Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, "Monday, 3/2/15, I headed offshore in calm seas—what a treat that was, after a couple of battling or surrendering to windy, rough conditions. Long-time customers, Jim McGrath and Bill Crockett had a good morning of fishing 22 to 25 miles west of New Pass. They caught two keeper red grouper, both 23 inches, and released a 24-inch gag grouper, along with twenty-five red grouper shorts and several undersized mangrove snapper. One of the keeper red grouper bit a shrimp, while the other keeper red and the gag both bit on bait-fish. The guys added to the fish box a dozen keeper lane snapper.

Tuesday, 3/3, I fished with frequent anglers, Ron Musick, Dick Arnett and Eddie Alfonso, in various spots out to 35 miles west of New Pass. Oddly, there was no snapper bite, but the guys caught sixteen nice porgies, all 14-to15-inches, and some grunts. They released twenty red grouper shorts to 19 ½ inches, along with two out-of-season gag grouper, including one short and one 23 inches. Everything bit on live shrimp.



Brothers Greg and Jeff Meyer and friend, Nick Neher, fished the backwaters of central Estero Bay with me on Wednesday, 3/4. The guys caught three redfish on live shrimp, including two keepers at 19 inches and 22 inches, and a 17-inch red that they released. They added to the box a 13-inch sheepshead, and they released a half dozen stingray, all of which were two to three pounds.

Angler Phil Corey with an 18-inch sheepshead, caught on shrimp in Estero Bay on a recent inshore Fishbuster Charter.


Thursday, 3/5, I fished the east wall of Estero Bay with father and son anglers, Harry and Bill Easom. The first fish caught was a bull red at 31 inches, which had to be released, but the guys also caught a keeper redfish at 18 ½ inches and released two shorts at 17 inches and 17 ½ inches. They also caught eight keeper-sized sheepshead, and boxed the six largest of those, which ranged 13 ½ to 18 inches. They released nine sheepshead shorts. We also had a huge stingray bite and run about 100 yards before breaking the line.

Jim McGrath and Bill Crockett, who fished offshore with me on Monday, fished the backwaters with me on Friday morning, using live shrimp along the east wall of Estero Bay. Sheepshead action was good, and the guys boxed ten keepers ranging in size from 13 ½ inches to 19 ½ inches. They released six shorts.

After a full week of good fishing, another front came through and kicked up winds and seas, which cancelled out my planned offshore trip for Saturday, 3/7. Conditions are supposed to be calmer by Monday, so we'll look forward to some more good fishing then."

Angler Tom Youtsos with a 15-inch triggerfish, caught on shrimp and released 20 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.