Bonita Shores to Lostmans Key
Includes Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City and Chokoloskee.

Nov. 20-22

Grouper Highlight This Week’s Fishing

The best fishing seems to be offshore. The red grouper bag limit has been raised to two fish per person this year, and many captains are catching their limits in a morning’s fishing, and then still having time to check out a few wrecks in the afternoon. Many of these grouper are large fish including a 26-pound gag grouper that was caught and released on Capt. Ed Nichols boat. If you are wondering why this fish was released, it is because these bigger, male grouper are very important to the survival of the species. Nichols already had his limit of red grouper plus other fish for eating in the cooler, so the huge gag was sent back down and told to go forth and multiply.

The backwater fishing is definitely turning towards a winter pattern. The snook fishing has slowed, the tarpon disappeared, and guides are beginning to change from live baits to jigs and shrimp. This used to be a great time for trout fishing, but trout are now out of season, so the targets of choice are pompano, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, and black drum. This means plenty of action and very good eating, but few trophies.

This weekend, the best areas to fish will probably be the Cape Romano Shoals south of Cape Romano, and the bays and beaches between Naples and Marco Island. Both of these areas are well known for their pompano and mackerel. The one unpredictable deterrent could be red tide. There has been some strong red tide and fish kills in the north Naples and Naples area, and their was a report of red tide on Wednesday around Caxambas Pass. If the winds continue out of the north and north west, this could get worse.

By Captain John Preeg
Captjohnpreeg@aol.com

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