Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, "Monday, 3/7, father and son team, Harry and Bill Easom had planned to fish all day in the backwaters, but the tide was low, and the winds were whipping at about 25 knots—It was tough to anchor and tough to fish, so we decided to get the most out of the best tide, and then call it a day. We fished at the south end of Ft. Myers Beach, but the deeper holes there had two foot seas—yes, even in the bay. The guys used live shrimp to catch three sheepshead to 18 inches, and they released four stingray.

Tuesday morning, 3/8, didn’t appear too windy at first, but there was a small craft caution in effect for the early morning. In actuality, it got rougher later in the morning than it was initially. Hardy Texans, father and son Cameron Hickman and Cameron, Jr. fished twenty miles offshore with me in two to four foot seas, mostly fours. It was tough to anchor, but we managed okay, and the guys caught three keeper lane snapper and three mangrove snapper keepers to 14 inches, along with three porgies, two porkfish, and a 12-inch grunt. They released four mangrove snapper shorts, as well as lots of red grouper shorts to 19 ½ inches.

Winds and seas continued to build, and there was no way I was advising Ernie Bedford and Mark Krueger to go offshore on Wednesday morning, 3/9. I suggested we fish in the backwaters, which we did in various spots of Estero Bay, staying as sheltered as possible from the wind. The guys did well, using live shrimp to box four keeper trout to 18 inches and four keeper sheepshead between 14 and 19 inches each. They released six additional sheepshead, most of which were keeper size, but the guys had no need for that many fish. They also released four stingray, a lady fish, and a few crevalle jacks.

Jim McGrath and Bill Crockett, who book several trips with me each winter season, have only gone offshore with me once this season, thanks to numerous days of high winds and seas. Friday, 3/11, was no exception. With winds blowing hard once again, we opted to fish the backwaters of upper Estero Bay, where the guys used live shrimp to catch four keeper sheepshead to 15 inches. They released a 16-inch trout, a ladyfish, and six smaller sheepshead.


Saturday morning, 3/12, I fished 22 miles west of New Pass with Mike Wickman and his friend, Paul. The guys used baitfish to land two keeper red grouper at 21 ½ inches and 24 inches. They released numerous red grouper shorts. Using live shrimp, they added to the fish box five keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches, along with a few porgies and grunts. They released a 22-inch Spanish mackerel."


1.) Angler Marcia Wilson with a 14-inch hogfish, caught on shrimp 22 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.


2.) Young angler Evan Axell with an 18 1/2-inch trout, one of ten that he and his dad reeled in on shrimp in lower Hickory Bay Bay on a recent inshore Fishbuster Charter.