Captiva Fishing, Redfish!

Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, December 15, 2017, [File Photo - Sunday, October 22, 2017].
Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, December 15, 2017, [File Photo - Sunday, October 22, 2017].
Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, December 15, 2017, [File Photo – Sunday, October 22, 2017].

Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, December 15, 2017: Redfish.

CaptivaRentals.org: Avoid VRBO Fees. Rent Directly From Local Homeowners.Captiva Fishing Report, Friday, December 15: Redfish, Oyster Bars, Catch & Release; Red Tide Report (Caloosahatchee freshwater runoff impact continuing to lessen a bit; some Red Tide but it is broken up and largely dispersed); more fishing reports from other areas and Captains below.

Friday, December 15:  Redfish, Blind Pass; Pompano & Bluefish schools running inshore, Snook in the passes, Seatrout on grass flats, Redfish on oyster bars, and Grouper on the structure.

Please also visit the SanibelFort MyersFlorida 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.

Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, December 15, 2017, [File Photo - Friday, October 20, 2017].
Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, December 15, 2017, [File Photo – Friday, October 20, 2017].
“The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), also known as channel bassredfishspottail 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]

Redfish, Mangroves, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Tuesday, October 17, 2017.
Redfish, Mangroves, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Tuesday, October 17, 2017.

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.

Redfish & Jack Crevalle, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Sunday, September 24, 2017.
Redfish & Jack Crevalle, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Sunday, September 24, 2017.

The most distinguishing mark on the red drum is one large black spot on the upper part of the tail base. Having multiple spots is not uncommon for this fish, but having no spots is extremely rare. As the fish with multiple spots grow older, they seem to lose their excess spots. Scientists believe that the black spot near their tail helps fool predators into attacking the red drum’s tail instead of its head, allowing the red drum to escape.[3]

Redfish, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Sunday, October 15, 2017, [File Photo: Friday, August 18, 2017].
Redfish, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Sunday, October 15, 2017, [File Photo: Friday, August 18, 2017].
The red drum uses its senses of sight and touch, and its downturned mouth, to locate forage on the bottom through vacuuming or biting. On the top and middle of the water column, it uses changes in the light that might look like food. In the summer and fall, adult red drum feed on crabsshrimp, and mullet; in the spring and winter, adults primarily feed on menhaden, mullet, pinfishsea robinlizardfishspotAtlantic croaker, and mud minnows.

Big Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, April 28, 2017.
Big Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Friday, April 28, 2017.

Red drum naturally occur along the southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Aquaculture activities involving them occur around the world.[4] Immature red drum prefer grass marsh areas of bays and estuaries when available. Both younger mature red drum (3-6 years of age) and bull red drum prefer rocky outcroppings including jetties and manmade structures, such as oil rigs and bridge posts. Around this type of structure, they are found throughout the water column.”  Please see more information here.

Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Monday, November 14, 2016.
Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Monday, November 14, 2016.

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.

Redfish, Catch & Release, North Captiva, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Wednesday, September 21, 2016.
Redfish, Catch & Release, North Captiva, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Wednesday, September 21, 2016.

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.

Redfish, Oyster Bars, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Redfish, Oyster Bars, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

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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.

Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, November 4, 2017, [File Photo = Wednesday, June 21, 2017].
Redfish, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, November 4, 2017, [File Photo = Wednesday, June 21, 2017].