Fishing Report: Snook season to open next week

By JOHN PREEG, Captjohnpreeg@aol.com

January 28, 2005

As cold as the weather has been, it wouldn't seem to matter that snook season opens this week, but surprisingly, there have been some outstanding snook catches reported. Even with water temperatures in the lower 60's, several guides landed good numbers of fish with several in the slot or larger. With no fronts predicted and water and air temperatures rising, this winter's snook season could be a very good one.

Trout and pompano have also been very active. Waters should be clear by the weekend, and all of the grass beds will hold fish. Best areas will be the shoals south of Cape Romano and the grasses of Estero Bay and Pine Island Sound. Mackerel and bluefish will be mixed with the trout.

NAPLES — Capt. Steve Westervelt fished with Bill Forte on Sunday right before the cold front, and they were pleasantly surprised by the snook action. Forte landed 30 snook with four of the fish in the slot. The only other fish that they caught were one redfish and one sheepshead. On Saturday, Westervelt had fished the same spot and landed three keeper snook and 25 smaller fish.

Westervelt said that besides the snook action, it has been a fairly typical winter fishery. There are a lot of trout being caught in Rookery and Addison's Bays, some pompano in the passes, and sheepshead and snapper in the channels. Westervelt has been using live shrimp for bait.

MARCO ISLAND — Capt. Larry Regienczuk said that the fishing south of Goodland was excellent on Tuesday. The water was fairly clear, and although it was cold in the morning, it warmed up nicely in the afternoon. The warmer the day got, the better the fishing became.

Regienczuk fished with Ron and Jeff Hinkle, and they landed 20 legal trout, three snook, three pompano and many ladyfish and snapper.

Regienczuk said that before the last front, there were live baits in the area, and he expects these baits to return this week, and the snook action should be good by the weekend.

EVERGLADES CITY — Capt. Shane Miller fished the morning incoming tide on Sunday using live pilchards for bait, and he landed 20 snook up to 31 inches. Five of the fish were in the slot.

In the afternoon, Miller fished the outside and added more than 30 keeper trout to his catch with two of the trout measuring over 22 inches.

Miller said that even with the cold weather, the fishing has been very good between the fronts. There have been very few fishermen on the water, and this has made the fishing just that much better.

WIGGINS PASS — Capt. Lindy Yow fished the backwaters around Bonita Springs last Saturday, and his party landed a variety of fish including four sea trout to 24 inches, eight sheepshead, four redfish to 26 inches, several snook and numerous small snapper. Yow said that the wind and extremely low tide seemed to offer unfavorable conditions, but the fish were simply very hungry.

OFFSHORE — Capt. Dave Hanson has had to pick his days in order to get out between the fronts and rough seas. On the days that he has managed to get out, snapper have been the surest catch. A few keeper gag grouper have been boated and an assortment of porgies, sheepshead, and triggerfish has combined to fill the cooler.

Hanson is hoping that this week's more stable conditions will increase the offshore possibilities.

FRESHWATER — Capt. Lee Boyd said that it is a good week for panfishing. Bluegill and brim have moved onto the beds and can be caught throughout the local area in the canals and around the weirs.

The canal along state road 29 is especially good. Boyd advises to look for sandy or rocky areas where the water is running.

Bass fishing is also very good. Most of the fish have been small, but the big females should move up onto the beds under this week's full moon.