Submitted photo

Wayne Ruder, of Chicago, with his 6-pound sheepshead that he caught and released while fishing with Capt. Bill Walsh of Dawn Patrol. The sheepshead will begin to decrease in their numbers and average size as we approach March.

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Positive fishing reports were turned in on most all fronts the first two weeks of February. The rest of the month looks great, weather permitting.

Our inland, passes and outer shoreline continues to treat Southwest Florida anglers to a nice selection of species that include redfish, pompano, trout, snook, sheepshead, black drum, shark, bluerunner, ladyfish and jack. The surprise species was pompano that were found south of Goodland. Some anglers caught them while fishing for sheepshead suing fiddler crabs, sandfleas and tube worms, also called blood worms, Most of them were caught by anglers using tipped jigs near the outer shoreline.

Other anglers have told me sheepshead and black drum seen to be in fewer numbers. That’s no brainer, it’s that time of year when they have been fished hard during their spawning season and it’s almost time for many of them to make their exit from our area.

We are getting a weather forecast of a mild weather front coming at us as I prepare this article. It has already moved through our area by the time you read this report. If we do not have a repeat, anglers should be able to find the bait from the passes out with bonito, Spanish mackerel, some trout, jack, bluerunner and just maybe a stray kingfish or two.

Additional Spanish mackerel and kingfish may be working their way north from the Keys if the water temperature remains the same. If it gets warmer they will be here even sooner. I am stepping out on a limb with this one, but I just have a hunch that we have seen the worst of the colder weather. March can really haunt us with warmer but winder weather which makes it uncomfortable for offshore fishing.

A warming trend will hatch out another species, the nighttime snook stalker. The young ones stalk the snook year wound and the older ones like me will wait until it warms up. Snook do not like the colder water so they should be in larger numbers if our weather pattern remains.

For the new anglers in the area, being as quiet as you can is a must to fish the lights. Stalkers use lures, spoons and jigs but live bait including shrimp, minnows, small pinfish and crabs are very successful.

Be sure to check the current fishing rules and regulations. You can obtain a current State of Florida publication at most marinas and tackle shops, also the tax collectors office.

Our offshore fishing is really looking good as I prepare this article. The only kicker is anglers will need to continue to go deeper and use live bait to get keeper size fish.

I received a report from a seasoned offshore angler there were some African pompano at some of the wrecks in water in excess of 80 feet. It’s early, I am not sure but would not be surprised with the warm water we have. The list of species to be found at wrecks, towers and locations with hard bottom with some profile includes grouper, snapper, cobia, amberjack, barracuda and sharks.

Wright Taylor and Rebecca Sumlin of the Coastal Conservation Association were so excited about their monthly catch and release fishing tournament Feb. 3 that they both turned in nice reports.

From Rebecca Sumlin, we keep getting new CCA members at every monthly tournament. It is the first Sunday of the month out of Calusa Yacht Club & Marina on Goodland. Everyone has worked so hard to get it so successful.

From Wright Taylor, we had another great turnout with a new record of 29 boats and signed up 11 new members. The weather was absolutely awesome and the fishing wasn’t so bad either. Quite a few boats came in with two fish and others with one.

A big thank you to Sunshine Ace Hardware for furnishing the drinks along with a $50 gift card and to Kidd’s Quality Cleaning for sponsoring the Biggest Fish of the Year Award. The winner will receive $500.

Here are the top three of seven sinning slots. First place team of Kish and Emerine with two redfish weighing in at 11.66 pounds; Second place team of Keller and Reynolds with two reds weighing in at 11.08 pounds; Third place went to the team of Taylor and Giampaoli with two reds weighing in at 10.9 pounds.

You may call Wright at (239)821-9203 for more information about the CCA both local and statewide. Their next tournament is set for March 2.

Bryan Fluech, Collier County Sea Grant Agent reminds us of the upcoming public meeting to receive input on the revision of the existing management plan for Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and to solicit input on issues and opportunities that should be addressed in the management plan.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Feb. 19, at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples. You may contact Bryan Fluech at (239)417-6310 ext 225 or find more information at www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/rookery/plan.

Have a great week!

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Red Stier is a weekly contributor to the Marco Eagle. Questions or comments may be directed redstier@aol.com or 172 Trinidad St., Naples, FL 34113.