Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, "Given the choppy conditions of the previous day, despite NOAA’s predictions for two-to three foot seas offshore, I advised Mark Smith, his two young sons, Harry and Charlie, and his father-in-law, Harry Stevenson, to fish inshore in southern Estero Bay on Sunday morning, 12/31. We fished an incoming tide, and the family had good action on live shrimp. They caught nine keeper black drum to 18 inches and a 16-inch sheepshead. They released a dozen shorter sheepshead, a sand bream, and a 20-inch snook.


After a day off on New Year's Day and a weather-prohibitive January 2nd, I had planned to fish on January 3rd, but it was another cold, blustery day, and even the somewhat protected backwaters didn't sound too appealing to my party of three. So, the next time I fished was with Chris Pammer, his ten-year-old son, Jack, and his eleven-year-old brother, Jake, on a chilly and windy mid-morning inshore trip in southern Estero Bay on Thursday, 1/4. We allowed the sun to warm things up a bit before we departed at 10AM, but it remained chilly, thanks to this strong cold-front that is visiting us for a few days. The boys had fun using shrimp to catch twenty sheepshead, including four nice keepers to 16 inches. They also released a 16-inch redfish, and a few small black drum.


Friday morning, 1/5, was another chilly, windy one. Isaac Wengerd treated his eight-year-old son, Henry, and four-year-old son, Gus, to a backwater fishing trip in southern Estero Bay. The boys bundled up, and had fun using live shrimp to catch seventeen sheepshead, including five keepers ranging in size from 13 to 16 inches. They also caught a 16-inch black drum, and they released a 16-inch snook and one mangrove snapper short.


I had planned to fish Saturday, but the cold temperatures were not whayt my fishing folks had in mind. They decided to reschedule."

1.) Angler Joe Meier with a 17-pound goliath grouper, caught on cut-bait and released 19 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.



2.) Angler John Hammonf with an 24-inch red grouper, caught on squid 23 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.