Southwest Florida anglers were finally fortunate enough to catch a respectable weather window between fronts.
The calm conditions allowed the seas to settle, water to clear/warm and the bites began to come back to speed. The results were solid catches recorded, both shallow and deep, along with perhaps one less trip to the chiropractor or fish market.
Settled seas made for smooth commutes out beyond the horizon and onto the grouper grounds. Red grouper remains the top target for those venturing into the offshore water with depths ranging from 85 to 125 feet producing best results.
Anchoring and drifting over natural hard bottom features while deploying palm-sized pinfish, 3- to 5-ounce metal jigs and large chunk baits rigged on circle hooks have been the most efficient methods for limits of the region’s popular offshore reef fish species.
At the same range and depth, slightly turbid water quality is fueling outstanding snapper catches for anglers strategically anchoring over and around limestone ledges and less-pressured artificial substrate. While heavy chumming tactics using frozen block and fresh ground formulas has the snapper fired up, presentation and angling technique remain paramount to procuring good catches.
Last week’s report: Southwest Florida Fishing Report: Frigid temperatures making it difficult for anglers
Two weeks ago: Southwest Florida Fishing Report: Anglers facing typical January weather challenges
The report three weeks back: Southwest Florida Fishing Report: Anglers waiting for waters to calm following strong front
Light 10- to 12-pound class spinning outfits rigged with liberal lengths of 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon leader material are standard outfits for targeting Gulf snapper. Rigged on the business end of the leader and employed with great success can be a ½-ounce jig head, small-profile metal jig or light wire circle hook baited with live/cut fresh shrimp, live sardines or small strips of squid.
Anglers constructing their snapper setups in a stealth manner utilizing the least amount of weight will score limits of yellowtail, lane, vermillion, mutton and mangrove catches with consistency.
Closer to shore and in the shallows, the speckled trout bite has been outstanding throughout all the reporting regions. During all phases of the tide and within areas of the cleanest water has been producing the best action. Mixed in with the specks, anglers can expect a winter array of silver/sand trout, ladyfish, jack crevalle, pompano and whiting.
There are several techniques and as many locations to prospect for speckled trout. A member of the drum family, specks bunch up or school in aggregate over grass flats, along channel edges, deeper mangrove shorelines and within island cuts. Jigs, flies, live sardines/shrimp rigged on light tackle and presented throughout the entire water column will trigger aggressive strikes.
The overall forecast ahead looks respectable with brief periods of moderate wind. However, forecasts are predictions utilizing many sources of data and models and are often subject to change. Always check the latest updates, real-time observations and listen to your captain before departure.
Offshore: Aboard his Port O Call Marina-based charter boat the A & B, Capt. Bobby Nagaj and first mate Minel Baez have been venturing out as much as the conditions have allowed. Prior to and now in between weather systems, Nagaj reports that the bottom fishing has been active on his half-day trips and better on full-day outings.
On half-day excursions, Nagaj is concentrating his Gulf efforts over natural hard bottom areas in the 12- to 15-mile range. In these areas, aggressively moving to stay on the bite, Nagaj and crew are bailing good numbers of lane snapper, white grunts and a variety of catch and release sharks.
Full-day excursions are allowing the A & B crew to comfortably push out to water depths greater than 90 feet. Anchoring over select natural hard bottom features, limits of red grouper, mangrove snapper and jumbo porgies have made their way into the fish box. Cut squid, herring and large jigs have been Nagaj’s baits of choice.
Naples/Estero Bay: Aboard my Port O Call Marina-based guide boat the Grand Slam, the calm weather between fronts has allowed my angling groups to tap into several active light tackle inshore bites. While areas of the inshore remain slightly turbid, there are plenty of locales that have vastly improved since the last powerful frontal system.
Anchoring up and casting live shrimp rigged on a light pinch weight/circle hook combination has kept the rods bent with sheepshead, redfish and black drum. This trio of wintertime species have been schooling over and around oyster bars, residential docks and rock piles.
Drifting and casting a wide variety of jigs has been effective in hooking limits of speckled trout, pompano and tasty whiting. Cool water has these species staging up in the lower half of the water column therefore requiring a low and slow retrieval technique.
Ten Thousand Islands: “Fishing between fronts has been active here in the upper Ten Thousand Islands,” Goodland-based Capt. Paul Nocifora said. “The warm-up and clean-up have been helpful.”
Recent placid days have found Nocifora plying shallow back bays and coves in search of wintertime snook and redfish. Sunning themselves over the darker bottom or slowly cruising the shoreline, the popular game fish becomes the perfect target to present a fly to. Casting light-colored small pattern baitfish imitations, Nocifora’s casters are hooking up to winter snook in the 5- to 12-pound class and redfish of all sizes up to 33 inches.
Nocifora has also been working structure-laden mangrove shorelines with a dark-colored Lightbulb pattern during high water periods. The result of mainly blind casting toward down deadwood and into small root pockets has been more redfish, aggressive mangrove snapper and larger rogue speckled trout.
If you have a report to share email captwill@naplessportfishing.com.
Anglers, email your photos to news@naplesnews.com and we will compile your images into an online gallery that’s featured each Thursday morning at www.naplesnews.com. Do not submit photos of fish caught illegally.
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