Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, February  9, 2018: Redfish.

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Friday, February 9: Redfish, Oyster Bars, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Friday, February 9, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Redfish, Oyster Bars, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

“The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), also known as channel bass, redfish, spottail bass, or simply red, is a game fish found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to northern Mexico.^[1] It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops.

The red drum is related to the black drum (Pogonias cromis), and the two species are often found in close proximity to each other; they can interbreed and form a robust hybrid, and younger fish are often indistinguishable in flavor.^[2]

Red drum are a dark red color on the back, which fades into white on the belly. The red drum has a characteristic eyespot near the tail and is somewhat streamlined. Three-year-old red drum typically weigh 6-8 lb. The largest red drum on record weighed just over 94 lb and was caught in 1984 on Hatteras Island. Red drum and black drum both make a croaking or drumming sound when distressed.

Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, February 8, 2018: SeaTrout!

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Thursday, February 8: SeaTrout, Grass Flats, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Thursday, February 8, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: SeaTrout, Grass Flats & Oyster Bars, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

“Cynoscion nebulosus, the spotted seatrout, also known as speckled trout, is a common estuarine fish found in the southern United States along coasts of Gulf of Mexico and the coastal Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to Florida. These fish are also found in estuarine locations around Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, Canada.

While most of these fish are caught on shallow, grassy flats, spotted seatrout reside in virtually any inshore waters, from the surf of outside islands to far up coastal rivers, where they often come for shelter during cold weather. Contrary to its name, the spotted seatrout is not a member of the trout family (Salmonidae), but of the drum family (Sciaenidae). It is popular for commercial and especially recreational fishing in coastal waters of the southeastern United States. Adults reach 19-32 inches in length and 3-15 pounds in weight.

Spotted seatrout live in the top of the water column and are most numerous along the coasts of the southeastern states, such as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. They are also common along the coasts of North and South Carolina and Virginia. Estuarine coasts are prime settlement areas. They are uncommonly seen north of Delaware Bay and along the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Spotted seatrout is the common name endorsed by the American Fisheries Society. However, this fish has many other common names, including speckled trout, speck, speckles, spec, truite gris (Louisiana French), trucha de mar (Mexican Spanish), spotted weakfish, spotted seateague, southern seateague, salmon, salmon trout, simon trout, winter trout, seatrout, Nosferatu fish, and black trout. Particularly large ones are nicknamed gator trout.^[1]

The spotted seatrout has prominent canine teeth. Like other fish of the family Sciaenidae, it has an elongated, soft dorsal fin with scales; it is separated from the spinous dorsal fin by a deep notch. It usually has two anal spines and the lateral line extends to the tip of the caudal fin. The back has distinct spots scattered on it, including on the dorsal and caudal fins. Unlike some other members of the family Sciaenidae, the spotted seatrout does not have any chin barbels. In stained water, this fish’s background may take on a golden hue. Its shape and coloration is reminiscent of a brown trout. This fish is closely related to the weakfish, Cynoscion regalis.

The average size of spotted seatrout is 0.5-1.0 kg (1-2 lb), but in most areas fish up to 2.5 kg (5 lb) are fairly common. Fish weighing 3.5-4.5 kg (8-10 lb) are rare. The world record is 7.9 kg (17 lb 7 oz).

Small trout eat large amounts of shrimp and other crustaceans. As they grow larger, their diets shift toward fish, the larger, the better. Studies in Texas and Mississippi show that really big trout strongly prefer to feed on mullet; a large trout will find the largest mullet it can handle and try to swallow it. Often the mullet is half or two-thirds as large as the trout.^[2]”  Please see more information here.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  Thursday, February 8, SeaTrout, Grass Flats & Oyster Bars, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, February 7, 2018: Porkfish & Sheepshead!

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Wednesday, February 7: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Structure, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Wednesday, February 7, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Near-offshore, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

Porkfish

“Anisotremus virginicus  – This small fish gets its name from the grunting noise it makes by grinding its teeth together like other grunts do. It has a tall, flat body, with yellow and blue-silver stripes and two black bars running downwards over its eyes and just behind its cheeks. Yellow also highlights its face and fins, including its deeply forked caudal (tail) fin. This nocturnal schooling fish can grow to 15 inches long and 2 pounds but usually is found much smaller. In the ocean, it is curious towards humans, and it is a popular public aquarium fish.

Order – Perciformes
Family – Haemulidae
Genus – Anisotremus
Species – virginicus

Common Names

English language common names are porkfish, Atlantic porkfish, and paragrate grunt. Other common names include arroz con coco (Spanish), bandera spano (Papiamento), bonakanaal (Papiamento), burro catalina (Spanish), canario (Spanish), catalineata (Spanish), kuroobidai (Japanese), lippu rondeau (French), luszczyk wirginski (Polish), palriot (French), roncador-listado-americano (Portuguese), rondeau (French), salema (Portuguese), spaansevlag (Dutch), and svinfisk (Norwegian/Swedish).

Importance to Humans

Porkfish are of minor commercial fisheries value, however they are considered a good gamefish. Human consumption of the flesh of porkfish has been linked to ciguatera poisoning. Specimens are also collected for display in public show aquaria. In its natural habitat, porkfish are easily approached by divers.

Conservation

The porkfish is not listed as endangered or vulnerable with the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The IUCN is a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species.

Geographical Distribution

Porkfish occur in the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea as well as the Bahamas. It has also been introduced to waters off Bermuda.

Habitat

Inhabiting shallow inshore waters over reefs and rocky bottoms, the porkfish is found at depths of 6-65 feet (2-20 m). It is nocturnal and often travels in large schools, occasionally swimming with white grunts. Porkfish make a grunting sound, common to all grunts, by rubbing their teeth together.

Biology

Distinctive Features
The porkfish is a deep-bodied grunt with a blunt snout and thick lips. It has a higher dorsal profile than most other grunts. The caudal fin is notched. The mouth is small and positioned low on the head.

Coloration
The body has yellow and silvery-blue stripes, and two black bars. One bar runs diagonally from above the eye to the mouth while the other is more vertical, beginning at the anterior edge of the dorsal fin to the base of the pectoral fin. The fins are yellow. Juvenile porkfish have no black bars, but instead have a large dark blotch near the base of the caudal fin. Two black stripes run horizontally through the midbody and back. The head is a brilliant yellow.

The porkfish is the only grunt occurring in the Atlantic Ocean with this yellow coloration and two black stripes. It is closely related to the burrito grunt (Anisotremus interruptus) from the Pacific Ocean. This pair is referred to as germinate species, believed to have been separated millions of years ago by the isthmus of Panama.

Size, Age, and Growth
Porkfish reach a maximum length of 15 inches (38 cm) and weight of 2 pounds (9 g). This fish commonly weighs only 4 ounces (113 g).

Dentition
Although the porkfish is a grunt, it lacks canines on the jaws and vomer teeth. Teeth are located on the pharyngeal bone of the jaw.

Food Habits
Invertebrates such as mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, and worms are preyed upon by nocturnally feeding adult porkfish. Juvenile porkfish pick parasites from the skin and scales of other species of fish, and are considered “cleaners”.

Reproduction
There is very little known about spawning and larval development of the porkfish. The larvae are similar in appearance to other sparids, but have a distinctive caudal fin spot. The second dorsal and anal fins are the first of the fins to begin development, a common pattern among perciform fishes.

Parasites
Parasites of the porkfish include cestode larvae found in the gills and copepods found within the operculum. A dinoflagellate, Oodinium ocellatum, has been observed in the kidney and internal tissues of this fish.

Predators
Snappers, groupers, sharks and other large piscivores are potential predators of the porkfish.

Taxonomy

This fish was originally named Sparus virginicus in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist. It was later renamed Anisotremus virginicus (Linnaeus 1758), the currently accepted scientific name. The genus name, Anisotremus, is derived from the Greek “anisos” meaning unequal and “trema” / “-atos” meaning hole. There are no known synonyms used in previous scientific literature referring to this fish.”  Source:  University Of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams. Wednesday, February 7, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Near-offshore, Catch & Release; click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

 

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, February 6, 2018: Porkfish!

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Tuesday, February 6: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Structure, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Tuesday, February 6, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Near-offshore, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

Porkfish

“Anisotremus virginicus  – This small fish gets its name from the grunting noise it makes by grinding its teeth together like other grunts do. It has a tall, flat body, with yellow and blue-silver stripes and two black bars running downwards over its eyes and just behind its cheeks. Yellow also highlights its face and fins, including its deeply forked caudal (tail) fin. This nocturnal schooling fish can grow to 15 inches long and 2 pounds but usually is found much smaller. In the ocean, it is curious towards humans, and it is a popular public aquarium fish.

Order – Perciformes
Family – Haemulidae
Genus – Anisotremus
Species – virginicus

Common Names

English language common names are porkfish, Atlantic porkfish, and paragrate grunt. Other common names include arroz con coco (Spanish), bandera spano (Papiamento), bonakanaal (Papiamento), burro catalina (Spanish), canario (Spanish), catalineata (Spanish), kuroobidai (Japanese), lippu rondeau (French), luszczyk wirginski (Polish), palriot (French), roncador-listado-americano (Portuguese), rondeau (French), salema (Portuguese), spaansevlag (Dutch), and svinfisk (Norwegian/Swedish).

Importance to Humans

Porkfish are of minor commercial fisheries value, however they are considered a good gamefish. Human consumption of the flesh of porkfish has been linked to ciguatera poisoning. Specimens are also collected for display in public show aquaria. In its natural habitat, porkfish are easily approached by divers.

Conservation

The porkfish is not listed as endangered or vulnerable with the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The IUCN is a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species.

Geographical Distribution

Porkfish occur in the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea as well as the Bahamas. It has also been introduced to waters off Bermuda.

Habitat

Inhabiting shallow inshore waters over reefs and rocky bottoms, the porkfish is found at depths of 6-65 feet (2-20 m). It is nocturnal and often travels in large schools, occasionally swimming with white grunts. Porkfish make a grunting sound, common to all grunts, by rubbing their teeth together.

Biology

Distinctive Features
The porkfish is a deep-bodied grunt with a blunt snout and thick lips. It has a higher dorsal profile than most other grunts. The caudal fin is notched. The mouth is small and positioned low on the head.

Coloration
The body has yellow and silvery-blue stripes, and two black bars. One bar runs diagonally from above the eye to the mouth while the other is more vertical, beginning at the anterior edge of the dorsal fin to the base of the pectoral fin. The fins are yellow. Juvenile porkfish have no black bars, but instead have a large dark blotch near the base of the caudal fin. Two black stripes run horizontally through the midbody and back. The head is a brilliant yellow.

The porkfish is the only grunt occurring in the Atlantic Ocean with this yellow coloration and two black stripes. It is closely related to the burrito grunt (Anisotremus interruptus) from the Pacific Ocean. This pair is referred to as germinate species, believed to have been separated millions of years ago by the isthmus of Panama.

Size, Age, and Growth
Porkfish reach a maximum length of 15 inches (38 cm) and weight of 2 pounds (9 g). This fish commonly weighs only 4 ounces (113 g).

Dentition
Although the porkfish is a grunt, it lacks canines on the jaws and vomer teeth. Teeth are located on the pharyngeal bone of the jaw.

Food Habits
Invertebrates such as mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, and worms are preyed upon by nocturnally feeding adult porkfish. Juvenile porkfish pick parasites from the skin and scales of other species of fish, and are considered “cleaners”.

Reproduction
There is very little known about spawning and larval development of the porkfish. The larvae are similar in appearance to other sparids, but have a distinctive caudal fin spot. The second dorsal and anal fins are the first of the fins to begin development, a common pattern among perciform fishes.

Parasites
Parasites of the porkfish include cestode larvae found in the gills and copepods found within the operculum. A dinoflagellate, Oodinium ocellatum, has been observed in the kidney and internal tissues of this fish.

Predators
Snappers, groupers, sharks and other large piscivores are potential predators of the porkfish.

Taxonomy

This fish was originally named Sparus virginicus in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist. It was later renamed Anisotremus virginicus (Linnaeus 1758), the currently accepted scientific name. The genus name, Anisotremus, is derived from the Greek “anisos” meaning unequal and “trema” / “-atos” meaning hole. There are no known synonyms used in previous scientific literature referring to this fish.”  Source:  University Of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams. Tuesday, February 6, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Porkfish & Sheepshead, Near-offshore, Catch & Release; click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

 

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, February 5, 2018: SeaTrout!

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Monday, February 5: SeaTrout, Grass Beds, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Monday, February 5, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: SeaTrout, Grass Flats & Oyster Bars, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

“Cynoscion nebulosus, the spotted seatrout, also known as speckled trout, is a common estuarine fish found in the southern United States along coasts of Gulf of Mexico and the coastal Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to Florida. These fish are also found in estuarine locations around Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, Canada.

While most of these fish are caught on shallow, grassy flats, spotted seatrout reside in virtually any inshore waters, from the surf of outside islands to far up coastal rivers, where they often come for shelter during cold weather. Contrary to its name, the spotted seatrout is not a member of the trout family (Salmonidae), but of the drum family (Sciaenidae). It is popular for commercial and especially recreational fishing in coastal waters of the southeastern United States. Adults reach 19-32 inches in length and 3-15 pounds in weight.

Spotted seatrout live in the top of the water column and are most numerous along the coasts of the southeastern states, such as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. They are also common along the coasts of North and South Carolina and Virginia. Estuarine coasts are prime settlement areas. They are uncommonly seen north of Delaware Bay and along the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Spotted seatrout is the common name endorsed by the American Fisheries Society. However, this fish has many other common names, including speckled trout, speck, speckles, spec, truite gris (Louisiana French), trucha de mar (Mexican Spanish), spotted weakfish, spotted seateague, southern seateague, salmon, salmon trout, simon trout, winter trout, seatrout, Nosferatu fish, and black trout. Particularly large ones are nicknamed gator trout.^[1]

The spotted seatrout has prominent canine teeth. Like other fish of the family Sciaenidae, it has an elongated, soft dorsal fin with scales; it is separated from the spinous dorsal fin by a deep notch. It usually has two anal spines and the lateral line extends to the tip of the caudal fin. The back has distinct spots scattered on it, including on the dorsal and caudal fins. Unlike some other members of the family Sciaenidae, the spotted seatrout does not have any chin barbels. In stained water, this fish’s background may take on a golden hue. Its shape and coloration is reminiscent of a brown trout. This fish is closely related to the weakfish, Cynoscion regalis.

The average size of spotted seatrout is 0.5-1.0 kg (1-2 lb), but in most areas fish up to 2.5 kg (5 lb) are fairly common. Fish weighing 3.5-4.5 kg (8-10 lb) are rare. The world record is 7.9 kg (17 lb 7 oz).

Small trout eat large amounts of shrimp and other crustaceans. As they grow larger, their diets shift toward fish, the larger, the better. Studies in Texas and Mississippi show that really big trout strongly prefer to feed on mullet; a large trout will find the largest mullet it can handle and try to swallow it. Often the mullet is half or two-thirds as large as the trout.^[2]”  Please see more information here.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  SeaTrout, Grass Flats & Oyster Bars, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing, Captiva Fishing, February 4, 2018: Grouper.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Sunday, February 4: More Grouper, Near Offshore Structure, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Sunday, February 4, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Grouper & Tripletail, Offshore Structure, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Captiva Island Fishing Charters

For Captiva Island Fishing Charters, we’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

“Mycteroperca microlepis (the gag, gag grouper, velvet rockfish or charcoal belly) is a species of grouper from warmer parts of the West Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It is a drab, mottled-gray fish lacking the distinguishing features of most other groupers. Its pattern of markings resemble the box-shaped spots of the black grouper. It lacks the streamer-points on the tail fin that scamp (Mycteroperca phenax) and yellowmouth grouper (M. interstitialis) have, and lacks yellow coloration around the mouth.

Ten- to 20-pound (5- to 10-kg) fish are common. The world record is 80 lb 6 oz (36.45 kg). The gag grouper is a bottom feeder and is often caught by fishermen seeking bottom-dwelling species, such as snappers. Its flaky white meat is considered quite delicious.

Members of this species are known to be protogynous hermaphrodites, schooling in harems with the most aggressive and largest females shifting sex to male, probably as a result of behavioral triggers, when no male is available. Commercial and sport fishing have created tremendous selective pressures against the largest animals, typically male, restricting the reproductive capacity of the entire breeding population.

Recently, a small closure in the Gulf of Mexico was established to provide this and other species a refuge from commercial fishing pressure, however, these data are highly in dispute and are currently being challenged for inaccuracies. They are found in areas of a hard or consolidated substrate, and use structural features, such as ledges, rocks, and coral reefs (as well as artificial reefs, such as wrecks and sunken barges) as their habitats.”  Please see more information here.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  More Grouper & Tripletail, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Island Fishing & Captiva Island Fishing, Mangrove Snapper.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, February 3, 2018.

Captiva Island Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Saturday, February 3: More Snapper, Near Offshore Structure, Catch & Release; Red Tide Report water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Saturday, February 3, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Snapper, Structure, Catch & Release.  For Captiva Island Fishing Charters, please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel Island Fishing Charter or a Captiva Island Fishing Charter, also Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

“The mangrove snapper or gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) is a species of snapper native to the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. They can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including brackish and fresh waters. It is commercially important, as well as being sought as a game fish. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.^[2]

Its color is typically greyish red, but it can change color from bright red to copper red. It has a dark stripe running across its eye if observed from the top when it is under water. This species can reach a length of 89 cm (35 in), though most do not exceed 40 cm (16 in). The greatest recorded weight for this species is 20 kg (44 lb).^[2]

The mangrove snapper can be confused with the Cubera snapper or black snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus. Mangrove snapper are typically much smaller than Cubera, but when they are of similar size, the two species can only be distinguished by examining the tooth patch on the inside roof of the mouth.

Many specimens caught in Florida, specifically Punta Gorda, are actually misidentified dogtooth or dog snapper, Lutjanus jocu. The best way to distinguish between the two species is dog snapper has a lighter triangle of color with a blue band under the eye and large, sharp fangs in the front (canines), hence its common name. These fangs can deliver a painful bite, even in a small fish.

The mangrove snapper feeds mostly on small fishes and crustaceans. It was also observed as systematically waiting under the maternal colony of Buffy flower bat for falling bats near the entrances of Lucayan cavern, Bahamas.^[3]

The mangrove snapper is one of the most common species of snapper in warmer regions. It can be found in many areas from canals to grass flats, as well as in open water. Most mangrove snapper in the open water are generally found near bottom structure or reefs. They can be found at depths from 5 to 180 m (16 to 591 ft) though are mostly found at less than 50 m (160 ft).^[2]

Mangrove snapper is a common target for anglers and is highly prized for its light and flaky flesh. It can be caught on a variety of baits but is typically caught with live or frozen shrimp, squid, minnows and occasionally on artificial lures or baits.

They can be spearfished, as well, but are sometimes a tough target, as they tend to be more wary of divers, rather than curious, and their wariness of baits and divers tends to increase as the fish grow larger. Most mangrove snapper are caught on light to medium tackle, and typical catches range from eight to 14 in long in shallow or inshore waters, and up to 20 in long in deeper waters. Larger fish are uncommon, but not rare.  Please see more information here.

FWC: Gray Snapper Overview

“Also known as mangrove snapper, mango or black snapper.

• Dark brown or gray in color, with red-orange spots in bars along the sides
• Two large canine teeth near front of upper jaw
• Anchor-shaped vomerine tooth patch
• Dorsal fins with dark or reddish borders
• Young have dark stripe from snout, through eye, to upper edge of gill cover

Similar Species: Cubera snapper, L. cyanopterus (triangleshaped tooth patch and grow much larger than gray snapper); schoolmaster, L. apodus (yellow fins and faint white bars); and true black snapper, A. dentatus (rare in Florida; do not range north of the Florida Keys)

Size: Common to 24 inches (10 pounds)

Coastal waters near structure such as reefs, mangroves, and seagrass.  Juveniles may enter freshwater.

Spawn June through August.  Feeds on crustaceans and small fish. Gray snapper caught offshore are common 8 to 10 pounds.”  Please Click Here For More Information and Recreational Regulations.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  Big Mangrove Snapper, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Island Fishing & Captiva Island Fishing, Tripletail.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, February 2, 2018.

Captiva Island Fishing Report, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Friday, February 2: Big Tripletail, Buoy Line, Captiva Fishing, Catch & Release; Red Tide Report water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Friday, February 2, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Big Tripletail On Buoy Line; Catch & Release.  For Captiva Island Fishing Charters, please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel Island Fishing Charter or a Captiva Island Fishing Charter, also Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

“The Atlantic tripletail or tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) is a warm-water marine fish found across the tropics; it can grow to 90 cm long and weigh 18 kg. It is also known by fishermen by names like flasher or steamboat.^[1] Young fishes float on their sides, often beside flotsam, and appear like a dry leaf.^[2] In Indonesia, the local name is called KakapHitam/Laut or similar as Black Barramundi which is commonly consumed by its similar appearance as Lates calcifiers-Barramundi.

Tripletails are well known for their unusual behavior of floating just beneath the surface with one side exposed, mimicking a leaf or floating debris. This is thought to be a feeding strategy because of the locality of their prey items and the floating structures associated with this behavior.^[4] The behavior has resulted in a rapidly increasing incidence of recreational fishermen sight-fishing for the floating tripletails, resulting in severe bag and length restrictions in Florida and Georgia to ensure future populations.^[5]”   Please see more information here.

“FWC is collecting feedback on Florida’s flounder, sheepshead, and tripletail fisheries. To learn more or to comment, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Tripletail: Lobotes surinamensis

Florida Regulations: 

Regulations	Gulf State Waters	Atlantic State Waters
Size Limit	15”
Daily Bag Limit	2 Fish Per Person

Gear Regulations:

• Legal Gear: hook and line gear only (no nets or spearing)
• Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited

State Waters Harvest Seasons

Habitat and Fishing Tips:

Like many other pelagic species, tripletail associate strongly with floating objects. They can be found throughout Florida waters and anglers generally find them suspended under buoys, channel markers, and other floating objects. Tripletails spend much of their time in brackish water bays and estuaries. Catching tripletail is an art and requires both skill and patience. Finding the fish and using the right bait and tackle are the keys to success. Successful fishers typically use a live shrimp on a very light tackle with little or no lead.

State Record:

40 lb 13 oz”  Source & More Information.

Florida Rule 

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  Redfish, Click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located at Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing, Captiva Fishing, February 1, 2018: Grouper.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters

Captiva Fishing Report,  Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, Thursday, February 1: Grouper, Near Offshore Structure, Catch & Release; water quality in relatively good shape; (Caloosahatchee: no/little freshwater runoff impact right now; Red Tide Report, impact minimal, broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Thursday, February 1, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Snapper & Grouper, Offshore Structure, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Captiva Island Fishing Charters

For Captiva Island Fishing Charters, we’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

 

“Mycteroperca microlepis (the gag, gag grouper, velvet rockfish or charcoal belly) is a species of grouper from warmer parts of the West Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It is a drab, mottled-gray fish lacking the distinguishing features of most other groupers. Its pattern of markings resemble the box-shaped spots of the black grouper. It lacks the streamer-points on the tail fin that scamp (Mycteroperca phenax) and yellowmouth grouper (M. interstitialis) have, and lacks yellow coloration around the mouth.

Ten- to 20-pound (5- to 10-kg) fish are common. The world record is 80 lb 6 oz (36.45 kg). The gag grouper is a bottom feeder and is often caught by fishermen seeking bottom-dwelling species, such as snappers. Its flaky white meat is considered quite delicious.

Members of this species are known to be protogynous hermaphrodites, schooling in harems with the most aggressive and largest females shifting sex to male, probably as a result of behavioral triggers, when no male is available. Commercial and sport fishing have created tremendous selective pressures against the largest animals, typically male, restricting the reproductive capacity of the entire breeding population.

Recently, a small closure in the Gulf of Mexico was established to provide this and other species a refuge from commercial fishing pressure, however, these data are highly in dispute and are currently being challenged for inaccuracies. They are found in areas of a hard or consolidated substrate, and use structural features, such as ledges, rocks, and coral reefs (as well as artificial reefs, such as wrecks and sunken barges) as their habitats.”  Please see more information here.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  More Grouper & snapper, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.