Fishbuster Charters’ Captain Dave Hanson reported,"Monday, 2/24 was a beautiful day for fishing but, unfortunately, as happens rarely, but a couple times each season, my fishing clients cancelled their trip at the last minute, and I was unable to re-schedule the date with anyone on our cancellation list, at such short notice...hope the weather holds for the rest of the week!
Tuesday, 2/25, I fished in the backwaters along the channel toward Wiggins Pass with long-time customers, the Heimrich family. Jeff, wife Beth, seven-year-old Maddie (who prefers to be called “Maddawg” ;-) and five-year-old Tanner used live shrimp to catch four nice sheepshead, ranging in size from 14 to 17 ˝ inches. They also caught fifteen mangrove snapper, including three keepers to 14 inches. They released a 20-inch snook, a 16 ˝-inch redfish, and a stingray.
Jeannine Lamb and Kathy Kunce fished central Estero Bay with me on Wednesday, 2/26. They caught and released two 17-inch redfish and a stingray, and boxed a brace of 14-inch pompano, all on live shrimp.
Thursday, some rain moved through our area, with an approaching cool front, in the early morning hours. I had planned to charter a customer’s boat that day, but with an uncertain time-line on the weather front, he chose to cancel that trip. As it turned out, it probably would have been a decent day offshore. Sometimes, it is difficult to make the call in advance.
Friday, 2/28, I fished with Jim McGrath and Bill Crockett, who fish with me several times each February and March. This time, Jim brought his son, Steve, along. We fished at the near-shore reefs off Bonita Beach, using live shrimp to catch five keeper sheepshead to 15 inches, three 20-inch Spanish mackerel, and a 16-inch pompano.
The guys released lots of mangrove snapper shorts, along with a dozen crevalle jacks, blue runners and ladyfish.
Leonard Kottman, nine year-old son, Jack, and brother-in-law, Mike, fished the near-shore reefs with me Saturday morning, 3/1, where they used live shrimp to catch seven keeper sheepshead to 16 inches, and released eight mangrove snapper shorts. Jack also had an interesting encounter with a remora, which he posed with for a picture."