FishbusterCharters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, "Thursday, 11/1, I fished the backwaters ofsouthern Estero Bay on a catch-and-release trip with Dave Mercer, MikeStanbrough, Rod Knudson, and Danny Yanecek. The guys used live shrimp on a goodtide to catch and release twenty sheepshead, including ten would-be keepers to17 inches, along with three mangrove snapper shorts and a 24-inch redfish.Redfish cannot be harvested until at least May, due to their populations havingbeen decreased during this past summer’s red tide outbreak.

Friday, 11/2, I returned to the southern part of Estero Bay to fish anothercatch-and-release trip with Matt Miller and his young son, Bobby. Using liveshrimp, the father-son team caught and released eighteen fish, including a pairof 16-inch sheepshead, a 19-inch sheepshead, thirteen smaller sheepshead, asmall snook, and a two-pound crevalle jack.

Saturday, 11/3, the Kilkearycousins—Jake, Keith, Mike, and Andy-- had planned to fish offshore, but a coolfront that came through the area kicked seas up to three-to-five feet in thegulf, with a small craft advisory issued. So we changed plans and fishedinshore instead. The guys caught and released seven sheepshead to 15 inches,all of which bit on live shrimp."