SW FL-Bonita Beach near-shore report

[fishbuster]

Thursday, I fished a catch-and-release trip with Barry Fitzgerald and friends Jim and Barry (yes, another “Barry”) in 37 feet out of New Pass. Live shrimp did well with fifteen mangrove snapper, a 15 inch hogfish, gag grouper shorts, porgies and grunts. We also got to play with an 80 pound goliath grouper.

Kevin Ackerman and Jeff Senna fished with me Saturday morning. We started out in about 45 feet out of New Pass and caught a few snapper, but we caught most of our fish closer in at a spot in 35 feet, using live shrimp. We caught six keeper lane snapper to 13 inches, six keeper mangrove snapper, porkfish, porgies, and a 14 inch hogfish. We used blue runners to hook and release three goliath grouper to 60 pounds. We also released lots of ladyfish and a five foot nurse shark.

The photo shown is of young angler Kendall Sturgil with a 25 inch Spanish mackerel, caught on shrimp on a recent near-shore trip.