I spoke with Ken at Master Bait & Tackle in Bonita Springs today. He was telling me that snapper fishing is excellent on reefs and ledges about 13 miles offshore. Anchor on your spot, chum heavily, then drop a pinfish of shrimp into the slick to catch lane, mangrove, and yellowtail snapper. Pinfish will move in and steal your bait before the snapper have a chance to get to it, so if they show up, pull anchor and try another spot. Good numbers of large grouper are being caught by those willing to run 80 miles offshore. Calm summertime seas make the trip easy on your body but high fuel prices make it hard on your wallet. If you can afford to go, look for the grouper on ledges and hard bottom. Snook fishing is great on the beaches. A large pinfish or top water plug will catch snook. Remember that snook season is closed, so bend down the barbs on your hooks, land the fish as quickly as is possible, and spend extra time reviving your snook before releasing it. A few tarpon are being caught blue crabs and pass crabs are the best baits. A few spanish mackerel are being caught on the beach and in the bays and passes. Live bait, small silver spoons, and Got-Cha Plugs will catch spanish. Redfish are laying in deep holes in the backwaters. If you know where the holes are at you can catch lots of reds on shrimp, gold spoons, and cut bait. Speckled trout fishing is very good on the deeper grass flats. A live shrimp under a popping cork will catch good numbers of large trout. For more information contact;
Master Bait & Tackle
239-992-2553
4465 Bonita Beach Rd
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
www.masterbaitonline.com/
