Stewart Norris and friends Richie and Bob Riehner, we were hoping for some of those kingfish. There were certainly a lot of blue runners around, which are pretty typical in kingfish territory, but the only mackerel around were of the Spanish variety—we caught those to 22 inches, along with keeper mangrove snapper, and released lots of gag and red grouper shorts again.
A windy front began coming through the area on Friday, and it got progressively rougher offshore, fishing with Lee Larsen, Bud Glanzer and friends, Tom and Steve. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel, triggerfish, and mangrove snapper, but had to release all the gag grouper, because the largest of those was only 21 inches.
Saturday morning, the winds were still gusting, but the Boyd Bowden party decided to give it a go, since weather had foiled their fishing plans several times previously this season. We headed out to the 5-mile reef off Bonita Beach with live shrimp, and began catching sheepshead. But, we only got to boat one of those, since the goliath grouper were feeling greedy that morning. We had pretty steady 3-4 foot seas, even just five miles out, so we decided to let the goliaths have the rest of the sheepshead, and we moved a little closer toward shore to the MAY reef. We caught lots of Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, kept fifteen of them for dinner, and released the rest. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 205
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 10:02 am: | |
I ended up fishing the bay last Saturday, 3/17, since the tides were still higher than expected, with the wind out of the north. My anglers, who had planned to fish offshore but were thwarted by 5-8 foot seas, decided to swap their gulf plans for a morning of fishing in Estero Bay. Leon Dargis, sons Kurt and Brett, and nine year old grandson Blake fished with me up toward New Pass. We had good success with sheepshead—caught seven of those to 16 inches—and we also got an 18 ½ inch redfish, and released a 20 inch snook.
Monday brought low tide conditions back to Estero Bay, and I couldn't even fish my usual oyster bars with Scott and Jeanine Nelson and their children, Olivia and Conner. We managed to catch a few fish in places where I found enough water, and kept two 14 inch sheepshead and a keeper trout. We released smaller sheepshead and lots of ladyfish.
The winds and seas picked up Tuesday, and I encountered some 4-footers in only 17 feet of water, fishing with Jerry Rangaard and Tom and Gerry Palen. We hung in there, and caught a dozen sheepshead to 17 inches. We lost two big ones to a goliath grouper, and we released a 21 inch gag grouper, at the reefs off Sanibel and Bonita Beach.
That windy weather front kicked seas offshore up to 3-5 feet on Wednesday. Thursday was only marginally better offshore, and tides in Estero Bay were very low. I canceled my trips those days. So far, though, weather has been pretty fishing-friendly this season, so although I felt bad for my scheduled anglers, I really can’t complain.
Seas calmed enough to at least get out to the near-shore reefs on Friday, with Michael Azar and his three children. We caught Spanish mackerel to 23 inches and keeper sheepshead to 14 inches, on live shrimp.
Saturday, I fished a catch and release trip with Dean Stanton and his son, Dean Jr. We headed to one of the reefs off Bonita Beach to fish for sheepshead, and released seven of those to 17 inches before the goliath grouper moved in. I had my big Ambassador rigged with a small blue runner, hoping a gag grouper might bite it. Instead, a huge goliath hit it, and stripped the gears off my reel as well as the skin off my thumb! We surrendered to the goliaths, and moved to another reef closer in, where we had steady action with Spanish mackerel. We released twenty of those. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 204
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 11:40 am: | |
Sorry--that picture won't post! |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 203
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 11:39 am: | |
Monday, 3/12, I fished with Jon and Rebecca Marty and Rebecca’s parents, Larry and Diane, in 45-48 feet northwest of New Pass. We caught plenty of good eating fish for the group, using live shrimp to lure keeper sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, grunts and porgies.
Tuesday, I fished some different spots with Louis Wolfe and friends, in about 30 feet, off Wiggins Pass. There were loads of small bait fish and blue runners everywhere, and I was hoping they might be predicting the arrival of the king mackerel, but no such luck yet. We did catch a dozen Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, sheepshead and grunts, and we released small gags.
I fished a windy Wednesday morning with Ralph and Kristen Daby, in Estero Bay, around Big Carlos Pass. We kept five pretty nice sheepshead to 15 inches and a mangrove snapper, and released lots of smaller ones. We also caught keeper Spanish mackerel in the pass, all on live shrimp.
Seas started building on Thursday, in advance of a cold front approaching. Brothers Bob and Eric Erickson and their dad, Kent, had planned to fish a full-day, but we took the first wave over the bow by noon, and decided we’d head in about 12:30. We did well with keeper sheepshead—a dozen of those to 20 inches, along with Spanish mackerel to 245 inches. We released smaller sheepshead and triggerfish, in 38 feet, off of Sanibel.
It was a good day for bay fishing Friday. The rains predicted never arrived here—they seemed to hit mostly south of us. In fact, the weather front brought higher than normal tides in the bay, which worked in our behalf. I loaded up on live shrimp, and headed out for a morning of fishing with Joe Goodall and his six year old son, Alex, Dave Bixby and Charlie Cinader. We fished up toward New Pass, and caught a bunch of nice sheepshead, keeping eleven of those to 15 inches. We also got a keeper redfish at 18 ½ inches, and released a 22 inch snook, along with the rest of the sheepshead.
The weather front doesn’t look like it will pay off so well for my anglers planning to fish offshore Saturday. With high winds and seas, and small craft advisories, we will likely have to cancel that trip.
The photo shown is of angler Kathy Yatteau, with a 17 inch sheepshead, caught on live shrimp, on a recent offshore trip.
<img> |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 202
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2007 - 9:58 am: | |
Monday morning, 3/5, was chilly and windy, with rough seas offshore. Low tide in the bay made for less than ideal conditions, but my father-son angling team, Bill & Mike Evans decided to give it a go. We fished anywhere we found water deep enough in Estero Bay, up toward New Pass. We did okay, considering conditions, with four keeper sheepshead all around 14 inches, a keeper mangrove snapper, and two whitings. We released lots of ladyfish.
Tuesday, the seas were still pretty rough early, but they calmed down quite a bit by mid-morning. I fished in 35 feet off Sanibel with Gary and Kathy Yatteau, and daughters Eileen Yatteau and Laurie Grieco on a catch and release trip that provided fun with eight sheepshead to 17 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches.
Jim Chisholm and friends wanted some eating fish, and they got a cooler full of sheepshead to 17 inches, mangrove snapper, porgies and Spanish mackerel. We released lots of red and gag grouper also, in 35-47 feet off Sanibel, fishing with live shrimp.
Thursday, Jerry and Barb Rudan fished with me on a catch and release trip in 35 feet off Sanibel. We released sheepshead to 18 inches, mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel. Seas were calm, the weather was perfect, and the action was steady.
A cooler full of sheepshead made my anglers happy on Friday. Bill Story, Leonard White, and friends Merv, Hank and Mike caught a total of twenty of those, and kept fifteen of them to 20 inches. We also caught Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, all on live shrimp, in 35-40 feet off Sanibel.
Saturday, Carol Younkins took her young sons, Andy and Mark, fishing with me. I went after more sheepshead, since I knew they were a sure bet, and would be fun for the boys to catch. We got seven of those to 18 inches, fishing with live shrimp in 30 feet off Sanibel. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 201
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 9:01 am: | |
Large sheepshead were definitely the catch du jour on Monday when I fished with Leon Dargis and Bob Rose, in 30 feet off Sanibel. We caught a total of twenty five, and kept the biggest five, which ranged from 17 to 21 inches. We had fun with those until the goliath grouper moved in to eat all the fish. Heading back in, we had heavy for with zero visibility—glad I have radar!
The fog was still thick Tuesday morning, when I set out after more sheepshead for Mike & Lee Connealy and friend, Dick. We fished hard bottom in 40 feet off Sanibel with live shrimp, and caught a total of twenty sheepshead, releasing all but seven of the largest, to 22 inches. We also released mangrove shorts and a four foot goliath grouper we had fun wrestling for a while. The water was so clear, we could spot the goliath on the bottom, so we decided to throw a bait out for him, and he obliged.
The sheepshead bite was strong again on Wednesday, fishing in 38 feet off Sanibel with Brad Clemons and his girlfriend, Amanda McCrackin. We again caught a total of about twenty-five, and kept seven of the largest, which ranged from 18 to 22 inches. Amanda caught the 22 incher, which was her first fish ever! (see photo). We released red grouper shorts, mangrove snapper and triggerfish.
Thursday, seas started off pretty calm, when I fished in 35 feet off Sanibel with Ron Musick and friends Alan, Dick and Hank. By noon, it started getting pretty sloppy out there, with winds picking up to 20 knots and seas building to above three feet, so we headed in about 12:30. By that time, we had had plenty of fun catching and a keeper snapper and twenty six sheepshead to 18 inches. We released half of them, along with triggerfish.
The seas that started building on Thursday continued to increase into Friday morning, and with small craft advisories issued for Friday, I cancelled my offshore trip. Conditions were less than favorable in the bay, with low tide and gusty winds, so we decided against backwater fishing too.
Saturday was another one of those days between two weather fronts. The morning might have been calm enough to fish the reefs, but my anglers were a bit squeamish, with 2-4 foot seas predicted and fears of sea-sickness, so they decided to pass.
<img src="http://fishbustercharters.com/images/AmandaMcCrackin-22in-sheepie.JPG |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 200
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 - 10:04 am: | |
Last weekend’s chill persisted into Monday, 2/19. With temperatures in the thirties, and dead low tide in Estero Bay, I advised my scheduled bay anglers to bag their trip that day.
Tuesday, the seas finally calmed enough to allow an offshore excursion. I fished southwest of Sanibel in 33 feet with Lee Larsons, Bud Ganzer and Bob Wilkin. We caught ten keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, along with keeper lane snapper. But, the most exciting part of our day was when Lee hooked a black drum that weighed over 30 pounds—He fought that fish for about twenty minutes--no easy fight, but in the end, Lee won (see photo).
Wednesday, I fished Estero Bay, north of New Pass, with Keith Schlosser, his son Kyle, and Kyle's friend Alex Harris. We used live shrimp to catch a keeper trout and five keeper sheepshead, and released some smaller sheepshead and lots of ladyfish.
Fishing Thursday with Ron Musick and friends Dick, Larry, Andy and Bob, we had nice calm seas of 1-2 feet in the morning, but those seas increased to 3-4 feet by afternoon, and we had a rough ride back in. We did well, though, fishing in 36 feet southwest of Sanibel, where we caught twenty-nine nice mangrove snapper to 17 inches, and released gag and red grouper shorts, porgies, grunts, and smaller mangs.
There were rough seas again fishing Friday morning with Ed and Margie Bock, even though the seas were forecast to be only two-three feet. We had a stiff wind blowing all morning, but we hung in there and caught keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches and keeper lane snapper. We released grouper shorts, porgies and grunts.
Saturday Dr. Boyd Bowden, daughter Emily and friend Ron decided to head offshore with me, despite some rough conditions. There were 3-4 foot seas early, so we decided to stick close-in and fish at the reefs off Bonita Beach. We did well with sheepshead, boating seven nice ones, three of which were all around 20 inches. We also got a few keeper mangrove snapper and a whiting. Seas calmed later in the morning, but will be kicking up again tomorrow as another weather front comes through. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 199
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 10:24 am: | |
There was a rainy start to the new week in advance of the next cold front, and I had to cancel my fishing plans for Monday, 2/12. Tuesday, the sun reappeared, but with seas still high offshore, I fished Estero Bay, toward Wiggins Pass, with Scott Towmley, his girlfriend Chris, his uncle Mike, and friend Luke Rogers. We caught and released keeper sized mangrove snapper, along with sheepshead, ladyfish, a 20 inch snook and a 17 ½ inch redfish.
I fished central Estero Bay, toward New Pass, on Wednesday with Joe Martorano and his father, Andy. We did well with sheepshead on live shrimp, catching six of those to 15 inches, along with a keeper mangrove snapper. We released a couple of undersized trout and some ladyfish.
Thursday, Jim Kennedy, son Pat, and friend Earl fished Estero Bay with me, above New Pass. We were expecting a couple of light showers early, based upon predictions, but we ended up getting a pretty steady light rain most of the morning. We put on our rain ponchos, and caught an 18 inch bluefish, and some keeper sheepshead to 15 inches. We released a trout just short of legal size, along with some ladyfish.
Jim and Pat Kennedy fished with me again Friday morning, along with friend Ralph. We fished the bay, toward New Pass, trying to stay as sheltered as possible from a brisk northeast wind. We caught a keeper sheepshead at 15 inches, and seven keeper whiting.
Saturday was a day between weather fronts--still not calm from the front that came through, and starting to build seas again in advance of the next one. Offshore didn't look like it would be too pleasant or productive, and with the bay looking mighty dry, I cancelled my Saturday trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 198
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 10:11 am: | |
After the rain, winds and chill of Monday, Tuesday morning offered my first opportunity to go fishing. I fished the oyster bars of Estero Bay with Bill Gardner and his sons Jamie and Brian. The tide was low, and it was still windy and cool early in the morning, with a slow bite early. The bite picked up toward mid-morning, when we caught three keeper sheepshead to 15 ½ inches, and a 16 ½ inch trout. We released some smaller sheepshead and three ladyfish.
Wednesday, the seas finally calmed enough to head offshore, but the fish weren’t as enthused about it as we were—there was a slow snapper bite in 40 feet out of New Pass, and Bob James and friend, Dick, were happy to get a single keeper mangrove snapper. But, they did also catch a keeper hogfish, and filled the rest of their dinner bags with whitebone porgies, porkfish and grunts. We also had fun catching and releasing plenty of gag grouper to 20 inches and red grouper to 19 inches.
I fished Estero Bay Thursday with Leeds Hutchinson, son Bill, and friend Gary Jorgenson. We did well fishing a wash channel (water running off a flat) close to Wiggins Pass, with live shrimp. We caught three trout 16 to 17 inches, four keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, and two keeper pompano.
Friday, fishing in 45 feet out of New Pass with the Bill Schroeder party, there was a very slow tide and light bite for a couple of hours. We ended up doing okay with snapper--fifteen keepers--and we released grouper shorts.
Fishing with Earl Meturfman and friends, Phil and Tom Saturday in Estero Bay, we caught a 16 inch trout and released sheepshead and ladyfish to 24 inches. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 197
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 10:57 am: | |
Monday, 1/29, another cold front that passed through the area kicked up seas offshore to 6-8 feet, and I had to cancel my offshore trip. By Tuesday, seas were calmer, although there was still a 3-4 foot swell out there early, when I headed out to 40 feet with Bill Story, Bernie Didoro, and friends Tom, Jim, Dave and Mike. Armed with plenty of live shrimp, we caught three limits of mangrove snapper to 17 inches and a keeper gag grouper at 26 inches. We released lots of gag and red grouper shorts, and snapper shorts. We also caught 14 inch whitebone porgies, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches.
Wednesday, I headed out about twenty miles out of new Pass with Jim McCarthy and friend, Dan. We had some pretty rough seas for a while, with 5-6 footers at times, but by about 2PM, seas had laid down to a calm 1-2 feet. We used live shrimp, and caught a dozen nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, lots of Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, porgies, whitings, gag grouper shorts, and a six pound bonito. We released all but the snapper.
Fishing Estero Bay was tough on Thursday when Lee Larsons, Bud Lancer, and friends Paul, Steve and John had to give up their offshore plans, due to small craft advisories in the Gulf. We did our best in windy, low tide conditions, and managed to catch a keeper snapper and sheepshead. We released a few smaller sheepshead. Winds got progressively higher all day, and advisories were extended to Friday. I cancelled my offshore trip for that day, and given conditions in the bay, I did not even offer backwater fishing as an option.
The photo shown is of angler Bernie Didoro, with a 26 inch gag grouper he caught offshore last Saturday, 1/30. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 196
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 13, 2007 - 10:06 am: | |
Saturday, 1/6, I fished in 38 feet out of New Pass with Dean Stanton and son, Dean, Jr. The bite was kind of slow, but we caught some keeper (14 inch) mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, porgies and triggerfish. We released grouper shorts to 18 inches. The water temperature was 74.5, which is pretty warm for this time of year. Usually, the water is colder this time of year, and brings the larger sheepshead and snapper in closer. On our way in, we ran through thousands of dead mullet about ten miles off Naples—not sure what might have caused that large of a kill.
I fished Monday at a wreck about 28 miles west of New Pass with Jim McCormick, his daughter Marin, and friend Dan Gilbert. We caught a nice variety of fish, but the snapper bite didn’t really heat up until late in the afternoon, which is when we caught most of the nice mangrove snapper. We got eight of those to 18 1/2 inches, and also got a pretty nice hogfish at 15 inches. We caught triggerfish and porgies too, and released a 12 pound amber jack, red grouper to 19 inches and gag grouper to 21 inches. We had our lines broken five times by goliath grouper, and there were loads of blue runners everywhere.
Late Monday night, the winds began blowing hard in advance of a cold front, and small craft advisories were issued, with 4-6 foot seas through Wednesday. These El Nino seasons are tough on fishing weather, and the recent successive cold fronts that have kicked up seas are not helping much either. After I canceled trips for Tuesday and Wednesday, on Thursday, even though low tide made conditions less than optimal in the bay, Bill Kaufman followed through with plans for himself and his thirteen year old son, Chris, to go fishing. With my best efforts directed toward having Chris catch anything, we managed to hook up with some sheepshead and ladyfish, all tossed back in, of course. The fun of catching was the most important thing to Chris. He got to spot a few porpoise jumping in the bay too.
Friday and Saturday, with seas offshore still three to five feet, I again cancelled my offshore trips, setting my sites on Monday, when it looks like it might be calm enough to get back offshore.
The photo shown is of angler Joel Gunther with a 17 inch flounder, caught on a recent near-shore trip to the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 195
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 05, 2007 - 10:57 am: | |
After some family time to bring in the new year, I headed offshore again on Tuesday, Fishing with brothers Mark and Tony Kapala in 35 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp, we encountered some four foot seas early in the day, but they calmed to two to three’s after a while. We caught seven keeper mangrove snapper to 15 12 inches, keeper sheepshead, Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, and whitebone porgies. We released gag and red grouper shorts.
Thursday, I fished with Dr. Boyd Bowden and friends, in 38 feet out of New Pass. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, a fourteen inch hogfish, Spanish mackerel, triggerfish and whitebone porgies, all on live shrimp. We released grouper shorts to 19 inches.
Friday, the winds were blowing again, but I fished the backwaters, so we didn’t have to deal with rough seas. John Windsor, his son, John Jr., and friend Mark fished down toward Wiggins with me with live shrimp, and we caught keeper mangrove snapper and released eight sheepshead.
The photo shown is of angler brothers Bob and Gale Taylor with a 24 inch gag grouper and a pair of hogfish, caught on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 194
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 30, 2006 - 8:58 am: | |
Tuesday after Christmas brought rain and high seas, and I had to cancel my offshore trip for that day. Wednesday was still rough offshore, but it was dry, and my anglers changed plans to fish in Estero Bay instead of the Gulf. Robert, Justin and Jeffrey Hooper fished with me around New Pass, where we caught a couple of keeper sheepshead to 15 ½ inches, and released smaller sheepshead, a 19 inch snook, and ladyfish. As often happens right after a cold front, the fishing was a bit slow, but we were fortunate to get some bites and to catch a couple of keepers.
Thursday, I headed offshore about eleven miles from New Pass and fished in 35 feet, with Craig Royal, son Dan, and two of Dan’s friends, Eric and Jeff. We caught keeper mangrove and lane snapper, porgies, grunts and triggerfish, and released short gag grouper.
Friday morning seas were a bit rough at first, although they calmed down pretty quickly. With a six year old angler on board, I decided the near-shore reefs and other near-shore spots would be the safest, best option. I fished in 35 feet with Harry Stephenson, son-in-law, mark Smith, and grandson Harry Smith. We used live shrimp to catch three limits of keeper mangrove snapper, all 13 to 15 ½ inches. We released a bunch more keeper size mangs. We also got keeper sheepshead and porgies, and we released gag grouper to 21 inches and red groupers to 18 inches. I think there might have been a few bigger ones out there, because lines were broken twice by something larger in the rougher waters early in the morning.
My trip on Saturday was a sight-seeing venture. Although it was strange not to wet a line, it might have been a good choice, with winds and seas on the increase most of the day. It was a perfect day for sight-seeing, and they enjoyed that, along with lunch at a waterfront restaurant.
The photo shown is of angler Larry Mosher, with a 35 pound goliath grouper he released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 193
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 8:23 am: | |
Monday, I fished a catch and release trip with the Snyder family—Dave and Rhonda, son Ryan, and daughter Lenay. We headed out with live shrimp to about 19 miles out of New Pass, where we fished in 35 feet. We caught a nice hogfish, keeper mangrove snapper all around 14 inches, keeper-sized sheepshead and triggerfish. We also released about thirty good sized whitebone porgies, along with lots of gag and red grouper shorts.
Mid week brought some windy, rough conditions to the area, and I headed back offshore for a few hours on Saturday with John, Greg, Andrew and Ethan Monk. We fished at the reefs and in 30 feet over structure, mostly for sheepshead, and we caught some nice ones to 17 inches, along with porgies and triggerfish.
Sunday and Monday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, are reserved for family time, so that’s it for this week—Happy holidays to all!
The photo shown is of angler Alex King, with a hogfish he caught on a live shrimp, on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 192
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 16, 2006 - 10:09 am: | |
After a blustery weekend, that caused me to cancel my offshore trips, I headed to the artificial reefs on Monday with John Maliszewski and friends, Phil, Russ, and Irv. Seas were decreased to 2-3 feet most of the day, although there was still a pretty stiff wind blowing. We caught keeper mangrove snapper and a half dozen nice triggerfish, and released short gag and red grouper.
Fishing Tuesday with Reiner Neumann and friends in 35 feet out of New Pass, we caught sheepshead, porkfish, grunts and triggerfish. The grouper we caught wasn’t keeper size, but at least we released larger ones than I have been seeing lately—gag grouper to 20 inches and red grouper to 17 inches.
Wednesday, I fished in 70 feet out of New Pass with Larry Mosher and friends, Dennis, Dave, Ronnie & Toby. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, porgies, and keeper sheepshead. One angler lost what looked like a keeper sized gag grouper when it snapped the line. And we fought a big bonito for about ten minutes, before it snapped the line. We released two goliath grouper, one weighing 35 pounds, and one at 175 pounds. We also released lots of red grouper, gag grouper and scamp grouper shorts. We caught everything on live shrimp and cut-bait, except for the goliaths, which bit blue runners.
Thursday morning, I awoke to the sound of rain, and though it was a light drizzle at that time, forecasters called for a 90% chance of rain, becoming more likely as the day progressed. With no trip scheduled for Friday, I offered that alternative to my anglers, brothers Robert and Gale Taylor, and we set our sites on a drier excursion Friday morning. That turned out well for us, fishing in 40 feet out of New Pass. We caught the first keeper-sized gag grouper I have seen in a while—a pretty nice 24 inch one. My anglers had their lines broken three times, probably by grouper that got down in the rocks. We also landed two nice hogfish, and six keeper mangrove snapper, all around 13-14 inches. We released short mangroves, gags and red grouper. Seas were calm, and with the cloud cover, it was a pleasant day offshore.
Saturday morning, it was raining early, but the radar looked as if it would fizzle to a drizzle and clear. I headed out of new Pass to 40 feet again, with John Iacuone, friend Mitch, and Mitch’s son, Alex. It ended up raining lightly most of the morning, but we stayed and fished. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, porgies, triggerfish, and a keeper hogfish. There weren’t any keeper grouper this time, but we released lots of gags to 20 inches and reds to 18 inches.
The photo shown is of anglers Terry and Antoinette Major, with sheepshead, caught on a recent inshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 191
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 08, 2006 - 10:44 am: | |
I fished on a very windy Monday, 12/4, in Estero Bay with John Hull and his dad, Bob. We fished several holes with live shrimp, and did pretty well with hook-ups and variety. We caught a keeper flounder, keeper pompano, three sand bream, two keeper redfish to 20 inches, and keeper sheepshead. We released short reds and ladyfish.
Art and Donna Johnson, Tom Satchall, and Tom’s mother, Mary Satchall fished in potholes and around the mangroves in lower Estero Bay with me on Tuesday. We caught six keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, along with some sand bream, and we released lots of smaller sheepshead.
Wednesday, I fished the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach with Jim Killips and Joel Gunther. We caught keeper sheepshead, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, and a 17 inch flounder, all on live shrimp.
Fishing in 40 feet out of New Pass Thursday with Carl Foust and friends Todd and Brenda, we caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts and porgies. We released a twenty pound goliath grouper, along with lots of short gag and red grouper.
Friday, a cold front moved through in the early morning hours, with winds of 25 knots or more and seas of 5-7 feet. Needless to say, I cancelled my offshore trip.
The photo shown is of angler Harry Stephenson, with a 17 inch triggerfish, caught on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 190
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 10:24 am: | |
Tuesday, I fished in Estero Bay with Pat Cahil, girlfriend Debbie Szymski, and Debbie’s uncle, Reno Bracci. We used live shrimp, fishing down toward Wiggins Pass, and caught three pompano and keeper sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead.
Saturday, I finally got a little way offshore for the first time since the winds started blowing a week ago. I fished in 35 feet out of New Pass with Scott and Tina Fandrich and Dr. Omar Benitez. We caught keeper mangrove and lane snapper, triggerfish and grunts, and released a small goliath grouper and fifteen bluefish.
The photo shown is of father and son anglers Barry & Matt Wampler, with a 40 inch shark, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 189
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 25, 2006 - 10:14 am: | |
Monday brought cold temperatures and high seas. My anglers bundled up and we fished the bay, since the 8-12 foot seas expected through mid week will keep everyone close to shore. Bill and Nancy Stephens fished with me on an incoming tide in Estero Bay, along the channel toward Wiggins Pass. Using live shrimp, we caught a keeper sheepshead, five keeper mangrove snapper, and almost had a nice trout about 16 inches long, but it got away before it was boated. We released a short redfish along with some smaller sheepshead.
Tuesday and Wednesday both were extremely cold and small craft advisories remained in effect, preventing offshore trips. Although a few of my anglers would have braved the cold to fish bayside, low tides in Estero Bay made for less than ideal fishing conditions, and after advising them about those conditions, they opted to wait for a better time. Thursday, I sacrificed fishing in favor of turkey with my family, and I returned to a calmer Gulf on Friday, when I fished with Jim Holmes and his sons, Josh and Jeff. We had planned a full day offshore, but with the wind still pretty stiff, decided that conditions might still be too rough in the Gulf, so we opted to fish Estero Bay until the tide died, and got the best part of the day in, fishing oyster bars and holes up toward Wiggins Pass. We caught a keeper redfish at 20 inches, and released two shorter ones, a keeper 14 inch mangrove snapper, and a keeper 14 inch sheepshead. We released a lot of small sheepshead.
Saturday, Bill & Terry Major, their son Bill and his wife Antoinette fished Estero Bay with me on a windy morning with a low tide. Despite less than ideal conditions, the group had a lot of fun and a lot of bites on live shrimp. We caught two keeper sheepshead, 14-15 inches, and a keeper mangrove snapper. We released lots of smaller sheepshead.
The photo shown is of angler Tina Fandrich, with a 21 inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 188
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 18, 2006 - 12:40 pm: | |
More winds, seas, and rain came our way this week, with rough conditions offshore most of the week, and some pretty low tides in Estero Bay. I finally got one of my postponed offshore trips out on Saturday Even then, the predicted 2-3 foot seas were actually 3-5 foot seas most of the day. I fished with father and son anglers James and Jonathan Ozark, in 35 feet out of New Pass. We caught lots of Spanish mackerel, and kept twenty of those in the 24-25 inch range. We also caught eight keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, triggerfish to 14 inches, and porkfish. We released hundreds of ladyfish. We caught most everything on live shrimp, but one of the mangrove snapper we reeled in spit up a ten inch eel, which we then used as bait, and caught three additional keeper snapper on that one eel!
With the holiday this week, the fishing schedule is full with folks hoping to make fishing a part of their Thanksgiving celebrations. Unfortunately, Mother Nature might have other ideas, with another strong cold-front predicted early in the week. But, we’ll hope for the best, and get out when we can.
The photo shown is of anglers Bob & Rita Grant, with a pair of hogfish, caught on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 187
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 11:18 am: | |
Winds and seas got in the way of a few fishing excursions the week before last, but I managed to get offshore once. I took Wendy Woodall and Bob Baker on a combined sight-seeing and catch-and-release fishing trip lat1 Thursday. At the reefs off Bonita beach, we released triggerfish, mangrove snapper and a couple of small goliath groupers, all on live shrimp.
The winds blew hard all weekend, and subsided only slightly on Monday. Harry Stephenson and son, Mark, braved the 20 knot wind and seas of 3-4 feet to fish the reefs off Bonita Beach with me on Monday. We caught keeper lane snapper and triggerfish, and released three small goliath grouper, a 23 inch Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, and hundreds of baby gag grouper, fishing with live shrimp.
Tuesday brought rain and another windy front that kicked up seas for a few more days. I finally got back offshore on Friday, with Bruce Fields, son Jeff Fields, and friend Charlie Jones. We fished in 40 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp. We almost caught a keeper red grouper, as we released them to 19 inches. I hope that is a good sign for upcoming grouper fishing. We also caught Spanish mackerel to 23 inches, keeper lane snapper, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, porkfish, and whitebone porgies. We released a small goliath grouper.
Saturday, I fished Estero Bay on a catch-and-release trip with Tom Kovacs and friend, Mark. We fished potholes and oyster bars from Wiggins Pass to New Pass, on an outgoing tide, with live shrimp and artificials. The shrimp out-performed the artificials, and we released small redfish, snook, sand bream, mangrove snapper, and sheepshead.
The photo shown is of anglers Jay and Charlie Bridges, with a pair of 23 inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 186
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 9:52 am: | |
I fished offshore Monday, just ahead of the weather front that was approaching our area. Seas were still fairly calm, at 2-3 feet, but the front line was encroaching, and predictions were for seas to build rapidly Monday afternoon, with 6-8 foot expected late Monday and into Tuesday. Rita Grant and friends headed out to about 40 feet with me, where we caught two keeper hogfish, a few keeper mangrove and lane snapper, and Spanish mackerel to 20 inches. We released two 3-4 foot sharks, yellowtail shorts, triggerfish, and grunts.
Tuesday was too rough to fish anywhere, so I stayed in port, hoping seas would calm down quickly so I could get back out on Wednesday. Wednesday, seas were predicted to be two feet or less, although I knew the chances of it being that calm were slim, after the winds of the prior 24 hours. Rich Ogin and friends fished the near shore reefs with me in 3-4 foot seas. We caught a half dozen keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and triggerfish, and we released gag grouper shorts and a short mutton snapper. We had our lines broken twice by goliath groupers.
Fishing Thursday in 38 to 40 feet out of New Pass was still pretty rough in the morning, but calmed down a bit later. I fished with Chester Yanik and Jim Basara, and we caught keeper yellowtail; snapper, a keeper scamp grouper, a 15 inch hogfish, porkfish and whitebone porgies. We released lots of 10” and 11” mangrove snapper and short triggerfish.
The photo shown is anglers Bob & Mike Twiss, Brian Wilson, and Dan True, with their catches of yellowtail snapper, from a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 185
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 21, 2006 - 10:09 am: | |
I headed offshore Thursday with Chuck and Sheila Peterson and teenage sons, C.J. and Andy. We fished with live shrimp in about 40 feet out of New Pass. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches, lane snapper to 12 inches, Spanish mackerel to 20 inches, along with triggerfish, porkfish and porgies. We released red grouper shorts. The Petersons will be back in March, and hoping for some king mackerel action then.
Saturday, Dan Wampler, his son Barry, and his eight year old grandson, Matt fished with me. We headed out to about 40 feet, to a spot that had been good for yellowtail last week. Using live shrimp, we caught sixteen keeper snapper—thirteen mangroves to 15 inches, two yellowtail 15 and 16 inches, and one 12 inch lane. We released a 40 inch shark, which was quite a treat for Matt to help catch, and triggerfish.
The photo shown is of angler Mike Twiss, with a 4 foot bull shark, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 184
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2006 - 9:59 am: | |
Terry Mooney and friends fished with me Wednesday, in about 40 feet out of New Pass, using live shrimp. We caught five nice yellowtail snapper, four keeper lane snapper, several 25 inch Spanish mackerel, and some whitebone and jolthead porgies. We released everything except the snapper.
Friday, I had a good morning offshore with Brian Wilson, Bob Twiss, Mike Twiss, and Dan True. We headed out of New Pass to about 40 feet, with a bait well full of live shrimp. We caught ten nice yellowtail, all between 14 and 16 inches, and we released two shorts. We also caught two keeper lane snapper, a 12 inch and a 14 inch. We released porgies, Spanish mackerel to 27 inches, and two bull sharks, one 40 inches and one 4 foot. We were broken off a couple times by something big, which might have been another shark—All in all, it was a pretty busy and exciting morning.
Saturday I spent a very windy morning on Estero Bay with father and son anglers Paul & Stephen Eckstrom. We fished with live shrimp, along the channels, sheltered from the wind as much as possible. We caught five keeper sheepshead, all around 14 inches, two sand bream and a keeper mangrove snapper. We released a 17 inch snook and a 17 inch redfish.
The photo shown is of angler Larry Kavulich, with a 50 pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 183
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 9:58 am: | |
I fished the backwaters in Estero Bay Saturday, with Jay Bridges and his dad, Charlie Bridges. We fished the tree lines toward Wiggins Pass, on an outgoing tide, using live shrimp. We caught our limit of redfish, two at 23 inches each, and released two others that were just short of keeper size. We also released a bunch of sheepshead at 11 to 11 ½ inches, just short of their 12 inch legal size.
The photo shown is of angler Jerry Shafren, with a 20 inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 182
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 30, 2006 - 10:37 am: | |
After a couple of slow weeks, I finally got back offshore fishing on Saturday, with Scott Fandrich, brother Shon Fandrich, and friends Bill Fisher, Lonnie Stuber, and Mark Tullin. We fished with live shrimp, about 20 miles out of New Pass, and caught a good variety of fish, including keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish, porgies, and Spanish mackerel to 25 inches. We released red grouper and mutton snapper shorts.
The photo shown is of angler Graham Connor, with a 5 pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 181
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 10:14 am: | |
Monday, I fished Estero Bay with Bob Green and Ben Edgell. We started out fishing tree lines and oyster bars on a higher tide, and released a 17 inch redfish, small sheepshead, and snapper. We spotted baby tarpon, but they weren’t biting. When the tide got low, we headed out the channel toward Wiggins Pass, and fished with live shrimp, wherever it was deep enough. We caught a keeper redfish at 19 ½ inches, and a sand bream.
Dave & Beth Pfent, and friend Adam Altice, fished offshore with me on Tuesday, in spots ranging from 37 to 47 feet, out of New Pass. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper Spanish mackerel, and released ½ of a bonito, which was bitten by a barracuda on the way up to the boat. We also released mangrove snapper to 11 ½ inches, along with gag and red grouper shorts and white-bone porgies.
James Whitlatch and son, James Jr., fished with me Wednesday. We were hoping to target permit, and goliaths, but seas were pretty rough all day, and in four footers, we never made it out to one of my best permit spots. We fished at various spots ranging from 20 miles west of New Pass to near shore at the artificial reefs, using live shrimp, pinfish and tomtates. We did catch and release one goliath grouper that was over 200 pounds, and a 4 foot nurse shark. We also caught keeper Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, porgies, and triggerfish. We released hundreds of blue runners, pin fish and small lane snapper.
Saturday, I fished the backwaters with Scott & Tina Fandrich and their friend, Dr. Meir Daller. We had a pretty productive morning, landing two keeper redfish at 20 inches and 21 inches, two 14 inch sheepshead, two keeper mangrove snapper (12 inches and 13 inches), and a sand bream, all caught on live shrimp.
The photo shown is of anglers Kevin Ackerman, Joe & Jeff, with some Spanish mackerel, caught on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 180
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 10:37 am: | |
After a pretty soggy Labor Day weekend, I headed offshore Tuesday with Larry Kavulich and friend, Bruce. There was still plenty of rain around, but we managed to skirt most of it, and seas were tolerable at about 3 foot. We used live shrimp and cut pinfish for bait, along with some blue runners for goliath bait, fishing in 40 feet out of New Pass. We released one goliath grouper that was just shy of 50 pounds, and had three more goliaths break lines when they got in the wreck we were fishing. We also caught mangrove snapper to 15 inches, and triggerfish to 14 inches. Tuesday was the only day this week I fished, and the month of September is usually the slowest month of all for charters, so I will report them as they trickle in. Pretty soon, season will be upon us, and we will be struggling to accommodate all the folks who want to fish!
The photo shown is of a 38 inch cobia, caught by angler Mark Kusterer last Saturday on an offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 179
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 02, 2006 - 10:19 am: | |
I fished with brothers Vinny and Bernie Avallone and families, over live bottom, in 40 feet out of New Pass on Monday. We had live shrimp and cut bait, but the fish were only interested in the shrimp. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel, along with twenty-three keeper snapper—mangroves and lanes—and triggerfish to 13 inches.
Tuesday, Jerry Shafran and I fished the tree lines in Estero Bay, along the channel close to Wiggins Pass. We caught a 20 inch redfish, a 13 inch sheepshead, and a keeper mangrove snapper.
Ernesto was the only one out on the water on Wednesday, and he pretty well messed up the fishing for Thursday too, with heavy rains in the morning, and unstable, windy conditions in the Gulf. On Friday, I headed out, ignoring my own instincts, and listening to the NOAA and local weather forecasters call for 2-3 foot seas. We took two four foot waves over the bow, before even getting out of the pass, and also encountered some rain. We about-faced, and decided to wait for a better day. Seasoned anglers know that the gulf doesn’t calm down that quickly after a storm passes through, but sometimes optimism gets in the way!
Saturday, I was hoping the storms would hold off a while, when I headed out of New Pass with Mark Kusterer. We were targeting permit and cobia, about 30 miles out, with live shrimp and crabs in the bait well. We landed a 38 inch cobia, which put up a nice fight for Mark. We also caught some nice mangrove snapper to 15 inches. When the big black clouds started surrounding us, we were hoping the storm might blow over, but no such luck. Since it looked pretty ominous, we made a decision to outrun the storm, and come in.
The photo shown is of angler Greg Bedell, with a 24 pound permit, caught a couple of weeks ago on an offshore trip, with a live crab for bait.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 178
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 8:08 am: | |
Uli and Uta Scheider fished with me Monday, in 40 feet out of New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, and keeper yellowtail snapper. We released some yellowtail and mangrove shorts, along with porkfish and lots of blue runners.
Dave Schultz and friend, Jack, fished a catch and release trip with me on Wednesday, which was good for Spanish mackerel to 28 inches, lane snapper, triggerfish, grunts, and mangrove snapper. We also released a 4’ bull shark--I tried to get a photo of that one, but I got too close to being bitten to pull it off!
Bill Digmon and daughter, Jessica, fished in 35 feet off New Pass with me on Thursday, and we caught keeper Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, lane snapper to 12 inches, and triggerfish. We released some big ladyfish.
The photo shown is of angler Gregg Bedell, with a 49 inch, 28 pound cobia, caught on a recent Fishbuster Charter offshore about 40 miles from New Pass.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 177
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 9:14 am: | |
I fished Wednesday in 30 feet out of New Pass, around the reefs, with Joe Soboloski and his three sons. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper, lane snapper, and Spanish mackerel. We released the mackerel, along with triggerfish, gag grouper shorts, and ladyfish. The boys kept the snapper for dinner.
Robert Duhlberg and his eight year old son, Daniel, fished the east side of Estero Bay with me on Thursday, where we released sheepshead, cravalle jacks, sand bream, and black drum.
The photo shown is of angler Virginia Stafford, with a 20 inch redfish, caught recently in Estero Bay, on a live shrimp.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 176
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 11:33 am: | |
Roger Meir and fifteen year old son, Phillip, from Switzerland, fished with me Monday at the reefs off Bonita Beach. We used live shrimp to catch Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, along with keeper mangrove and lane snapper.
Tuesday, in 36 feet out of New Pass with John, Matthew and Timmy Duritsh, Ryan Gabbard, and Ben Smalley, we caught a nice variety of fish, including twenty keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, two keeper yellowtail snapper, two hogfish, Spanish mackerel, and a 10 pound little tunny.
I returned to the reefs Wednesday, on a catch-and-release trip with Pat Fitzgerald and his two young sons, Jimmy and Tommy. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper-sized mangrove snapper, lane snapper (some nice ones to 14 inches), Spanish mackerel, triggerfish, porkfish, filefish, and pompano. We released all those, along with a five pound goliath grouper, red grouper shorts, ladyfish, and small yellowtail snapper.
Thursday, Greg Bedell and I ventured out 40 miles northwest from New Pass, stocked with live shrimp, squid, and crabs for bait. We caught three permit on crabs, and released the smallest of the three, in compliance with bag limits. We kept the 26 pounder (photo shown), and the 24 pounder, and released the 15 pound permit. We also got a 28 pound, 49 inch cobia. We saw a half dozen more cobia, and had a big one almost spool us, before it broke off. We also caught keeper lane snapper and mangrove snapper on shrimp and squid—all in all, a very productive day offshore.
I ran the wrecks on a catch-and-release trip with Jim Pike Friday. We spotted a couple schools of permit, and had one hooked for a bit, but he scrubbed the wreck and broke the line. We released a 4 foot lemon shark and keeper-sized mangrove snapper, fishing with live shrimp and crabs.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 175
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 05, 2006 - 9:52 am: | |
Fishbuster Charters’ Captain Dave Hanson reported, “Graham Connor and fifteen year old son, Brenden, fished with me in 35 feet out of New Pass on Thursday. Using live shrimp, we caught lots of Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, and keeper mangrove and lane snapper. We released kingfish, all short of the 24 inch minimum, along with ladyfish and cravalle jack.
We caught four moon fish (also known as “look-downs”), and kept two of those, along with keeper mangrove and lane snapper, and Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, when Tom Coleman and friends, Don and Russ, fished with me Saturday. We also released a 4 pound goliath grouper and short red grouper.
The photo shown is of angler Tom Budzynski, with a 50 + pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 173
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 11:38 am: | |
Virginia Stafford, her sister Carol, and her grandsons Mac and William, fished Monday with me in Estero Bay, toward Wiggins Pass. We used live shrimp to catch a 20 inch redfish and keeper sheepshead and sand bream. We released a cravalle jack.
Friday, Kevin Bordwell and son, Ben, fished with me in 35 feet out of New Pass, where we caught a mess of Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, keeping a half dozen of those, along with a few lane snapper. We released small mangrove snapper, triggerfish and ladyfish.
The photo attached is of young angler, Michelle Sokol, with one of the Spanish mackerel she caught on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 172
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 10:34 am: | |
I fished Monday with John Maliszewski and friend, Joe, in 30 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp and dead shiners, free-lining for Spanish mackerel, and we caught thirty keeper sized, but released all but six. We also released small mangrove snapper, small kingfish, and a 3 ½ foot lemon shark.
Fishing with Wayne Mares and friends Tuesday, in 35 feet out of New Pass, we caught ten keeper mangrove snapper, and kept 11 of 25 keeper sized Spanish mackerel we caught on live shrimp. We released triggerfish, and had our lines broken twice by a couple of big fish.
Wednesday, I again fished in 35 feet out of New Pass, this time with Debra Johnson, her brother Mike Griffith, and his son, Michael. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel. We kept ten mackerel for the family, and released a bunch more, along with triggerfish and short kingfish. The kings lately, close in, have only been running about 20 inches.
Robert and Noel Jacobusse didn’t mind fishing Estero Bay in a light rain Saturday morning, but once the thunder and lightening started threatening us, it was no longer safe to be on the water. We cut the trip short, after releasing sheepshead, and the two will hope for better conditions next time they visit.
The photo shown is of Cap’t. Dave with angler Ellie Shihaweh, and a 38 inch lemon shark, released on a recent offshore trip.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 171
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 10:33 am: | |
I headed out about 65 miles with Gregg Bedell on his boat Monday, to fish the Stoney Point wreck. We used squid, sardines, and shiners, and it was a pretty exciting day out there. We caught a fifteen pound African pompano, a seven pound mutton snapper, and a two foot rainbow runner. We kept a dozen vermillion snapper, and six lane snapper, releasing numerous others. When the mutton snapper hit our bait, a big barracuda bit the mutton’s tail. I grabbed the landing net to capture the mutton, and in doing so, I hit the cuda, which let go of the snapper. A huge amberjack, about 4 foot long and about 60 pounds, swam straight into the net after the mutton. I wrestled with the amberjack, but he broke right through the bottom of the net, and swam off. Without the cudas there, it could have been an even more productive trip, but it was definitely fun and exciting. We ended up with about half of an African pompano, our portion weighing 6 pounds, and all but the tail of a mutton snapper, which weighed over 4 pounds (see photo).
Sue Tacktill and son, Jim Hovanec, would have been game for offshore fishing Wednesday, had it not been for the band of rain offshore that threatened us with lightening and stormy conditions. We opted for fishing Estero Bay, but red tide conditions made for tough fishing there also. I netted some shiners twice, but each time, they died immediately after being placed in the live well. We fished at various spots in the bay, including behind Ft. Myers Beach, where we saw lots of dead fish. We had fun anyway, and released small snook, mangrove snapper to 10 inches, black drum, and a stingray.
With rough, rainy weather offshore again on Thursday, Walt Abbott and son Matthew decided to fish the bay with me. We headed a different direction, away from where I encountered the lingering red tide the day before. It rained most of the morning, but without lightening and storm conditions, we were able to stay out. We spotted numerous tarpon, but they weren’t biting, so we ended up releasing small snook, and calling it a day.
Friday, I fished with Bob Rogers and Jeff Slavacorn, in 30-45 feet out of New Pass, with live shrimp and shiners. We were harassed by the dolphin, so we had to move around a bit, but we caught a nice variety of keeper mangrove snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish, and Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, and we released a 40 inch lemon shark and a 5 pound goliath grouper. We were broken off four times by some bigger fish, but never got to see what they were.
Kevin Ackerman and friends Joe and Jeff, fished with me Saturday in 30 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch a dozen keeper Spanish mackerel and half a dozen keeper mangrove snapper. We released a 30 pound goliath grouper, small kingfish and triggerfish.
 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 170
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 11:50 am: | |
Fishing in 45 feet out of New Pass Monday with the Patrick Smith party, we used live shrimp and shiners to catch keeper mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel to 28 inches. We released a small hogfish, triggerfish, and gouper shorts, along with a 24 inch bonito and a four foot nurse shark.
Wednesday, fishing with me in 35 feet out of New Pass, using live shrimp, Don Hudson, daughter Ciarra, and her friend, Ann Cooper caught eight keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches. The big catch of the day was a 41 inch king mackerel, which was the first I had seen in several weeks (shown in photo).
The Jerry Sterret party dodged most of the morning rains with me on Friday, but we did come back in during a downpour. We fished with live shrimp and a few shiners, in 30 feet out of New Pass. We caught fourteen mangrove snapper to 14 inches, Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, and released a few small kings to 17 inches, two small goliath grouper, triggerfish, and gag and red grouper shorts.
 |
|
