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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 169
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 30, 2006 - 11:35 am: | |
I fished with live shrimp and cut-bait in 35 feet out of New Pass Tuesday with Mike Sokol, wife Ann, and the Sokol children, Michelle, Michael, Phillip and Brian. We caught Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, grunts, and released lots of blue runners. The kids had three big fish run away, and those were likely bigger mackerel or small sharks. It has been pretty slow here lately, with a lot of rain, and with a lot of folks that might have changed family travel plans, given the price of gas. Next week is looking a bit busier, so I am hoping for some good weather and good action.
The photo shown is of angler Tom Budzynski, with a 50 + pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 168
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 10:38 am: | |
After a few weeks hiatus, I fished Estero Bay Friday with Steve Ross and father-in-law, Jack. We caught some live shiners, and used those for bait, along with live shrimp. We fished toward Wiggins pass, along tree lines and oyster bars, and released small black drum, mangrove snapper, whiting and sheepshead.
Saturday, fishing in 45 feet out of New Pass, on a catch and release trip with Chris Van Dyke, Bill Metscher, and Matt, Ellie, Steve, and Travis Shihaweh, we used live shrimp and cut-bait to catch red grouper, triggerfish, and mangrove snapper. The bottlenose dolphin also put on quite a show for the group.
The photo shown is of angler Kevin Connelly, with a 21 inch gag grouper, released in Estero Bay on a recent backwater trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 167
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 02, 2006 - 6:11 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay Wednesday with Frank Tota, Frank Witt, and friends, Joe and Jim. Strange as it might sound, we caught and released a seventeen inch bonefish. I have never seen, much less caught, a bonefish in this area, and I believed them to be a Keys/Caribbean fish. We caught this one on a live shrimp, on an oyster bar in the middle of the bay. Using shrimp, we also caught two keeper sheepshead and two keeper mangrove snapper, as well as one redfish. We lost two other nice reds, when they ran around the back side of the trees, and cut our lines. We also released a 17 inch snook.
Thursday, fishing with Arnie Roberts and son, Bill Roberts, in 35 feet out of New Pass, around rocky bottom, we used liver shrimp and pinfish to catch Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, triggerfish to 14 inches, and yellowtail snapper to 15 inches. We released two small goliath groupers.
The photo shown is of a 50 + lb. goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 166
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 12:58 pm: | |
Monday, I fished with live shrimp in 40 feet, 19 miles out of New Pass, with Ernie and Tim Moffet. We caught four keeper yellowtail snapper, and released three smaller ones. We also caught porgies, triggerfish, mangrove snapper, a small hogfish, a flounder, and lots of gag shorts, which were fun to catch and release. We used a blue runner to catch and release a 50 pound goliath grouper.
Charles and Frances Goehle and their two grown children fished Estero Bay with me Tuesday, using live shrimp. Fishing under trees, around oyster bars, and pot holes, we caught six redfish, one of which was slot size. We also caught three keeper mangrove snapper, and released three large stingrays and cravalle jack.
Tom Budzynski and family fished in 40 feet out of New Pass with me on Saturday. We released a 50+ pound goliath grouper, and had our lines broken four times by larger goliaths. We also caught a 30 inch king mackerel, triggerfish to 14 inches, and released snapper and red grouper shorts. We used live shrimp for all but the goliaths, and hooked those on blue runners.
* The photo shown is of a 5 pound cravalle jack, released in Estero Bay on a recent backwater trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 165
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:09 am: | |
Monday, I fished the west wall of Estero Bay with brothers Tom and Kevin Connolly. We used shiners to catch three redfish, two of which were keepers, and an 18 inch trout. We released a 21 inch gag grouper and a cravalle jack.
After a couple of rainy, windy days, I fished Estero Bay again on Thursday, with Sally Faust and friends, Todd and Brenda. We used live shrimp to catch and release two redfish, mangrove snapper, and cravalle jacks.
Saturday, fishing Estero Bay was kind of slow, but J.R. Gardner caught and released mangrove snapper and cravalle jacks, fishing with live shrimp around the tree lines and oyster bars.
*The photo shown is of a 23 inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 164
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 4:15 am: | |
I fished Monday in 35 feet out of New Pass with father and son Dan and Eric Harper. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper Spanish mackerel, a nice yellowtail snapper, keeper triggerfish, grunts and porkfish.
Daniel McAuliffe fished with me Tuesday morning at MAY Reef. We were chased in by a brief lightening storm about 11AM, but we caught plenty of fish before then. We caught ten keeper lane snapper, but released all but two for Dan's dinner. We also released keeper-sized triggerfish and about fifteen two-pound cravalle jacks, all on live shrimp.
Chris and Jaclyn Agee fished the west wall of Estero Bay with me on Thursday. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches, and a few keeper sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead and small black drum.
With a family reunion planned for the weekend, I am off the water until Monday.
*The photo attached is a close-up of a 200 + lb. goliath grouper, caught offshore on a recent trip. It took all my energy to haul this one to the surface…Check out his size, relative to the size of my hand.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 163
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 10:03 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay with Terry Major and friends Monday. Fishing the points on the west side of the bay, behind the Hyatt, we released one snook and nine mangrove snapper, all caught on live shrimp.
Wednesday, I again fished Estero Bay, along the tree lines. Michael Scipione and Christina Rodriguez caught and released a four pound cravalle jack, a 13 inch black drum, and mangrove snapper, using live shrimp.
Friday, fishing in 35 feet out of New Pass with Frank Vada and friends, we used live shrimp to catch keeper king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, porkfish and porgies.
Fishing Saturday with Reiner Neuman and friends, Dennis, Dave and Ennis, we caught keeper mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, porgies and porkfish, on a slow tide in 30 feet out of New Pass.
*The photo shown is of a 5 foot king mackerel, caught on an offshore trip the last week of April.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 162
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 11:36 am: | |
Monday, fishing in 30 feet out of New Pass, with Bob Pumford and Steve & Lorie Seibert, we caught three king mackerel, all 28-29 inches, keeper Spanish mackerel to 22 inches, mangrove snapper and triggerfish. We had a goliath eat a bait on a light tackle pole, so we just got to watch him run!
Tuesday, I guided Ron & Joann Conley and friends, in Ron's boat, to 26 miles out of New Pass. Using live shrimp, we hooked a few kings, but got only one of them boated--It was just under 5 feet long. We also caught a mess of lane snapper to 14 inches, along with other bottom fish, and we released gag and red grouper shorts.
Tom Von Philp and friends Richard and Jack fished with me Wednesday in 30 feet, seven miles out of New Pass. We caught eight king mackerel and kept five of those to 32 inches. We also caught large triggerfish and keeper mangrove snapper, using live shrimp for all.
Thursday, I fished Estero Bay around the oyster bars and trees with Brent Larabee and son, Craig. Using live shrimp, we caught two keeper redfish at 23 inches and 18 inches. Craig had a bigger one hooked, but it broke his line. We also caught four keeper mangrove snapper, and five sheepshead to 17 inches. We released the sheepshead because they had all ready spawned, and were very thin—there wasn’t enough meat on them to justify keeping them. We also released a couple of cravalle jacks. We stopped fishing when the catfish started biting!
Winds and seas kicked up Friday, through the weekend. Saturday, I fished Estero Bay, along the tree lines on the wind side, with Alan & Carol Silverthorn. We caught a keeper redfish at 19 inches, keeper sheepshead and keeper sand bream. We released small snapper, cravalle jack, and an undersized black drum.
The photo shown is of sheepshead to 19 inches, caught on a recent bayside trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 161
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 22, 2006 - 9:50 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay with C.B. Fisher, his seven year old daughter, Cayla, and Cayla's grandfather, Frank Graves on Monday. Shrimp were in short supply in the morning, so I cast for silver jinnies and ballyhoo, and we began at the oyster bars, where we caught a bluefish, and released some small fish. Once shrimp came in, we picked up some of those, and fished toward Wiggins Pass, where we caught two keeper redfish at 22 inches and 20 inches, lost another of those, and caught four keeper sheepshead. We released smaller sheepshead, a small snapper, and a 20 inch snook.
Tuesday, fishing 5 miles out of New Pass with Chris Polasic and fiancée, Muriel Taylor, we used live shrimp to catch three king mackerel to 32 inches, and triggerfish. We lost four big kings that broke the line.
I fished Estero Bay toward Wiggins Pass again on Wednesday, with Bob Titmas, Sr., son Bob, and grandson Jake. We caught two keeper redfish, a 4 pound cravalle jack, and we released small snapper, using live shrimp.
Bud Glancer and friend, Steve, fished in 30 feet, about five miles west of Wiggins Pass with me on Thursday. We caught three king mackerel to 30 inches, Spanish mackerel to 28 inches, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, triggerfish and grunts, all on live shrimp.
Friday, Jerry & Barbara Rudan fished with me, about 6 miles out of New Pass. We caught nine king mackerel to 29 inches, kept four of those, and released the rest. We also caught four keeper mangrove snapper. Seas started to build just before we headed in, with a storm front to the north, around Tampa.
Saturday, seas were 3-4 feet, but Mick Moritz and friends decided to give the artificial reefs a try. We used live shrimp to catch nine keeper lane snapper, and we released gag grouper shorts and blue runners. We used one of the blue runners as goliath bait, and caught a goliath grouper over 200 pounds, which Mick photographed and released.
The photo shown is a pair of kingfish caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 160
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 11:00 am: | |
This week brought all the winds and high seas that we were lucky to have missed for most of last month. In addition to the rough seas offshore, there were dead low tides in Estero Bay. I cancelled all my trips through Wednesday.
On Thursday, Dan Mackinnon and a friend wanted to take their sons out fishing, so we gave it a try, with four youngsters on board, at the reefs off Bonita Beach. It was still sloppy in the gulf, but better than it had been so far this week. The boys had fun catching and releasing small fish, mostly blue runners.
I had an instructional trip on Friday, on a customer’s boat, but his electronics mal-functioned, and it was tough to find spots without the GPS working. I did manage to get us right on the 220 ledge, but the main thing there were goliaths, so there’re wasn’t much else to catch. We did get our lines broken a few times by a couple of those big boys.
Fishing Saturday morning with Pete Williams and friends, we had the other extreme in terms of wind. After all the wind and seas this week, Saturday was just the opposite--no wind, and no current. The bite was pretty slow, but we got three keeper Spanish mackerel, all around 25 inches, fishing with live shrimp and finger mullet, in 36 feet out of New Pass. We released small red grouper, triggerfish, mangrove snapper and yellowtail snapper.
It was a tough week for fishing around here. It’s supposed to be calm next week, so I am hoping to get more days out.
The photo shown is of a 16 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 159
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:16 am: | |
Monday, I fished with Lee Larsen, Bud Glancer, and friend Mary, about 5 miles out of New Pass. We used live shrimp, and chummed with some pre-mixed chum, as well as some blue runners. We caught four king mackerel to 30 inches, and had two big ones pull off the line on their rapid run back to toward the boat. We also caught a keeper tripletail, keeper sheepshead, porkfish and grunts, and released short gag and red grouper.
Fishing with Craig & Jan Royal, son Dan, daughter Kerri, and friend Jeff on Tuesday, the king mackerel bite was hot. We caught twenty of them to 38 inches, kept our limit of ten, and released the rest. We were fishing in 35 feet over live bottom that included sea fans, coral and sponge.
Nick Novosel, his parents, and a friend drove all the way from Lakeland to fish with me on Wednesday. We caught three kings in the 25 to 28 inch range, and released some smaller ones, along with short gag and red grouper, triggerfish and porgies. We also caught keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, in 35 feet out of New Pass, with live shrimp.
Dan & Linda Papol and friend, John, fished Estero Bay oyster bars and potholes with me on a catch & release trip Thursday. We caught two redfish (one keeper-sized and one short), an 18 inch flounder, and fourteen sheepshead, five of which were keeper-sized to 16 inches.
Friday, John Grieger fished with me in Estero Bay. We caught eight sheepshead to 14 inches, two of which were keepers, and two keeper mangrove snappers. We saw a school of about 200 jacks, but they would not bite.
Mike Cronin and friends, Richard, Dick and George, fished Estero Bay with me Saturday. We caught a keeper sheepshead, and released several smaller ones, along with mangrove snapper, a stingray, and a 4 lb. cravalle jack, using live shrimp around the oyster bars.
The photo shown is of a 22 lb. kingfish, caught on a recent offshore trip. The same day, we released the 100+ lb. nurse shark shown.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 158
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 01, 2006 - 10:14 am: | |
After a windy weekend, seas calmed down quite a bit on Monday, 3/28. I fished five and a half miles out of New Pass, with Ryan Startz and Jim Schrader, along with Jim’s sons, nine year old Kane, and eight year old Jack. Using live shrimp, Ryan landed a 52 inch king mackerel that topped out on our 30 pound Boga grip (see photo)—That was a good challenge on 12 lb. test! We also caught four sheepshead to 16 inches, a 17 inch bluefish, and keeper lane snapper.
Fishing with the Louis Wolfe party Tuesday, I returned the spots I had good luck at on Monday. We caught fifteen king mackerel to 44 inches, kept five of those, and released the rest, along with gag grouper shorts, mangrove snapper and sheepshead, all on live shrimp.
Ross Christiansen and family caught a few kings with me on Wednesday, but a couple of bull sharks tried to interfere. One shark grabbed a blue runner at the back of the boat, and ran off with all the line, and a second one took the bait and ran all the line off. But, we caught 8 kings to 30 inches, and released all but three, along with some small snapper.
Thursday, I fished at the reefs off New Pass with the Jim Kauffman party. They wanted to fish for some good eating fish, other than kingfish, so we fished a different spot with live shrimp. We caught keeper sheepshead, lane snapper and grunts, and released lots of blue runners.
Stuart Norris, Rich Meckler, Charles Hooley and son Matt fished with me Friday back at the king mackerel spots, about 5 miles out of New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught our limit of eight kings to 40 inches, then continued to catch and release several that were even larger.
Will McFarland and friend, John, fished Estero Bay, toward Wiggins Pass, with me Saturday morning. We caught an 18 inch trout, a 16 inch sheepshead, and released smaller sheepshead, mangrove snapper, cravalle jacks, and a 17 ¼ inch redfish.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 157
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2006 - 10:51 am: | |
I fished about five miles out of New Pass Monday with Richard Heimlich and Jeff Kirk. Seas were about four foot most of the morning, but it was worth it. Using live shrimp, and chumming with live blue runners, we caught several keeper king mackerel, and released all but a 45 inch, 22 pounder (see photo), and a 28 inch king. We also caught sheepshead to 19 inches.
Tuesday was rough offshore again, but my anglers once again decided to brave it. On a catch & release trip, we chummed with blue runners, and fished with live shrimp again, in 30 feet out of New Pass. We caught king mackerel to 40 inches, Spanish mackerel to 30 inches, and small mangrove snapper, lane snapper, and sheepshead.
Fishing Thursday, we used live shrimp in 30 feet, at the reefs out of New Pass, to catch a keeper Spanish mackerel. Two sheepshead about 16 inches, a 14 inch triggerfish, a keeper mangrove snapper and fifteen keeper lane snapper.
A cold front came through the area Thursday night, and kicked the winds and seas up for Friday and Saturday, so I had to cancel my fishing plans for those days.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 155
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2006 - 10:50 am: | |
I fished about five miles out of New Pass Monday with Richard Heimlich and Jeff Kirk. Seas were about four foot most of the morning, but it was worth it. Using live shrimp, and chumming with live blue runners, we caught several keeper king mackerel, and released all but a 45 inch, 22 pounder (see photo), and a 28 inch king. We also caught sheepshead to 19 inches.
Tuesday was rough offshore again, but my anglers once again decided to brave it. On a catch & release trip, we chummed with blue runners, and fished with live shrimp again, in 30 feet out of New Pass. We caught king mackerel to 40 inches, Spanish mackerel to 30 inches, and small mangrove snapper, lane snapper, and sheepshead.
Fishing Thursday, we used live shrimp in 30 feet, at the reefs out of New Pass, to catch a keeper Spanish mackerel. Two sheepshead about 16 inches, a 14 inch triggerfish, a keeper mangrove snapper and fifteen keeper lane snapper.
A cold front came through the area Thursday night, and kicked the winds and seas up for Friday and Saturday, so I had to cancel my fishing plans for those days.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 154
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 10:15 am: | |
I fished the north end of Estero Bay Monday. We used live shrimp to catch a dozen sheepshead, three of which were keepers. We also released ladyfish and small snook. We lost something pretty big just at the boat, but the water was murky, and we couldn’t tell what it was.
Wednesday, fishing the west wall of Estero Bay, inside New Pass, we had good action for the young anglers on board. We caught lots of sheepshead, two of which were keepers, three keeper mangrove snappers, and a three pound cravalle jack. A couple of big ones got away when the hook wasn’t quite set, but the boys had plenty of fun, and plenty of fish to take home.
I fished the reefs off Bonita on Thursday. Using live shrimp and cut ladyfish, we caught four keeper sheepshead to 19 inches, keeper lane snappers, and released small mangrove snapper. We also hooked a nice-sized fish on a little 360 Penn Slammer, but a big goliath grouper bit it, and swam off with it before we could reel it in.
Friday, I fished the reefs and a few other areas near shore. We had a great day, landing a 49 inch, 22 pound king mackerel, and releasing a 6 ½ foot nurse shark that weighed over 100 pounds. We caught a mess of nice sheepshead to 19 inches, and a few keeper mangrove snapper and grunts. The same group returned to the reefs fish Saturday morning, on a catch and release trip, and released sheepshead, gag grouper shorts, and blue runners. We had one big fish cut off the line, perhaps another king.
The photo shown is of a 21 inch trout, caught on a recent backwater trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 153
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 8:06 am: | |
Monday, 3/6, seas were supposed to be calm, with a cold front not due to rough things up until late at night. Fishing in 30 feet out of New Pass, we had mostly 3 foot seas all morning. We caught four keeper sheepshead to 16 inches, a large triggerfish and grunts--plenty of pan fish for dinner.
With rough seas offshore Tuesday, we changed our offshore plans to fish the east side of Estero Bay. We fished the current eddies at the corners of the oyster bars, mostly free-lining live shrimp. We caught twenty sheepshead, ten of which were keepers, to 17 inches. We released cravalle jacks and ladyfish.
Fishing Estero Bay on Wednesday, there was a strong wind that had blown the water out of the bay. We fished the edges along the channel, wherever the water was deep enough, with live shrimp. The bite was slow, but we managed keeper sheepshead, a keeper trout, and released a 17 inch redfish.
Fishing the east side of Estero Bay again Thursday, we fought a stiff wind all morning. We released two snook to 20 inches, small snapper and sheepshead.
Friday, I returned to Estero Bay’s east side with Andy Ungar and friends Jim, John and Dave. We traded our offshore plans for the bay, with gusty winds kicking up seas to three to five feet offshore. We caught ten keeper sheepshead, and an 18 inch trout, using live shrimp.
The photo shown is of angler, Darrin Key, with a 19 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent reef fishing trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 152
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 12:51 pm: | |
A cold front came through on Sunday, dropping air and water temperatures, and kicking up seas offshore. I fished in Estero Bay Monday, around a group of islands east of New Pass. The bay was pretty muddy, and with a stiff wind out of the northeast, the tide did not turn on schedule. We had to work pretty hard to get fish at all. We released nine sheepshead, all just short of keeper size
I fished in 40 feet out of New Pass Tuesday. We caught a 28 inch gag grouper, which was the first keeper grouper I have seen in a while that close in. We also released lots of gag shorts, and caught mangrove snapper to 14 inches, using live shrimp.
Fishing Wednesday, just 5.8 miles off the beach, out of New Pass, we caught a 29 pound, 51 inch king mackerel (see photo)--only the second one I have gotten this winter, and the first one in about 6 weeks. He was a battle on 12 lb. test! We also got keeper sheepshead, grunts and porkfish, and released gag shorts...but the kingfish took the limelight!
On Thursday, I returned to the same areas I fished Wednesday, hoping to find more kingfish. But, there was nothing of any worthy size out there at all. We released lots of sheepshead, grunts, and triggerfish, and had fun fishing, but there just wasn’t a lot to brag about this time.
Steve Gagyola, Dave Devaux, and brothers Tracy and Rob Bruttomesso fished in Estero Bay with me on Friday. We used live shrimp, in some holes along the channel toward new Pass. We caught a 21 inch trout, a 19 inch pompano, eight sheepshead to 15 inches, a keeper mangrove snapper, and two crevalle jacks.
Saturday, I returned to my Estero Bay holes with Andy Ungar, Tony Pastore, Jim Sistak, and Jim Sistak, Jr. We caught seven keeper sheepshead, four keeper pompano, and a 16 inch trout, on shrimp.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 151
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 1:04 pm: | |
This is the photo I meant to post with my report for this week--The drum photo was a re-run--sorry for the mistake! |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 150
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 12:56 pm: | |
I fished Monday, 2/20, in 34 feet out of New Pass. We caught a 15 inch black drum, five keeper sheepshead, all about 15 inches, and released smaller sheepshead and grouper shorts.
Tuesday, fishing in 26 feet out of New Pass, we did well with sheepshead. We kept thirteen of them to 19 inches, and released about 40 shorter ones. We also got a 13 inch mangrove snapper, all on shrimp.
Fishing out of New Pass Wednesday, we caught three nice sheepshead to 17 inches, grunts, and porkfish. We released small snapper and grouper. We had an eight year old angler on board, who was sure proud of his 17 inch sheepshead, and gladly posed with it!
Fishing a catch & release trip, in 30 feet out of New Pass Thursday, the sheepshead were even bigger than they were earlier this week. We released six of them to 19 ¼ inches, along with triggerfish to 14 inches, using live shrimp.
I fished Friday in 30 feet out of New Pass. We caught a 20 inch, seven pound tripletail on a crab trap buoy, using live shrimp. We also caught some nice sheepshead to 19 inches, and four keeper lane snapper.
We feared some rough conditions Saturday, with forecasts calling for small craft advisories preceding the arrival of a cold front. It was moderately choppy in the morning, with three foot seas, but it calmed to two foot in the afternoon, before it started building once again. We caught eight keeper sheepshead , average size of 16 inches, along with some grunts, fishing the reefs and also some limestone bottom, in 35 feet.
The photo shown is of a 35 pound black drum, caught on an offshore trip 1-30-06.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 149
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 10:40 am: | |
Sunday and Monday this week remained rough offshore, not to mention the bitter cold, especially out on the water. Tuesday was calmer, but still very cold, and my anglers chickened out!
Wednesday was chilly at the outset, but warmed up nicely. Unfortunately, the seas weren't as calm as predicted, but at least it was possible to fish! I headed out of New Pass to about 45 feet. First thing, we hooked a big gag grouper, but he ran off with the line and broke the leader. We ended up with three limits of mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and a keeper tripletail.
I fished Thursday, in 44 feet, out of New Pass. We didn’t catch quite as many as I had the day before, but the action was steady. We caught nine snapper to 17 inches, and two keeper sheepshead. We released porgies, and gag grouper to 19 inches.
After two days of decent offshore fishing, the bite slowed down again on Friday. I fished in 45 feet out of New Pass. We caught a few keeper mangrove snapper and triggerfish, and released small grunts.
Fishing Saturday, about 26 miles out of New Pass, we caught some nice sheepshead, all about 16 inches, a few keeper mangrove snapper, some 14 inch porkfish, triggerfish and grunts. We released gag shorts to 20 inches and a few red grouper shorts.
The photo shown is of a pair of gag grouper, caught on an offshore trip last month.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 148
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 10:46 am: | |
I was looking forward to some calm seas Monday, based upon predictions of two feet—Instead, we encountered four foot seas, and had to fish close in at the reefs. Even there at the reefs it was rough, and the water was muddy. The fish were just not biting well—we could see them on the sonar, but we caught and released only short grouper and sheepshead. A youngster on board, did catch one keeper sheepshead, which we photographed for him.
Wednesday, I fished in Estero Bay, wherever we could find deep enough water. It was chilly and very windy, and the bay was shallow, but we fished an incoming tide, and caught two cravalle jacks and four keeper sheepshead to 17 1/2 inches, using live shrimp.
Yet another cold front came through, with windy conditions Thursday, calming some by Friday, when I ventured offshore. The water temperature was 65 degrees when we headed out on a chilly, 47 degree morning. We went out to where the water was slightly warmer—about 68 degrees. The bite was very slow, and we changed locations a few times, trying to find some fish. But, even in 50 feet of water, we were catching pinfish, small snappers and small red groupers. We also hooked one jolthead porgie. I don’t know what to make of the slow fishing this week, except that the cold water temperature must be a factor.
I fished Estero Bay Saturday, in the channel toward Wiggins Pass. We caught two keeper sheepshead, and released lots of smaller ones, along with ladyfish. We also got a 16 inch trout, on live shrimp.”
The photo shown is of angler Tony Pastore, with a 23 inch gag grouper, caught on live shrimp, on an offshore trip last month.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 147
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 03, 2006 - 10:18 am: | |
Monday, I fished in 32 feet out of New Pass. Fishing was a little slow at first--we caught and released some snapper, grunts, and sheepshead. The action picked up when we landed a 35 pound black drum, which bit a live shrimp, and was quite a battle on 12 pound test! We photographed and released that one, then headed in ahead of the increasing winds.
We had hoped to fish offshore Tuesday, but with another cold front approaching, bringing high winds and rough seas, we changed our plans to fish in the backwater. Fishing was slow there, but we caught some keeper snapper, and released small sheepshead, and a 3 ½ pound cravalle jack.
Wednesday, I returned to the area where we caught the big black drum on Monday. At 47 degrees that morning, the air was chilly, and there were some rough seas first thing in the morning, left over from the front that passed through the day before. The bite was pretty slow, with water temperature cold, and with loads of bait fish on the bottom that ate our live shrimp. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, lane snapper and grunts.
Friday, just ahead of the next cold front, I fished the artificial reefs. Even close-in, in 18 feet, we had some four foot seas, with a stiff 20-25 knot wind all morning. We caught a nice sheepshead 19 inches long, and a 14 inch triggerfish. We also got one keeper pompano, and released two smaller ones, along with two baby goliath grouper and some small snapper, all on shrimp.
Saturday's forecast was dismal for boaters, so we stayed in port.
The photo shown is of the 35 pound black drum we caught Monday.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 146
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 10:48 am: | |
Tuesday, fishing 17 miles out of New Pass, in 40 feet, we caught keeper triggerfish, lane snapper and mangrove snapper, and released lots of grunts and red grouper shorts. We had to work pretty hard to catch what we caught, with a slow tide and bite most of the morning.
We scrapped offshore plans Wednesday, in the face of 4-6 foot seas, and we fished instead in some Estero Bay holes. The tide was incoming, but very low, and the winds were strong. We caught a couple of keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead, and released a redfish and a snook. The highlight of the trip was a huge, 25 pound cravalle jack, photographed and released, after a 45 minute battle.
The winds and seas were rough on Thursday, and not much better on Friday. But, Friday’s group decided to give offshore fishing a try. With dead low tides in the bay, the prospects there didn’t look too good, so we headed offshore, planning to stay close in, around the reefs, where it would be a little calmer than out further. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and triggerfish, and released gag shorts, along with a 4 pound goliath grouper. By that time the 4-5 foot seas were getting too rough to stand up and fish, so we headed in a little after noon.
The photo attached is of an unusually large (for this area), 25 pound cravalle jack, caught in Estero Bay this past Wednesday.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 145
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 12:47 pm: | |
Weather did not cooperate with the full week of fishing I had planned. After a very gusty weekend, seas did not calm down enough to get offshore again until Friday. I fished then, in 42 feet, about 18 miles out of New Pass. It was windy on shore, and we were expecting some rough seas, but we were out past the winds, and it was calm, and a little slow most of the morning. We didn’t hit rough water until we headed back in to shore. We used live shrimp to catch a dozen mangrove snapper to 14 inches and keeper lane snapper. We released keeper-sized sheepshead, triggerfish and grunts.
Fishing Saturday, 34 miles out of New Pass, we caught two limits of mangrove snapper to 15 ¼ inches, keeper lane snapper, and one keeper vermillion snapper, along with some large grunts. We released gag grouper shorts.
The photo shown is of a 23 inch gag grouper, caught on an offshore trip last week.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 144
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 12:56 pm: | |
After a rough and windy weekend, I got back offshore on Monday, 1/9, and fished in 42 feet, out of New Pass. Cut-bait didn’t get us any bites, so we switched to live shrimp, caught keeper mangrove snapper, and released gag grouper shorts. I fished with the same group of anglers again on Tuesday, this time at some wrecks and ledges about 35 feet out of New Pass. We limited out on mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and caught lane snapper also to 14 inches. We released gag grouper up to just a half-inch short of legal size, and also released a 3 1/2 foot black tip shark.
Fishing Wednesday with live shrimp in 42 feet out of New Pass, we caught a keeper gag grouper at 23 inches, and ten nice mangrove snapper, all 14-15 inches, along with a few good-sized triggerfish. Seas were calm, which was a nice change, but the tide and bite were a bit slow first thing in the morning.
Thursday, I fished in calm seas, in 45 feet out of New Pass. We limited out on mangrove snapper by 11:30 AM, with twenty nice ones to 18 inches, and we released lots of smaller ones. We also caught a 23 inch gag grouper, and we got a few nice triggerfish, all on live shrimp.
Friday the thirteenth was pretty lucky for us. We fished with live shrimp on a ledge about 26 miles out of New Pass, and caught twenty-six nice mangrove snapper to 17 inches, along with two keeper gag grouper, a few nice sheepshead, triggerfish and porgies. We boated 163 fish in all, releasing all but the gags and our limit of snapper.
Saturday brought a windy cold front, with rough seas persisting throughout the weekend. But, we couldn’t complain, after a full week of good fishing.
The photo shown is of a 23 1/2 inch gag grouper, caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 143
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 12:55 pm: | |
After a rough and windy weekend, I got back offshore on Monday, 1/9, and fished in 42 feet, out of New Pass. Cut-bait didn’t get us any bites, so we switched to live shrimp, caught keeper mangrove snapper, and released gag grouper shorts. I fished with the same group of anglers again on Tuesday, this time at some wrecks and ledges about 35 feet out of New Pass. We limited out on mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and caught lane snapper also to 14 inches. We released gag grouper up to just a half-inch short of legal size, and also released a 3 1/2 foot black tip shark.
Fishing Wednesday with live shrimp in 42 feet out of New Pass, we caught a keeper gag grouper at 23 inches, and ten nice mangrove snapper, all 14-15 inches, along with a few good-sized triggerfish. Seas were calm, which was a nice change, but the tide and bite were a bit slow first thing in the morning.
Thursday, I fished in calm seas, in 45 feet out of New Pass. We limited out on mangrove snapper by 11:30 AM, with twenty nice ones to 18 inches, and we released lots of smaller ones. We also caught a 23 inch gag grouper, and we got a few nice triggerfish, all on live shrimp.
Friday the thirteenth was pretty lucky for us. We fished with live shrimp on a ledge about 26 miles out of New Pass, and caught twenty-six nice mangrove snapper to 17 inches, along with two keeper gag grouper, a few nice sheepshead, triggerfish and porgies. We boated 163 fish in all, releasing all but the gags and our limit of snapper.
Saturday brought a windy cold front, with rough seas persisting throughout the weekend. But, we couldn’t complain, after a full week of good fishing.
The photo shown is of a 23 1/2 inch gag grouper, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 142
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 11:48 am: | |
Monday’s seas were predicted to be two to three feet, and I headed offshore. Fishing about 15 miles out of New Pass, we encountered rough seas—three foot on top of a 3 ½ foot swell. But, we hung in there, and caught nine nice mangrove snapper ranging 12 to 17 inches, keeper lane snapper, and some large grunts and triggerfish. We released gag grouper shorts to 19 inches.
Tuesday brought lots of AM fog, and the winds were still churning up the seas, so we postponed that trip to await better conditions.
With calmer seas on Wednesday, we fished with live shrimp, in 45 feet out of New Pass. We caught our limit of mangrove snapper—twenty of them all about 15 inches. We also caught a 23 ½ inch gag grouper.
By week’s end, another front was on us, with unsafe seas offshore, and high winds everywhere.
The photo shown is of our first king mackerel of the season, a 34 incher, caught on an offshore trip Christmas Eve.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 141
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 30, 2005 - 1:08 pm: | |
Saturday, 12/24, we got into some king mackerel, fishing in about 40 feet out of New Pass. I have been expecting the kings to show up, as they usually do this time of year. We hooked four of them, all over 30 inches, but three of them snapped the line before they were boated. We successfully battled and kept one at 34 inches. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper and porkfish, and released gag shorts to 20 inches.
Monday's small craft and high surf advisories kept me in port, in the interest of safety. But, Tuesday was relatively calm offshore, and I headed out about eight miles from New Pass. We released about twenty sheepshead that were just short of keeper size, as well as a 30 inch cobia, and caught keeper lane snapper and Spanish mackerel, keeper silver trout, whiting and grunts, all on live shrimp.
Wednesday, fishing a wreck over thirty miles out of New Pass with Bob Rushlow, Fred Banker, Steve Christman, and Doug Johnson, Jr., we used live shrimp and cut bait to clean up on snapper. We caught 3 limits of mangrove snapper, and a cooler full of 51 keeper lanes. We released grunts and gag shorts.
Thursday, with seas 4-6 feet offshore, and high winds/low tide causing muddy bay conditions, I remained in port. The seas for Friday were predicted at 2 feet, but I faced a 3-5 foot swell all the way out from the beach to about 26 miles west of New Pass, where I fished in 50 feet. We caught eighteen nice mangrove snapper, all about 14 inches, and some large grunts. We didn’t get any grouper, although we were broken off twice by a couple of good sized ones.
With a minus-one tide forecast for Saturday, I couldn’t risk getting the offshore boat out, and I expected the bay conditions to be shallow and muddy, so I remained in port once again.
The photo shown is of a 26 inch gag grouper, caught on an offshore trip mid-December.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 140
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 - 1:22 pm: | |
Monday, 12/19, it was overcast, and a lot colder than the temperature would indicate, with a damp, stiff wind blowing across the bay. I fished the Estero Bay oyster bars, and any holes we could find that had more than a foot and a half of water in them! The bay was pretty shallow. We caught five keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead to 15 1/2 inches.
Tuesday, I fished Estero Bay again, in the same areas. We caught three keeper sheepshead to 17 inches, and mangrove snapper to 12 inches. We released lots of sheepshead and snapper shorts.
On a catch and release trip in Estero Bay on Wednesday, we caught ten keeper-sized sheepshead to 17 inches, and large cravalle jack, fishing with live shrimp.
Fishing offshore Friday, for the first time in a while, seas were a little sloppy first thing in the morning, but calmed down later. We fished in 45 feet out of New Pass, using both live shrimp and cut bait. We caught fifteen nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches. We released gag grouper shorts, triggerfish, and a small, five pound goliath.
The photo shown is of a 26 ½ inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 139
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2005 - 10:14 am: | |
I fished Thursday, casting around oyster bars and holes in Estero Bay, with live shrimp, and a #7 splitshot for weight. We did well on an incoming tide. We caught about twenty sheepshead, five keeper, the two largest measuring 17 ½ inches and 19 inches. We released three redfish to 17 inches and three small snook from 12 to 20 inches. We lost what looked like a pretty nice red, and a couple other bigger fish when they broke our lines. Oyster bars hold fish, but they can be tough on lines.
Friday, with seas 4-6 feet offshore, we changed our offshore plans to fish the bay instead. We fished an outgoing tide nearly all morning. Low tide was supposed to be about 8:30AM, but the northerly breeze must have delayed it, and it didn’t turn around until about 11:45AM. We fished around oyster bars and holes with live shrimp, and caught keeper sheepshead, a keeper pompano, and keeper mangrove snapper. We released four small snook.
Saturday, I again fished the oyster bars and holes alongside the channel in Estero Bay. We caught most of our fish on a slack tide with live shrimp. We caught a keeper redfish at 23 ½ inches, and released a 17 inch red. We caught about twenty nice sheepshead to 16 inches, and kept 3 of them for dinner. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper, and released a large cravalle jack.
The photo shown is of a 17 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent backwater trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 138
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 10, 2005 - 10:02 am: | |
Monday I fished Estero Bay. We fished an incoming tide, baited with live shrimp. We caught a keeper redfish at 25 inches, kept five sheepshead that were about 17 inches each, and released smaller sheepshead, redfish, mangrove snapper, as well as jack cravalle. We had a nice snook on for a while, but he shook the hook, and got away.
Mark Ament, sons Brett and Brady, and their grandfather, Paul, abandoned offshore plans Thursday, due to 3-5 foot seas, and instead fished Estero Bay holes with me. We caught sheepshead to 17 inches, and released short snook.
Fishing Friday, in about 35 feet out of New Pass, we caught keeper lane and mangrove snapper, grunts and triggerfish on live shrimp, and a 26 inch gag grouper on a tomtate.
Saturday I fished offshore again. It was windy and foggy when we started out, which is an unusual combination, since usually there is little wind in foggy conditions. But the wind died abruptly, and remained light and variable for most of our fishing time, making it tricky to anchor on structure. The fog never lifted, and the tide was slow all morning, fishing about 8 miles out of New Pass. We caught some nice mangrove snapper to 15 inches, nice sheepshead to 16 inches, keeper lane snapper, and large porkfish, all on live shrimp.
The photo attached is of a 23 inch gag grouper and a 15 inch mangrove snapper, caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 137
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 04, 2005 - 11:12 am: | |
We didn’t get much of a reprieve from rough weather, as another front kicked up the winds and seas again by Monday. The whole week was pretty much cancelled out for offshore, until Friday, when I fished in 30 feet out of New Pass. Even then, with seas of 2-3 feet predicted, we had lots of four-footers, and it was pretty sloppy out there. We caught keeper sheepshead, along with a bunch of throw-backs, as well as keeper mangrove and lane snapper. We also caught a mess of grunts, triggerfish and porkfish, and released gag grouper to 20 inches, and a 28 inch cobia, using live shrimp.
Saturday, I fished about 15 miles out of New Pass. We caught nine keeper lane snapper, keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish, and again released gag shorts to 20 inches.
The photo shown is of a 50 pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 136
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 10:48 am: | |
Monday brought rain, high winds and seas, in advance of a cold front, and I was forced to remain in port. Tuesday was very windy, and it was tough anchoring in the bay, but I fished Estero Bay. We caught six keeper sheepshead to 17 inches, and released lots of short ones. We also released a short snook and two redfish at 17 1/2 inches, just 1/2 inch short of keeper size. With seas still 3-5 feet minimum Wednesday, that offshore trip also cancelled.
After Thanksgiving Day, seas calmed, and I fished Friday offshore, 19 miles due west of New Pass. We started out using cut bait, and later switched to frozen shrimp and live shrimp. We caught eighteen nice mangrove snapper, to 18 inches, and some decent lanes to 11 inches. We released a 17 inch bluefish, along with gag shorts and porgies.
The photo attached is of a 24 inch redfish, caught in Estero Bay on a recent backwater trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 135
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 19, 2005 - 10:32 am: | |
I fished Monday, at a drop-off about 26 miles out of new Pass. We caught seven keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, four keeper yellowtails, and would have had a nice gag, if a barracuda had not chomped on it as we were reeling it in. From the size of the gag’s head, I would guess it was about 26 inches. We were also broken off five times by goliath grouper. We released gags to 20 inches and scamp shorts.
Friday, I fished in 30 feet out of New Pass, in some pretty rough seas, with some four-footers. We used live shrimp to cull a half dozen nice lane snapper, keeper mangrove snapper, and keeper sheepshead.
Saturday was rough again, but my anglers decided to brave it. Fishing about ten miles out of New Pass, we used live shrimp to catch keeper lane snapper, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, and triggerfish, and released some gag shorts.
The photo shown is of a 17 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent offshore trip.
Unbelievably, we are now awaiting the possible effects of tropical storm Gamma…it is not often that tropical storms and Thanksgiving occur simultaneously!
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 134
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 11, 2005 - 11:13 am: | |
I fished Monday in 30 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch a 23 inch keeper gag grouper, a couple of lane snapper to 15 inches, a 23 inch Spanish mackerel, good-sized porkfish, triggerfish and grunts—25 fish in all. We used a blue runner as bait to catch and released a 50 pound goliath grouper—Those are always fun on 12 pound test!
Friday, I fished 12 miles out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch keeper sheepshead and snapper, porkfish, grunts, and a small 4 pound goliath grouper (released). We saw lots of bonito feeding on glass minnows, but couldn’t get close enough to catch one. We switched to blue runners to catch and release two bigger goliaths, one about 80 pounds, and the other over 200 pounds.
The photo shown is of a 60 pound goliath grouper, caught on a blue runner, and released last week on an offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 133
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 10:51 am: | |
I fished Monday for the first time since the Thursday before Hurricane Wilma. With stiff winds over 25 knots, we fished Estero Bay, toward Wiggins Pass. Anglers Karen Weiss and Sally Doherty used live shrimp to catch and release nine rat reds, snook to 16 inches, and a five pound jack cravalle. We also caught lots of sheepshead, including five keepers to 17 inches, and a keeper mangrove snapper.
Friday, I fished offshore with Dianna Smith and Zhi Wu, in 35 feet out of New Pass. We photographed and released a 60 pound goliath grouper. We used live shrimp to catch eight keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, a 22 inch Spanish mackerel, grunts and porkfish.
The photo shown is of a 23 inch redfish, caught in Estero Bay, 0n live shrimp, the Thursday before Hurricane Wilma.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 132
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:33 pm: | |
I had planned to fish a lot more this past week, but several folks cancelled trips because they had heard negative things about the impact of red tide. By the end of the week, Hurricane Wilma was the problem, so I managed to get just a couple of trips in, one gulfside, and one bayside.
Wednesday, we tried fishing close-in, with 2-4 foot seas predicted offshore, but there was nothing worth catching as far out as 17 miles. We caught a mangrove snapper and some grunts, then decided to head out further to look for something better. We ended up fishing 28 miles west of New Pass, where we caught a dozen keeper lane snapper, and several keeper mangrove snapper. We released about fifty mangrove snapper that were just a quarter inch short of legal size. We also released lots of short yellowtails, as well as a black tip shark and a lemon shark, each about 4 foot long. We used live shrimp and cut pinfish for bait.
Thursday, I fished Estero Bay, by the channel toward Wiggins Pass. We caught a 33 inch snook (photo shown). It bit real light, and we thought we’d lost it, whenwhe saw the line swimming back toward us, set the hook, and reeled him in. We also released a 22 ½ inch snook and two smaller ones about 14 inches. We also caught a 23 inch redfish, and released five sheepshead, all on live shrimp.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 131
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 12:14 pm: | |
I fished last Monday, 10/10, in Estero Bay, around the Wiggins Pass area. We used live shrimp to catch five keeper sheepshead, and we released two sand bream and four rat reds.
Friday, I fished offshore. Conditions were pretty sloppy offshore, so we stayed close-in, about 7-8 miles off New Pass, in 35 feet. We caught a bucket full of grunts and some porkfish, but didn’t get any bites from anything else.
The photo shown is of a 4 1/2 pound pompano, caught on live shrimp in estero bay last Saturday.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 130
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 08, 2005 - 10:09 am: | |
I fished Saturday, for the first time since the last week of September. We had planned to fish the gulf, but with the winds up, and the swells left over from our low pressure disturbance all week, we decided to fish the off main channel behind Ft. Myers Beach. We had some nice sized live shrimp, and caught a good variety of fish, including a 24 inch redfish, a 4 ½ pound pompano, keeper-sized sheepshead, and some throw-back mangrove snapper.
The photo shown is of a 19 1/2 inch redfish, caught in Estero bay on live shrimp. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 129
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 10:18 am: | |
I fished Thursday, after the swells from Hurricane Katrina’s effects had subsided. Fishing in 40 feet out of New Pass, we used live shrimp and sardines to catch a variety of fish. We got yellowtails to 14 inches, lane snapper to 13 inches, mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and Spanish mackerel. We released six mutton snapper, all about 14 inches, and an 18 inch white margate.
The photo shown is of a 70 pound goliath grouper, released on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 128
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 10:29 am: | |
I fished Monday, 8/15, in 35 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch keeper Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper. We also caught some jack cravalle and blue runners to use as goliath grouper bait. We released three goliaths, 20 lbs., 45 lbs., and 70 lbs.
Thursday, fishing in 35 to 45 feet, northwest of New Pass, we were very happy to catch a true black grouper (photo attached), which is the first I have caught around here. The most common groupers in my fishing area are gag and red. This black was a nice on at 26 inches, and pretty well made our day. We also caught a 23 inch gag grouper, Spanish mackerel to 25 inches, some nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and keeper yellowtail snapper.
Fishing the Bonita reefs on Friday, we caught Spanish mackerels on shrimp and shiners, and released a barracuda.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 127
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 9:58 am: | |
I fished Monday, out of New Pass. We began in a spot about 41 miles offshore, where it was a bit slow, so we moved to a spot about 36 miles out, where we found good action. Using mostly frozen squid, we caught some nice vermilion snapper, keeper yellowtails, and twenty-five lane snapper about 14 inches long. We released grouper shorts, along with two sharpnose sharks, each about 3 ½ feet long.
Thursday, I fished the Bonita reefs for a few hours. We caught mostly Spanish mackerel to 22 inches.
I fished Saturday, 9 miles out of New Pass, just off Bonita Beach. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper on live shrimp. I also pulled up a goliath, which bit a piece of cut-bait. It was tough, on 12 pound test line, getting that 80 pound fish to the top for a photograph, but after a 25 minute battle, I succeeded.
The photo attached is of a 25 pound goliath grouper, caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Mike R. (Silverfish)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 3:41 pm: | |
New Book on Big-Game Fishing History Coming Soon! The International Game Fish Association has just announced the pending release of "Big-Game Fishing Headquarters - A History of the IGFA" by Mike Rivkin. The book is a fascinating review of the emergence of big-game fishing and the IGFA's pivotal role in same. Also featured are more than 200 never-before-published photos and documents from the IGFA's extensive archives. Quantities most limited, so order NOW. Contact the IGFA's Crystal Carey (ccarey@igfa.org) or call 954-924-4310 to order. Price: $49.95 |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 126
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 10:32 am: | |
I fished Monday offshore. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove and lane snapper, and some good-sized whitebone porgies. We got lots of bites from red grouper to 19 inches, and gags to 21 inches, but no keeper grouper. Next, we targeted big fish, using jack cravalle for bait, and released three goliath grouper, estimated at 30 pounds, 70 pounds, and 100 pounds.
I fished Tuesday, about 15 miles out of New Pass in 40 feet. Using cut-bait and live shrimp, we caught a keeper red grouper at 20 ½ inches, mangrove snapper to 14 inches, keeper yellowtail snapper, and porgies.
Wednesday, fishing Estero Bay in the area of Wiggins Pass, we used live shrimp and a few greenbacks. We caught a 20 inch redfish, a 23 inch redfish, along with a 14 inch sheepshead and some sand bream. We released jack cravalle and a 23 inch snook.
Saturday, I fished in 40 feet, about 15 miles out of New Pass, with Fritz Sullivan, Jack Dorfman, and friend, Austin. We used live shrimp and Spanish sardines to catch a mess of mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and keeper Spanish mackerel. We released grouper shorts and small yellowtail, and were broken off five times by something big.
The attached photo is of a pair of mangrove snapper, caught on an offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 125
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 30, 2005 - 10:16 am: | |
I fished offshore Monday, in 45 feet out of New Pass. We caught keeper mangrove, yellowtail, and lane snapper, and triggerfish, using sardines and shiners. We released a goliath grouper estimated at 100 pounds.
Tuesday, I fished again in 45 feet out of New Pass, with live and frozen bait. We caught five keeper yellowtail snapper, lane snapper to 12 inches, and Spanish mackerel to 22 inches. We released grouper shorts, and were broken off once by a goliath grouper and once by a barracuda.
Wednesday, fishing the Bonita reefs, we used live shrimp and cut bait to catch Spanish mackerel. We had a goliath bite three times, but were unable to raise him to the surface. Fishing eight miles out of New Pass on Thursday, we used the jack cravalle we caught as bait for goliath grouper, and released an eighty-pounder.
I fished the ledges 19 miles out of New Pass on Friday. We caught keeper yellowtails, porgies and grunts on live shrimp there. We moved to a second area, where we caught some blue runners to use as shark bait, and released a 4 foot nurse shark there.
Saturday, I fished in 38 feet out of New Pass. We used live shrimp to catch keeper mangrove snapper, then used jack cravalle to lure some bigger fish for sport. We released two goliath grouper at 40 and 60 pounds, and a 25 pound nurse shark.
The photo shown is of a 21 inch red grouper, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 124
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 10:22 am: | |
I fished in Estero Bay Tuesday, in the area of Wiggins Pass. We used frozen shrimp, and caught two redfish, including one keeper at 18 ½ inches, three sand bream, keeper sheepshead and snapper, and released snook to 21 inches.
I fished Estero Bay again Wednesday. A five year old angler on board caught the biggest redfish—a 24 incher— photo attached)--along with a keeper sheepshead. We released smaller reds and sheepshead, along with sand bream and a 20 inch barracuda, all on frozen shrimp, in the area of Wiggins Pass.
Fishing Estero Bay again Thursday, we used green-backs and shrimp to catch a 19 ½ inch redfish and a 17 ½ inch trout. We lost one big red and one big snook when they got tangled in the mangroves and broke off.
Friday, fishing the bay again, we used greenbacks to catch a 19 inch trout. We released small snook and some jack cravalle, and Becca battled a couple of bigger snook.
I fished the bay in the Wiggins Pass area on Saturday. We caught a keeper redfish, at 19 inches and 22 inches, using shiners. We released five small snook and a 15 inch jack cravalle.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 122
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 16, 2005 - 10:16 am: | |
I fished Tuesday in 45 feet out of New Pass. Shrimp were in short supply, after the stormy weekend, so we used frozen cut sardines, and did well with snapper. We caught fourteen mangrove snapper to 15 inches, along with keeper lane snapper and keeper three yellowtail. We almost had a big gag grouper, but a shark decided he deserved it more than we did, and bit it on the way up. We ended up with a grouper head that measured 17 inches from the top of its head to its dorsal fin. We also released a 2 foot remora, which was probably riding on the back of the shark that ate the grouper. We released lots of gag and red grouper shorts, and got broken off by a couple of bigger ones.
I fished with me Wednesday in 45 feet, in the same area I fished the day before. We used cut Spanish sardines again, and caught a nice variety of fish, including a keeper red grouper at 21 inches, keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches, and two nice yellowtail, each 16 inches. A young angler onboard wanted to experience some big fish, so we used some smaller snapper as bait for goliaths, and released two of those, one at 60 pounds, and the other 150 pounds.
I fished Estero BayThursday, using shrimp and shiners around the oyster bars and trees. We caught a 19 inch keeper redfish, sheepshead, and sand bream. We released seven snook to 22 inches.
I fished in 45 feet off New Pass Saturday. Seas had picked up some, after a very calm week, and it was a little rough early in the morning. We used cut sardines to catch keeper mangrove snapper and grunts. We released short red and gag grouper to 19 inches, yellowtail shorts, and had our lines broken a few times by bigger fish.
The attached photo is of a 23 inch redfish, caught on a recent backwater trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 121
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 08, 2005 - 2:45 pm: | |
I was off the water most of this past holiday weekend, with a family event to attend, but got out in Estero Bay with family on Sunday for about an hour, and caught two keeper redfish on live shrimp.
Tuesday, I fished Estero Bay again. We caught a 23 inch redfish, two keeper sheepshead, keeper mangrove snapper, and two sand bream, all on shrimp. We released a 19 inch barracuda and small snook.
I fished Wednesday in 35 feet off New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel, porgies and porkfish, and released lots of small yellowtail snapper, along with a 45 inch bonnet-head shark (photo attached). Seas were increasing some, perhaps in advance of tropical storm Dennis.
I fished Wednesday in 35 feet off New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel, porgies and porkfish, and released lots of small yellowtail snapper, along with a 45 inch bonnet-head shark. Seas were increasing some, perhaps in advance of Hurricane Dennis. Preparations for Dennis kept me in port the remainder of the week and weekend.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 120
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 02, 2005 - 8:37 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay, around the oyster bars toward Wiggins Pass on Tuesday, with live shrimp. We caught five redfish to 24 inches, including 3 keepers, three keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, and keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches. We released two short snook at 18 and 19 inches.
Thursday, I again fished Estero Bay. We caught a keeper redfish, two sand bream, a keeper sheepshead, and three black drum, two of which were keepers, all on live shrimp.
The photo attached is of a pair of redfish, caught this week in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 118
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 10:59 am: | |
With rain on the radar Monday and Tuesday mornings, 6/20 and 6/21, I cancelled my fishing plans for those days. Wednesday was another rainy day, but with the rains holding off until afternoon on Thursday, I got offshore, and fished in 36 feet off New Pass with live shrimp and cut bait. We caught keeper Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper, porkfish, porgies and grunts. We released gag grouper shorts to 21 inches.
I fished Saturday 15 miles west of New Pass in 40 feet. We used live shrimp, and caught a 15 inch hogfish, mangrove snapper to 14 inches, and keeper Spanish mackerel, along with grunts, porkfish and gag shorts.
The attached photo is of a 28 inch kingfish, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 117
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 9:46 am: | |
I returned from some time off to fish Wednesday about 17 miles west of New Pass, with live shrimp. The tide was slow, and we were dodging the fish-deterring porpoise and a couple swarms of honeybees out there, but did pretty well with keeper Spanish mackerel, yellowtail snapper and mangrove snapper.
Thursday, I fished Estero Bay, which had lots of fresh water, due to the recent rains. We were able to catch and release two snook, a 17½ inch redfish, and mangrove snapper, fishing around the islands and oyster bars with live shrimp.
I fished Saturday in 35 feet, west of New Pass. We caught a mess of Spanish mackerel to 26 inches, and keeper mangrove snapper. We released other bottom fish, along with a 3½ foot lemon shark.
The attached photo is of a 26 3/4 inch redfish, caught on live shrimp, on a recent bay trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 116
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 1:27 pm: | |
I fished central Estero Bay Monday, around the oyster bars. We had a good success with live shrimp, and caught three keeper-sized redfish, two at 24 inches and one at 20 inches, a 20 inch permit, and an 18 inch sheepshead. We released the 20 inch red, along with small snook, snapper, jack cravalle, and a leopard ray.
With winds and seas high Tuesday and Wednesday, I stayed in port, but I fished offshore on Thursday. We caught keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, triggerfish and porkfish, using live shrimp. We released grouper shorts, long with a 20 pound goliath grouper, which bit a blue runner.
Fishing in 40 feet off New Pass Friday with Carl & Susan Baker, son Matthew, and daughter Anna, we caught keeper yellowtail and mangrove snapper, and two king mackerels, 25 inches and 30 inches. We released lots of Spanish mackerel and a few smaller kings.
Saturday, there was a slow tide and slow bite, when I fished about 17 miles west of New Pass. We caught keeper yellowtail and mangrove snapper, and released grunts, short red grouper and Spanish mackerel, along with a 40 inch sharpnose shark.
Sunday, I fished about 26 miles west of New Pass. The group was looking for some excitement, such as goliaths, so we targeted those, and fought six of them, wrestling two to the top. One was about 150 pounds, and the other well over 200 pounds, estimated at 225. We photographed the biggest one before releasing. We also caught several banded rudder fish (lesser amberjack), and in fact, it was one of those that served as bait for the big goliath. The other goliath bit a blue runner. Using live shrimp, we caught keeper mangrove snapper and porkfish, and a decent sized king mackerel, whose carcass measured 25 inches, minus the tail that was eaten by a barracuda on the way up.
The attached photo is of one of a pair of 24 inch redfish caught on a recent bayside trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 115
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 10:04 am: | |
I fished Monday about 17 miles west of New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught twenty nice lane snapper, some Spanish mackerel 22 to 24 inches, triggerfish, jolthead porgies, and released lots of grouper in the 19-20 inch range.
Fishing the Edison Reef and a small ledge in about 40 feet Tuesday, we caught keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish and porkfish, and released numerous grouper 19 to 21 inches.
I fished Thursday at the reefs. We had hoped to go after tarpon, but the winds were up, and there were too many white caps on the water. We caught Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper, and released gag shorts, along with a 3 foot sharp nose shark.
Friday, I fished the reefs, using live shrimp. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish, and a hogfish. We also released about fifty keeper-sized Spanish mackerel, short grouper, and an 8½ foot nurse shark.
Fishing in 38 feet off New Pass Saturday, we caught a ten pound gag grouper on a blue runner, keeper lane snapper and triggerfish, and released short gag and red grouper, caught on live shrimp and pinfish. We were broken off a couple of times by kings.
The attached photo is of a 28 inch gag caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 114
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005 - 9:10 am: | |
I fished the backwaters of Estero Bay Monday with live shrimp. We caught keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper, and released small snook, four small black drum, and a large stingray. One angler also lost a big redfish.
I fished Tuesday, 26 miles west of Ft. Myers Beach, in 50 feet. We caught mangrove snapper, triggerfish, lesser amber jack (banded rudder fish), and gag shots to 20 inches. There were lots of goliaths around, and they ate much of everything else we hooked.
Wednesday, we began about 17 miles west of New Pass, but we kept moving further out to escape the porpoise. We ended up about 28 miles west of New Pass, having caught fish at several spots between 17 and 28 miles. We used live shrimp to catch about 35 keeper-sized lane snapper. We released twenty of those, along with some keeper-sized Spanish mackerel. We used pinfish to catch a bunch of red and gag grouper, but none of those were quite keeper size.
I fished Friday, about 26 miles northwest of New Pass. The wind picked up, and it got pretty sloppy out there, but we had an exciting day of fishing. We hooked two goliath grouper, one about 70 pounds, and the other about 200 pounds. We photographed and released those. Then, we caught a 12 pound permit, the first one I have encountered this season (photo attached). We also caught a 28 inch king mackerel, along with keeper mangrove snapper. We released other bottomfish and grouper shorts, and headed in, in rough seas, about 3:00.
I had a short trip offshore Saturday, prior my anglers’ afternoon tee-time. We fished a catch & release trip west of New Pass, in about 30 feet, where we caught Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, and grouper shorts, on live shrimp.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 113
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 10:06 am: | |
Fearing more rough seas after a windy weekend, I fished Estero Bay and its creeks on Monday, 5/2, with live shrimp. We caught three redfish, one of which was a keeper at 19 inches, and keeper sheepshead. We released jack cravalle, and lost a battle with a nice snook.
I fished Tuesday, 17 miles west of New Pass. Seas were a little sloppy in the early morning, but calmed down toward mid-morning. We used live shrimp to catch a 30 inch king mackerel, three yellowtail snapper to 18 ½ inches, and whitebone porgies. We released a lot of gags to 21 inches and red grouper to 19 inches.
After a rainy couple of days Wednesday and Thursday, I fished Estero Bay Friday. We caught a keeper sheepshead, a keeper redfish, and released jack cravalle and ladyfish.
I fished Estero Bay again Saturday, with live shrimp, around the oyster bars and islands by Wiggins Pass. We caught four keeper sheepshead about 14 inches each, three keeper mangrove snapper about 12 inches each, and a keeper redfish at 18 ½ inches. We released small sheepshead, a couple of short redfish, and jack cravalle.
The attached photo is of a 24 inch redfish caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 112
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 9:56 am: | |
After the high winds Sunday, conditions were still sloppy Monday morning, so I ventured out of New Pass only about 10 miles. We caught a nice yellowtail snapper along with five mangrove snapper, all around 15 inches, on live shrimp.
Tuesday, I had planned to fish offshore, but with 4-5 foot seas and 25 knot winds, we headed back toward shore, and fished the bay at New Pass instead, where we caught three trout, a few Spanish mackerel, small sharks, lane snapper and jack cravalle.
After Wednesday’s rain and stormy conditions, I was inclined to fish the backwaters, despite NOAA’s forecast for 2-3 foot seas. But, my anglers wanted to try offshore fishing, so we headed to the nearby reefs. Even close in at the reefs, seas were 3-4 feet, with a stiff wind blowing. We caught three trout, seven Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and lane snapper, and released gag shorts, all on live shrimp.
Friday, with predictions again calling for 2-3 foot seas, I headed offshore, about 17 miles out of New Pass. Seas were ranging 3-5 feet, with a couple of 6 foot waves. We stuck it out for half the day, and caught lane snapper and porgies. We released what was probably a hundred pounds, collectively, of gag grouper to 21 inches and red grouper to 19 inches, so we had lots of action, but no keeper grouper. We caught most of those on pinfish, but used live shrimp for everything else. A couple of anglers were broken off by big grouper. About mid-day, the shark and dolphin showed up, which pretty well stopped our chances of catching anything more on that spot.
Fishing with live shrimp in the backwaters of Estero Bay Saturday was tough in muddy conditions, with a 25 knot wind blowing, but Grant saved the morning with a redfish measuring 26 ¾ inches. We also caught mangrove snapper.
The photo attached is of a couple of sheepshead, 16 and 19 inches, caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 111
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 9:59 am: | |
I fished in Estero Bay Monday. It was kind of slow, but we released snook to 22 inches and mangrove snapper, all caught on live shrimp.
Fishing Tuesday 17 miles west of New Pass, we used live shrimp, grunts, pinfish, squirrel fish and blue runners for bait. We caught nineteen keeper lane snapper, a dozen jolthead porgies, a 22 ½ inch gag grouper, and released lots of gag and red grouper shorts. We were also broken off by a big goliath grouper, and fought a huge shark, a fight that took two of us, until he finally broke the line.
Wednesday, 17 miles west of New Pass, we caught an 18 inch yellowtail snapper, ten keeper lane snapper, and porgies on live shrimp and cut bait. We released lots of grouper shorts.
I headed out in search of tarpon Thursday with Bob Jokinen and friend, Mike. We sighted a bunch of tarpon off Ft. Myers Beach, but got no bites, even using tarpon bait favorites, such as manhaden and crabs. We headed to the reefs with some live shrimp and pinfish, and had a couple of good battles with a lemon shark and a goliath grouper.
Fishing with shiners in central Estero Bay Friday, we released a 17 inch redfish, four snook, and lost one big snook. We also caught a 19 ½ inch trout.
With small craft cautions up Saturday, we opted for the backwaters, where we caught and released lady fish and mangrove snapper to 12 inches, on live shrimp.
The photo attached is of a pair of 20 inch mangrove snapper, part of a mess caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 110
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 9:36 am: | |
I fished Estero Bay, by Wiggins Pass, on Monday. We caught a 24 inch redfish and an 18 inch trout. When we moved up into the creek, one angler had a 24 inch snook nearly boatside when he lost it, and also caught snapper and sheepshead, all on live shrimp.
Tuesday, fishing 19 miles out of New Pass, we caught a keeper gag grouper at just over 22 inches, which bit a blue runner, and we released a red grouper that was a quarter inch short of legal size. We also got a dozen keeper lane snapper on live shrimp.
Wednesday morning, I headed out to the bay, but we managed only a few sheepshead before a heavy rain drove us back to shore. With 4 and 5 foot seas offshore Thursday and Friday, I cancelled my offshore plans for the rest of last week. The wind direction has really kept the gulf stirred up for several days, and the swells and seas made it difficult to enjoy fishing. I am hoping for calmer conditions next week.
The photo attached is of a 27 inch gag grouper, caught on a recent trip to the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 109
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 09, 2005 - 10:14 am: | |
It was still rough early Monday morning, after a windy weekend, but it calmed down as the morning progressed. We used live shrimp at the Bonita reefs to catch mangrove snapper to 14 inches, triggerfish, grunts, jack cravalle, and a 15 inch trout. We released gag grouper shorts.
Fishing Tuesday was worth the rough seas, twenty miles out of New Pass. We caught three keeper gag grouper, at 23 inches, 24 inches, and 28 inches, using blue runners and pinfish for bait (see photo attached). We also caught sheepshead to 14 inches and seven keeper lane snapper on live shrimp.
It was very windy on Thursday, when I fished central Estero Bay. We caught two trout, one 17 ¾ inches and one 18 inches. We also caught three sheepshead ranging 13 to 14 inches, and one sand bream, all on live shrimp.
Friday was rainy and rough, following some heavy storms that moved through the area Thursday night, in advance of a cold front. I remained in port. On Saturday, I in the back-bay, toward Wiggins Pass. We caught keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead on live shrimp, and had a line cut once by something bigger.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 108
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 01, 2005 - 10:34 am: | |
I remained in port for a rainy Monday this week. Tuesday was still to rough to head offshore, so I fished in the back- bay with Bill Hoover, Ron & Ben Griggs, and friend, Joe. We caught and released ladyfish, big stingray, and small snook to 17 inches in some pretty muddy bay water.
Fishing Wednesday, about 17 miles out New Pass with live shrimp, we caught a mess of lane snapper and mangrove snapper, and released short grouper and sheepshead, as well as lots of blue runners. I am hoping the plentiful blue runners might be foretelling for the arrival of kingfish, now that the water is warming up.
Thursday, 8-16 miles out New Pass, it was rough and sloppy, with a stiff wind all ready blowing, preceding the arrival of our weekend cold front. We fished with live shrimp and cut-bait, and we caught lane snapper to 12 inches, a 22 inch Spanish mackerel, and released small gag and red grouper. The most exciting part of the day was when we got spooled by an eight to nine foot hammerhead shark, on an 80 lb. grouper rod. He ate a butterflied grunt, and I couldn’t pull anchor quite fast enough to prevent losing the line.
The Brad Hayes party fished the artificial reefs off Bonita with me on Friday. It was rough, even close in at the 5-mile reef, with 25 knot winds and 4 foot seas. We caught keeper sheepshead, mangrove snapper, lane snapper, flounder and Spanish mackerel. We also had a barracuda eat a mackerel we were reeling in, and fought him until he jumped off.
Predictions for Saturday are for rain and rough seas.
The attached photo is of a 17 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent backwater trip in Estero Bay.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 107
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 9:54 am: | |
I fished Monday, 3/14, in 42 feet, about 18 miles out of New Pass. We caught keeper lane snapper, mangrove snapper to 17 inches, and two keeper sheepshead.
Tuesday, fishing in 40 feet off New Pass, we caught a mess of 23 lane snapper, along with some grunts, and released grouper shorts.
I tried getting out Wednesday morning, hoping to beat the rough conditions forecast for later in the day. But, after taking 3 waves over the bow before we even got out of the pass, we decided to head back to shore. With rough conditions and a 90% chance of rain forecast for Thursday, I cancelled those offshore plans also.
I fished Friday at the Bonita reefs off New Pass with live shrimp. We caught nine sheepshead to 19 inches, mangrove snapper, two 22 inch Spanish mackerel, and released short gags. We hooked four goliaths, which bit larger fish on light tackle, and fought them until they won.
Saturday, we caught thirteen mangrove snapper to 20 inches, sheepshead to 19 inches, and released red grouper to 18 inches and gags to 21 inches, along with small mackerel, fishing in 42 feet, off New Pass.
Monday, 3/21, brought rough seas, and I cancelled my offshore plans. Tuesday, it was still sloppy offshore, with 3-4 foot seas. We caught keeper sheepshead, lane snapper and grunts, about 15 miles west of New Pass.
Wednesday was rough and rainy, and I remained in port. Thursday, I fished 17 miles out of New Pass in 38-45 feet. Using cut grunts, we caught twelve keeper lane snapper, and released gag grouper to 21 inches, just an inch below keeper size, and red grouper to 19 ½ inches, just ½ inch below legal size. We used live shrimp to catch fifteen mangrove snapper to 17 inches, and released small sheepshead.
Friday, I was hoping to get to the Ledge, but it was too rough, so we stayed near shore at the five-mile reef off Bonita Beach. We caught keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper, a 20 inch pompano, and one keeper flounder. We released grouper shorts.
Fishing at the Bonita reefs Saturday, we caught a 27 inch gag grouper, the first keeper gag I have seen in close in a while. He bit a blue runner. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper and sheepshead on live shrimp.
The photo attached is of a 6 lb. sheepshead we got on live shrimp, on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 106
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 10:09 am: | |
I fished Monday in 40 feet out of New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught a nice mess of lane snapper to a pound and a half and 12 inches, three mangrove snapper, 16, 17 and 18 inches, and three sheepshead 14, 17 and 18 inches. We released gag and red grouper shorts.
Weather kept me off the water Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday, I fished in 38 feet off New Pass.
Although seas were predicted to calm down, we faced 4 foot seas in. Closer in at the reefs, it was calmer, but too muddy for decent fishing there. We caught ten keeper lane snapper on live shrimp, and released grouper shorts.
The Gulf was still pretty sloppy on Friday, when I fished in 40 feet off New Pass. We caught keeper lane snapper, 17 inch mangrove snapper, and four sheepshead 18-19 inches, on live shrimp.
I ran into some 5 foot swells early Saturday, fishing in 40 feet off New Pass, but it calmed down some over the course of the morning. We keeper mangrove snapper to 17 inches, keeper lane snapper, and released grouper shorts and small sheepshead.
The attached photo is of some of the nice 17-18 inch mangrove snapper around this time of year. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 105
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 05, 2005 - 10:48 am: | |
After a blustery Sunday, small craft advisories remained in effect on Monday and Tuesday, and I again cancelled my offshore plans. Tides were so low in Estero Bay that the backwater fishing didn’t look real promising either.
Wednesday started out pretty rough, but with predictions for calming seas as the day progressed, we decided to brave it at the near shore reefs off Bonita Beach. We used live shrimp to catch eleven keeper sheepshead to 18 inches, and a 6 ½ pound black drum. We released a 30 inch bonnet shark, small snapper, a short red grouper, and grunts.
Thursday brought lots of wind and rain to the offshore waters, and choppy conditions persisted through Friday, so I remained in port those two days. Saturday, I finally fished again, in 40 feet, out of New Pass. We caught a mess of keeper lane snapper to 12 inches and keeper mangrove snapper, using live shrimp. We released grouper shorts.
The attached photo is of a 22 1/2 inch gag grouper and 18 inch mangrove snappers, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Post Number: 104
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 9:52 am: | |
I fished Monday in about 35 feet out of New Pass with live shrimp. We hooked up on something big for the first time in a couple of weeks—turned out to be a 45 pound black drum (photo attached). We also caught keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish and grunts, and released gag shorts.
Fishing Tuesday in 45 feet out of New Pass, we caught keeper mangrove snapper, porgies, grunts, and released small grouper. There was barely any tide movement, and fishing was a little slow, with lots of bites from smaller fish.
I fished Wednesday, in 35 to 45 feet out of New Pass, with live shrimp. We caught a nice mess of lane snapper, grunts, and keeper sheepshead. There was some light red tide to the south and west off Naples, but no dead fish around.
I fished Thursday, about 19 miles west of New Pass, in a new spot I scouted out earlier this week. We cleaned up on nice lane snapper—thirty of them about 13 inches, and caught four nice-sized porgies and fifteen big grunts. We released lots of gags to 18 inches, red grouper to fourteen inches, and lane snapper that we just did not need.
A rainy weather front predicted to come through overnight on Friday arrived early Friday morning, which cancelled Friday’s offshore plans.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 102
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 10:18 am: | |
Monday, I fished 18 miles out New Pass. We caught seventeen keeper mangrove snapper, five porkfish, and released lots of gag and red grouper just short of legal size.
Fishing in 35-40 feet out of New Pass Tuesday was slow, due to a slow running tide and flat conditions. We used shrimp and pinfish, but only released red grouper shorts and porgies.
Wednesday, I fished in 55 feet, 26 miles out of New Pass. There was a patch of Red Tide ten to twelve miles wide, and lots of dead fish around, but the fishing was pretty good, in spite of that. We got a mess of nice mangrove snapper, and some nice lanes about 13 inches. We released gag shorts.
We caught three keeper sheepshead and eight keeper mangrove snapper, fishing with me Thursday four to eighteen miles out of New Pass. Fishing was slow until the sea breeze picked up around 11:00AM. We released lots of smaller snapper, grunts, gags, red grouper, and sheepshead.
Fishing Friday, we started out at the reefs off Bonita Beach, where we caught five nice sheepshead and a few keeper mangrove snapper. We then went out further about eighteen miles out of New Pass, and caught some more keeper mangrove snapper, grunts and porgies, and released gag shorts.
With high seas well offshore on Saturday, I fished close-in at the Bonita reefs. We caught more keeper sheepshead and mangrove snapper, as well as grunts, and released small grouper and flounder.
The photo attached is of a pair of 5 lb. sheepshead, caught on a recent offshore trip. |
Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 101
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 11:47 am: | |
I fished Monday, starting out at the 240 Ledge, where we caught 25 mangrove snapper, porkfish, good-sized triggerfish, and released a small scamp. Other than the scamp, there wasn’t a grouper to be found out there. We moved in a little closer to a spot about 24 miles offshore, where we fished in 50 feet, and released lots of short gags, lots of mangrove snapper (we all ready had our limit), and hooked one keeper gag. Seems like the keeper grouper are way offshore recently, in depths of 80-100 feet.
Tuesday in 40 feet off New Pass, the bite was slow again, but we caught and released a hogfish, porgies, mangrove and lane snapper, grouper shorts and sheepshead.
I tried the reefs off Bonita Beach Wednesday. It was pretty slow there too. At least we caught dinner--mangrove snapper, grunts, porkfish-- and released gag shorts.
Thursday through Saturday brought a cold, windy front, with small craft advisories, so I stayed in port for yet another weekend.
The photo attached is of 3 gags we got on a recent offshore trip, before they disappeared.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 100
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 10:23 am: | |
I fished Tuesday in 35-40 feet off New Pass, where we caught four nice sheepshead to 20 inches, a hogfish, a mess of lane snapper, mangrove snapper, and released grouper shorts, using live shrimp and pinfish.
I fished Wednesday 36 miles off New Pass, west of Sanibel. We caught four limits of mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, and lots of porgies. We released gag grouper, red grouper and scamp shorts.
With a front predicted to kick up seas again Friday, Thursday was the “calm before the storm”—It was so calm on the gulf, with a slow tide, that fishing was a bit slow 17 miles off New Pass. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, whitebone porgies, porkfish, large triggerfish and a large white margate (a type of grunt), all on live shrimp.
The cold front brought high winds and seas back on Friday and Saturday, canceling my offshore plans.
The photo attached is of a 15 inch hogfish, caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 99
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2005 - 10:28 am: | |
We tried to get out on the bay Monday, but the winds and temps were just too brutal, so we nixed those plans.
Tuesday remained cold, but winds and seas had let up, so I headed offshore. We fished with live shrimp over live bottom in 39 feet, off New Pass. We caught seventeen nice mangrove snapper to 18 ½ inches. We didn’t catch a keeper grouper, but had fun with lots of gags to 21 inches and reds to 19 inches.
Fishing Wednesday in the same area, about 14 miles west of New Pass, with Frank and Mary Satchall, their son Bill, and his wife Kathy, we again caught mangrove snapper—a dozen of them about 15 inches, along with triggerfish and porkfish.
Thursday, fishing out of New Pass, we caught sheepshead, mangrove snapper and porgies, while I helped the new boat owners learn to use navigational and fishing equipment on their boat.
Fishing Estero Bay Friday was a bit slow in low water. We fished an outgoing tide by Wiggins Pass, where we released a 17 inch redfish, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper. We also hooked a snook, as a prelude to season opening this Tuesday.
The winds and seas kicked up Saturday, so I stayed closer to shore at the reefs off Bonita Beach. We caught six nice sheepshead, the largest of which was 6 pounds. We also caught keeper mangrove snapper, using live shrimp.
The photo attached is of a 25 inch gag grouper we got on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 98
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 22, 2005 - 10:10 am: | |
Tides were so low Monday, 1/10 and Tuesday, 1/11 that it was impossible to get my boat out. By Wednesday, the tide was barely high enough, but allowed me to get out New Pass and offshore, where I fished in 43 feet with live shrimp. We caught a limit of mangrove snapper, sheepshead to 14 inches, triggerfish and jolthead and whitebone porgies. By Thursday, winds were gusting to 33 mph, preceding a cold front that brought more wind, rain and rough seas through the weekend and early part of the following week.
The following Wednesday, I fished in 31 feet off New Pass, where we caught keeper mangrove snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish and sheepshead on live shrimp. We hooked and released lots of gag and red grouper shorts.
Thursday, I fished Estero Bay. We had a great day with sheepshead, catching 11 keepers, five of which were over 5 pounds. We also caught a 20 inch keeper redfish, and we released five sea trout that would have been keepers, had they been in season. We used live shrimp for all.
Fishing on Friday, 20 miles out New Pass in 49 feet, we caught fifteen nice mangrove snapper to eighteen inches, a keeper gag grouper at 22 ½ inches, whitebone porgies, and a 15 inch sheepshead, using live shrimp and pinfish. We released smaller snapper and grouper.
Fishing was kind of slow Saturday morning, 18 miles out of New Pass. We got a couple of sheepshead, 15 inches each, keeper mangrove snapper, triggerfish, porkfish, and grunts.
The photo attached is of anglers Mark Gordon Sr. and Jr. and Justin Elias with 3 keeper gag grouper caught on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
New member
Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 97
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 07, 2005 - 10:09 am: | |
I fished over live bottom off Bonita Beach Monday, in 40 feet, with live shrimp. We caught a keeper gag grouper at 25 inches, a 15 inch hogfish, and ten mangrove snapper to 15 inches. We released short gag and red grouper a Spanish mackerel, and one of the largest grunts I’ve seen.
Tuesday, I fished in 43 feet off New Pass. We caught nine nice mangrove snapper to 18 ½ inches, sheepshead to 17 inches, and released lots of porgies, gags to 21 inches, and red grouper to 18 inches.
Thursday, fishing in 43 feet west of New Pass we caught a nice variety of fish on live shrimp. We got three keeper gag grouper, two at 23 inches and one at 24 inches. We also caught mangrove snapper to 15 inches, three keeper sheepshead at 14, 15 and 17 inches, a 14 inch yellowtail and thirteen keeper lane snapper. We released jolthead and whitebone porgies, red grouper to 19 inches, and two hogfish, which were females.
The photo attached is of a 24 inch gag (and a porgie) we got on a recent offshore trip out of New Pass.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 96
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 31, 2004 - 7:46 am: | |
Having cancelled several trips due to rough seas and high winds, I finally ventured offshore again Tuesday. Forecasts called for less wind, and seas of 2-3 feet. With tides at dead low, we ran aground a couple of times just getting out through the channel, then got wet in 3-4 foot seas only 8 miles off Naples. We caught lane snapper and grunts, before calling it a day. It was definitely not ideal conditions.
Wednesday was a better day, with the tide a bit higher, and seas calmed to 2-3 feet. I fished 18 miles west of New Pass, using live shrimp. We had good success with gag grouper, landing 3 keepers, 22 1’2 inch, 23 inch and 26 inch. We also got some decent sized keeper lane snapper and mangrove snapper, and we released porgies, grunts, and red and gag grouper shorts.
I fished again Thursday in 45 feet, 19 miles west of New Pass. We got another keeper gag grouper at 23 inches, and lanes and mangrove snapper to 15 inches, using live shrimp and cut-bait. By Friday, rain and seas were building offshore again for the New Years' weekend, so I stayed in port.
The photo attached is of a 50+ lb. goliath grouper released on a recent offshore trip.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 95
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 24, 2004 - 4:20 am: | |
Last week was good for snapper, with mangroves to 16 inches and lots of keeper lanes. One day out there was particularly good for gag grouper too.
Monday, with small craft and heavy surf advisories issued, I cancelled my offshore trip. I braved the cold and some residual rough seas Tuesday morning, 12/21. The air temperature warmed up nicely by about 11:00 AM, but the water temperature was around 60 degrees. We used live shrimp to catch two keeper sheepshead, keeper mangrove and lane snapper, and a bluefish, at the artificial reefs off Bonita Beach.
Wednesday, I fished 19 miles west of New Pass. We had a productive half-day of fishing, with three keeper gag grouper, 24 inches, 26 inches, and 29 inches (see attached photo). We caught the 24 incher on a live shrimp, on light tackle. We were reeling in a snapper when a larger gag attacked it, so I grabbed the big pole (heavy tackle), hooked an 11 inch snapper on it, and we caught the 26 inch gag on it. We got that one boated, dropped the same snapper bait over, and got the 29 inch gag. We also got some nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, and some large whitebone porgies. We released about twenty grouper shorts between 18 and 21 inches.
With action like we had Wednesday, I was dying to get back out there Thursday, but Mother Nature threw me a curve. The cold front predicted to arrive late in the day, arrived earlier, and I awoke to small craft advisories, and a radar that showed stormy conditions 20-30 miles offshore. I had to ditch the trip, in the interests of safety. The weather outlook wasn’t too good for the entire holiday weekend.
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Captain Dave Hanson (Fishbuster)
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Username: Fishbuster
Post Number: 93
Registered: 8-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 03, 2004 - 11:52 am: | |
I fished Monday, 19 out of New Pass, with live bait. We caught a keeper gag grouper at 23 inches, and released lots of gags in the 18-19 inch range. We caught a limit off nice sized mangrove snapper to 18 inches, two keeper lane snapper, a 16 inch mutton snapper, and porgies. We had some arm-straining excitement too, as we were broken off twice by goliath grouper, and also fought a shark (couldn’t tell if it was a lemon or a bull) for about 35 minutes. The shark ate one of the fish we were reeling in, and was as long as my boat is wide, which would make him 8 or 9 feet.
Tuesday, I fished in 47 feet off New Pass. We caught seven mangrove snapper, a keeper yellowtail snapper, two good sized whitebone porgies, and released about fifty gag and red grouper shorts, fishing with live shrimp and cut-bait. We fished again out that way Wednesday. It was very calm, and the bite was slow about 30 miles west of New Pass, where we caught some keeper lane snapper. We moved in a few miles closer to shore, and caught more keeper lanes. We released a nurse shark. We lost two big grouper that wouldn’t bite on heavy tackle, preferring to break us off on our light tackle rigs!
I fished Thursday at the reefs off Bonita, with live shrimp. We caught a 24 inch gag grouper, two flounder 14 inches and 16 inches, lane snapper, Spanish mackerel, triggerfish and grunts.
What a difference a day makes—Friday, I headed about 19 miles out of New Pass, expecting to have 2-3 foot seas, but it was very rough out there, in advance of our weekend cold-front. We had to fish a good while before we hooked up on anything, but we ended up catching some decent mangrove snapper and large porgies, and we released grouper shorts to 19 inches. The photo attached is of a red grouper we caught on a pinfish 11-21.
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any name (Unregistered Guest)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 21, 2004 - 2:51 pm: | |
I fished 5-6 miles off North Naples on thursday (Nov.18) and caught 2 keeper gag grouper, lost a third boatside, 3 lemon sharks to 4 feet and trolled up a decent sized king mackerel on a deep running plug. |
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