March definitely charged in like a lion on my first scheduled day of the month. Monday, 3/2, brought extremely rough conditions offshore with seas to fifteen feet. The tide in the backwaters was low, and it was cold and windy. I cancelled my fishing trip. Conditions were somewhat better Tuesday but still not good enough, with seas of three to five feet predicted and shallow backwaters, so I spent a second consecutive day in port.

Wednesday, the tide was a little better in the bay and I fished there on a catch-and-release trip with Chuck Nebes and his son, Steve. We released a dozen sheepshead to 15 inches, a small snook and an 18 inch trout, all on live shrimp.

Thursday was the one day I fished offshore--that report is posted in the offshore forum.

Fishing central Estero Bay Friday with Ronald Haggin and his fifteen-year-old grandson, Johnny, we did well with sheepshead, catching ten of those to 18 inches and releasing lots of smaller ones, along with a crevalle jack. We also caught a 19½ inch pompano, all on shrimp.

Monty Robson, his son, Stu, and six-year-old grandson, Joe, fished Estero Bay with me Saturday morning. We again caught a lot of sheepshead, kept eight of those to 17 ½ inches and released the rest. We also caught a keeper redfish at 23 inches, on live shrimp.