SW FL-Bonita Beach: Bonito, Grouper, Snapper, Sheepshead (Inshore & Off)
Monday, 2/23 brought yet another windy start to this week. I headed out of new Pass with Jim Sistek, his son, Jim Jr., grandson and friend, Frank, in what was predicted to be two-to-three foot seas. We were barely out of the pass before we were contemplating turning back because of strong northerly winds and rough seas. But the wind calmed a little bit and allowed us to get to some live bottom in about 30 feet. We used live shrimp and caught eight keeper mangrove snapper, nine sheepshead to 20 inches, and some grunts. We also caught what would have been a keeper gag grouper, at 23 inches, but we had to release that one due to extended closed season. We also released lots of gag and red grouper shorts, porkfish, triggerfish and small snapper, along with a fourteen-pound goliath grouper and an eleven-pound bonito.
I delayed heading offshore by about an hour Tuesday, with Ron Musick, Dick Arnett and friends, Eddie, Larry & Bob, in order to give the winds a chance to decrease a little. The windy-morning, calmer-afternoon pattern of Monday was duplicated Tuesday. It was still pretty sloppy when we headed out, but we were able to get out from New Pass about 19 miles, where we caught keeper mangrove snapper to 15 inches, porgies and grunts. We released lots of grouper shorts and triggerfish.
Relief from rough seas came on Wednesday, when I fished inshore with Alene Haug, her son, Scott Kempfort, her mother, Carrie, and friends Doug & Cathy. We used live shrimp on oyster-bottom and caught five keeper sheepshead to 16 ½ inches. We released smaller sheepshead and snapper.
Fishing at the near-shore reefs off Bonita Beach Thursday with Ed & Margie Bock, we caught five nice sheepshead to 18 ½ inches, along with half a dozen keeper mangrove snapper. We released lots of smaller snapper and sheepshead, with an active bite all morning.
I fished central Estero Bay Friday with Joe Burgert, son Max, and friend, Jim Gunz. We caught six keeper sheepshead to 16 inches, along with a keeper mangrove snapper, and we released a 17 ¾ inch redfish, just ¼ inch lacking for keeper-size. We also released smaller sheepshead and crevalle jack.
Saturday morning, I fished 19 miles out of New Pass with Earl Meturfman and friends. We had lots of action all morning, but that included a lot of grouper and snapper shorts that we released. We ended up with two keeper mangrove snapper, three sheepshead to 18 inches, and whitebone porgies to 14 inches, all on live shrimp.
The photo shown is of angler, Ron Musick, with an 18 inch mangrove snapper, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.
Ft. Pierce Inshore - Offshore Report
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
INSHORE - There has been plenty of action on the bottom with sheepshead and black drum on just about any structure you can fish. A live shrimp or a small crab are the best baits to use. The local bridges are the place to be if you want sandperch. They have been feeding on both live and fresh dead shrimp. The spanish mackerel and bluefish have been on the Turning Basin and in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Try a 1&1/2 oz. sliver spoon for these two fish. I have gotten reports about snook and flounder from anglers fishing the South Jetty. These fish have been taking a live shrimp fished on the bottom with a 1/4oz trol-rite hook. Also, plenty of spanish mackerel, jacks, bluefish, whiting and a few pompano in the surf.
OFFSHORE - The only offshore reports came from last weekend with scattered dolphin in 180 feet of water and they were hitting a pink/white skirted ballyhoo. A few rays were spotted and they were holding a couple of small cobia. Most of the cobia were caught on a Cobia Slayer jig. The bottom fishing for snapper, black sea bass, sheepshead and black drum has been good over the reefs in 15 to 30 feet of water. Most of the fish were caught on live shrimp. And, along the beaches there are spanish mackerel, jacks and bluefish.
JUNIOR TEEN ANGLERS - The next from shore fishing tournament for the Treasure Coast Chapter of Junior Teen Anglers will take place next Saturday — March 7th at Harbour Pointe Park in Ft. Pierce. If our child is between the ages of 5 and 11 years old and you would like for them to fish you can go to the website at www.teenanglers.org and sign them up. You can also call 772-201-5773 for more info.
BRAGGING BOARD - Last Saturday night Carroll Quinby caught and released a 44 inch snook that weighed 35 pounds. He was fishing in the Ft. Pierce Inlet and using a Red Tail Hawk. Last Saturday Jack & James Murray and their grandfather went out with me again and Jack had the biggest fish – a 7lb. black drum. They also caught several more black drum, 4 nice sheepshead and a handful of spanish mackerel. Dave Collingwood caught a 39 inch grouper that weighed 13 pounds. He was fishing to the north in the river and using live shrimp.
If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe’s River Charters
SW FL-Bonita Beach: Snapper, Sheepshead, Hogfish & Porgies (the new grouper)
With a small craft caution in effect Monday, I didn’t venture too far from shore with Ron Baldwin and friends. Seas were three feet even close-in at the three-mile reef and winds were twenty knots. We caught five keeper mangrove snapper and five keeper sheepshead and a few grunts.
Tuesday brought persistent winds, but their easterly direction made seas a little calmer than they were the day before, at least near-shore. I fished at the Wiggins Reef with Tom Batchelor, Lee Larsen, Bud Glazer and Steve Sidlik. We used live shrimp to bag eight sheepshead to 16 inches and a dozen keeper mangrove snapper. We released grouper, snapper and triggerfish shorts.
Andy Ungar, son Dave, and family friend, Tony Pastore fished with me Wednesday on a slow tide with no observable movement whatsoever. Those conditions made for a slow bite and we headed out farther to get into some fish, finally finding some about 29 miles out of New Pass. There, using live shrimp, we caught and released hundreds of red grouper shorts, some gag grouper, bluefish and amberjacks. We kept six lane snapper and a mangrove snapper, a 16 inch sheepshead and some good-sized grunts.
Thursday, I had planned to fish well offshore on a customer’s boat, but the timing on the weather-front predicted was unclear, and seas of three to five feet were predicted as the result of a windy front. I was afraid to risk running way out in the morning just to have seas get to rough to tolerate a little while later. So I made a judgment call to nix that trip. I ended up fishing in the backwaters of Estero Bay that morning with Jim Warner and son, Michael. We caught five sheepshead to 17 inches, a keeper flounder and a keeper mangrove snapper, all on shrimp.
Mike and Lea Conneally and friend, Bob Walz, fished on a windy Friday morning with me in Estero Bay, where we could avoid the rough seas predicted offshore for that day. We used live shrimp to catch four nice sheepshead to 17 inches and we released smaller sheepshead, along with a 20 inch snook, a 22 inch snook and a 17 ¾ inch redfish.
Saturday morning, seas were predicted to be two to three feet, but I encountered four footers all the way out to 19 miles from New Pass, where I fished with Pete Gonzales, his son, Tony, and friend, Norman Ayer. There was a stuff 20 knot wind early on, but things started to calm down later in the morning. We caught seven nice mangrove snapper to 18 inches, a 14 inch hogfish, four porkfish and a few grunts. We released triggerfish and dozens of red and gag grouper to 21 inches.
The photo shown is of angler, Dick Arnett, with a 17 inch porgie, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip. With more restrictive grouper regulations in place, many anglers have acquired a new respect for porgies—their meat makes for excellent table-fare.
Ft. Pierce Inshore - Offshore Report
FEBRUARY 19, 2009
INSHORE - The inshore fishing was good over the weekend and during the first part of the week — before all the wind started. The best action has been from the sheepshead and black drum and they have been holding along the channel edges, around the docks and area bridges. The best baits have been live shrimp or small crabs. The trout fishing has been hit or miss but, try the area’s around the deeper ends of the sandbars and along the grass flats and the key is fishing in 3 to 5 feet of water and use a live shrimp. The snook fishing has been steady with most of the fish reported being too big or to small. The keeper’s that were reported came from anglers fishing in the Ft. Pierce Inlet and using live baits.
OFFSHORE - Only a few days with good sea conditions this week. Reports of scattered dolphin in 180 to 250 feet of water and they were taking ballyhoo. The kingfish remain in 60 to 80 feet of water and are taking a slow trolled live bait or a trolling spoon. Along the beaches look for plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish. The shallower reefs in 15 to 30 feet of water have been producing plenty of sheepshead and black drum. The bottom fishing over the deeper wrecks and reefs have been producing some snapper, black sea bass and a few grouper.
TEEN ANGLERS - This Sunday — February 22nd will be the next inshore fishing tournament for the Treasure Coast Chapter of Teen Anglers. The Teen’s will meet at Jaycee Park and fish from 6:45am until noon. We will award trophies and prizes in the middle & high school divisions. If you would like to volunteer to take a Teen fishing or if you just want more info on joining Teen Anglers — go to the web at www.teenanglers.org
BRAGGING BOARD - On Friday the 13th James Murray went on a charter with me along with his grandfather and uncle and he caught most of the fish. He caught and released 13 short grouper, a couple of sheepshead, a spanish mackerel and a 6lb. 2oz. black drum. Last Saturday Nancy LeRoy was on a charter with me and caught a 26 inch grouper. She and her friend — Mike Hunyady also caught several nice sheepshead and snapper. We were using live shrimp. On Tuesday of this week I had Jim & Barbara Flynn and their daughter Cathy on the boat. They all caught a good number of sheepshead with several going over 3 pounds. Also, on Tuesday Dave Collingwood & Wayne Wilson caught their share of nice sheepshead. They were fishing to the south in the river and using live shrimp.
If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe’s River Charters
SW FL-Bonita Beach: Red & Scamp Grouper, Hogfish & Snapper
The easterly wind on Monday, 2/9, laid the seas down nicely well offshore in 45 feet out of New Pass, where I fished with Ward Wester and his dad, Loren. We caught a keeper 23 inch red grouper (red grouper are still in season-see photo), a keeper hogfish at 13 inches, seven nice mangrove snapper to 16 inches, some good-sized porgies, porkfish and grunts, all on shrimp. We also released a 2o inch true black grouper, along with gag and red grouper shorts.
Ron Musick, Dick Arnett and Eddie Alfonso fished with me, using live shrimp, 37 miles out of New Pass on Tuesday. We caught a 23 inch gag grouper, which we had to release due to new regulations, and making the third one caught and released in a week…frustrating, but we were compensated with a 17 inch keeper scamp grouper, a dozen mangrove snapper to 15 inches, seven porgies to 18 inches and several big grunts. We released lots of gag and red grouper shorts, as well as twelve lesser amberjacks to 20 inches.
Mandy Conneally, boyfriend, Brian, and friend, Andy fished with me Wednesday, over live bottom fourteen miles west of New Pass, where winds and seas were building all morning, enough that we took a wave completely over the bow on the way in. But the morning was productive for snapper, with a dozen of those to fourteen inches, along with some large grunts and porkfish, all caught on shrimp. We released triggerfish and red and gag grouper shorts.
Thursday morning, seas were flat and the weather was perfect. I headed out of New Pass with Bob Graham, daughter Jennifer Ness, son-in-law, Ryan Ness and seven-year-old grandson, Graham Ness. As soon as we got to the pass, we were met with dense fog, but once that lifted, we had a good morning of fishing with live shrimp, about fourteen miles west of New Pass. We caught two keeper lane snapper, eight keeper mangrove snapper, and ten good-sized grunts. We released smaller snapper and grouper.
I had an unanticipated day off on Friday, due to a last minute cancellation that came in too late to allow me to rebook the day for someone else who wanted to fish this week. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often, but it is a shame when it does, especially during peak-season.
Saturday, the morning looked good, without the fog that hung around most of Friday morning. But by 11:00AM, that fog was rolling backing. I was able to navigate out in clear skies, however, to about twenty miles off Bonita Beach with Garry Jacobson, son Chuck, grandson Grayson, and family friend, Tom Batchelor. We used shrimp to catch ten nice mangrove snapper keepers to 17 ½ inches, none smaller than 14 inches. We also caught three hogfish, two of which were keepers at 15 inches, and a few large porgies to 16 inches. We released grouper shorts, triggerfish and porkfish, before heading back to shore in thickening fog.
Ft. Pierce Inshore - Offshore Report
FEBRUARY 13, 2009
INSHORE - There has been a lot of action this week with the wind changing direction and laying down some. Starting with the bottom fishing — plenty of black drum, sheepshead, spanish mackerel, and a few croakers around the area bridges. Let’s not forget the sand perch as they have been a main stay for the bridges anglers. All of these fish are taking both live and frozen shrimp. Look for plenty of spanish mackerel, bluefish and jacks around the Turning Basin and in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. A 1 to 1&1/2 ounce silver spoon will work the best. The trout action has also picked up both to the north and south in the river. Try using a soft plastic baits like a D.O.A. shrimp, flats candy or a C.A.L.bait. Don’t forget the old stand by — a live shrimp fished under a popping cork in 2 to 4 feet of water. Snook fishing has been on the slow side for slot size fish. I have been getting reports about a lot of over and under size snook being caught in the Turning Basin and around the local bridges on live baits.
OFFSHORE - The offshore conditions have not been ideal but I am getting reports of scattered dolphin in 140 to 200 feet of water and the fish were caught on ballyhoo. Want a kingfish? Try fishing in 60 to 90 feet of water just to the north of the Ft. Pierce Inlet and troll a ribbonfish or slow troll a live blue runner. Look for the bottom action to remain steady for sea bass, sheepshead, triggerfish and a few snapper on the shallow reefs. Out deeper over the reefs and wrecks a few nice grouper have been reported. There are still plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish along the beaches. Also, a few pompano and a good number of whiting in the surf.
TEEN ANGLERS - The next inshore fishing tournament for the Treasure Coast Chapter of Teen Anglers will be held next Sunday — February 22nd at Jaycee Park in Ft. Pierce. The Teen’s will fish from 6:45am until noon and then we will award trophies. For more info on Teen Anglers just go to the web at www.teenanglers.org
BRAGGING BOARD - On Friday - Feb. 6th — Jim Flynn, Dave Collingwood & Wayne Wilson had a great day of fishing. They caught a good number of nice sized black drum and croakers. They were using live shrimp. On Thursday of this week Carey Drake caught and released a nice 25 inch snook while fishing in the Ft. Pierce Inlet. He was using hand picked shrimp.
If you would like to report a catch you can e-mail me at cward11605@aol.com or call me at 772-201-5770. You can also reach me on the web at www.captjoeward.com
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe’s River Charters
SW FL-Bonita Beach: Cryin’ Over Gagg; Settling for Sheepshead, Snapper & Trout
Monday, 2/2/09, I fished near-shore at the six-mile reefs off Bonita Beach with Larry Dahlstrom and friends. We debated a while over whether to go or not, with rain predicted to usher in our next cold front and with rough conditions to follow. But it looked as though we’d have a only a light drizzle at worst in the morning and that the worst weather would hold off until afternoon. We decided to head to the reefs, close in enough that we could make a quick run back for the dock, if necessary. We did, in fact, get that light drizzle we expected and seas were 3 foot or so even at the reefs, and building by the time we came in. But we did well with sheepshead, catching seven of those to 21 ¾ inches, along with three keeper mangrove snapper, all on shrimp. For the first time in a while, we caught two keeper-sized gag grouper in near-shore waters, each 24 inches, and both having to be released, due to new regulations that close gag season from February 1st through March 31st…so we shed a few tears and threw them back.
The winds and seas roared Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the mercury slipped down into the thirties. The bay was pretty shallow on Friday, but I managed to find a few spots to fish with Leeds Hutchinson, son Bill, and grandchildren, Tim and Ruth-Ann. We caught a 16 inch trout, three keeper sheepshead and released twenty-five small snapper. Eleven-year-old Ruth-Ann was keeping a close count on her hook-ups and was proud to declare seventeen.
Saturday morning, I fished at the reefs off of Bonita Beach with Bob Colangelo and son, Peter Butcher, Frank Vayda and friends. The water temperature was only 59 degrees and the bite was kind of slow, not to mention the goliath grouper pests that tried to compete with us for fish. But we managed to catch five keeper sheepshead to 15 inches and we released a 26 inch snook that Peter caught on live shrimp. We also released a lot of small snapper.
The photo shown is of young angler, Max Shaffran, with a 17 inch sheepshead, caught on shrimp on a recent trip that was Max’s first ever fishing expedition.
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Fishing Blog- Web Updates - Nov. 4, 2009
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- Salmo Hornet Review - Salmo Lures
- Shrimp Tease Review - Creme Lures
- Killer Diller Shrimp Review - Creme Lures
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