Redfish

If you want to chase redfish in Estero Bay, few know the water better than Captain Jon Fetter of Catching the Cure Charters. With decades of local knowledge, Jon specializes in light-tackle inshore fishing, where redfish are the star of the show.

A day with Captain Jon usually begins at first light. He’ll throw the net for fresh pilchards or shrimp, then ease his skiff across the bay’s grass flats and mangrove shorelines. He knows every oyster bar, every creek mouth, and every hidden pocket where redfish feed.

Once on the fish, the tactics are simple but deadly:

• Live bait: free-lined pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish pitched tight to the mangroves.
• Artificial lures: gold spoons, paddle-tail plastics, or topwater plugs worked across the flats.
• Sight-fishing: when the tide and light are right, Jon poles the boat quietly so you can cast to tailing reds in skinny water.

• Spring & Summer: Reds tuck under mangroves for shade — precision casting counts.
• Fall: Prime time — schools of redfish roam oyster bars and flats, feeding aggressively.
• Winter: Deeper creeks and channels hold steady action with shrimp and cut bait.

What sets Captain Jon apart isn’t just putting anglers on fish — it’s his teaching. He explains why the tide matters, how to read the mangroves, and how to spot the subtle “push” of a cruising red. Whether you’re an experienced angler or new to inshore fishing, you walk away sharper and more confident.

By the end of the trip, you’ll likely have tangled with redfish, snook, trout, and maybe even a tarpon or jack. But it’s the image of a copper-colored redfish tailing in the shallows — and the smile on your face when you hook up — that makes fishing with Captain Jon Fetter unforgettable.

Redfish – The Power Fighter

• Where to Find Them: Tight to mangrove roots, cruising oyster bars, or tailing on shallow flats.
• Tactics: Sight-casting live pilchards or shrimp, pitching cut bait near structure, or working gold spoons and soft plastics.
• The Fight: Hard runs, bulldog strength, and that iconic bronze flash in the shallows.
• Best Season: Fall is peak, when big schools move onto the flats.

Fishing for redfish with Captain Jon means hunting stealthily, reading the tide, and making precise casts. Every hookup feels like a trophy.

Spotted Seatrout – The Steady Action

• Where to Find Them: Over grass flats, sandy potholes, and channel edges.
• Tactics: Drift live shrimp or pilchards under a popping cork, or work soft plastics and topwater lures.
• The Fight: Fast, aggressive head shakes — not as powerful as reds, but excellent light-tackle sport.
• Best Season: Fall and Winter bring schools of trout for consistent action.

Fishing for seatrout with Captain Jon is about numbers, fun, and steady bites — perfect for families or anglers who want non-stop action.

Which Trip is Right for You?

• Redfish Trips: Best if you want a challenge, sight-fishing opportunities, and hard-fighting fish that test your skills.
• Seatrout Trips: Best if you want consistent action, easier casting, and lots of hook-ups — great for kids and beginners.

The Best Part?

With Captain Jon Fetter of Catching the Cure Charters, you don’t have to choose. Many days in Estero Bay, you’ll catch both redfish and seatrout — and if you’re lucky, you might even add a snook for an inshore slam.

If you want consistent action in Estero Bay, nothing beats live bait fishing for spotted seatrout, and Captain Jon Fetter of Catching the Cure Charters knows exactly how to put anglers on them.

The Basics

Spotted seatrout hang around grass flats, sandy potholes, and channel edges. They feed aggressively on small baitfish and shrimp, making live bait the most reliable choice for both beginners and experienced anglers.

Best Live Baits

• Live Shrimp: Most versatile — can be fished under a popping cork or free-lined across shallow flats.
• Live Pilchards (Threadfin Herring): Great for larger trout or when targeting fish in deeper holes.
• Small Pinfish or Finger Mullet: Excellent for bigger trout; use on a circle hook to prevent gut hooking.

Fishing Techniques

1. Popping Cork Drifts:
   • Suspend shrimp or pilchards under a cork and drift across flats or potholes.
   • The popping noise attracts trout and triggers aggressive strikes.
2. Free-Lining:
   • Cast live bait without weight, letting it swim naturally.
   • Works especially well near mangrove edges or channels.
3. Near Structure:
   • Anchor or drift along creek mouths, drop-offs, or oyster bars.
   • Present live bait slowly; trout often hold tight to structure.

Why Fish with Captain Jon?

• He knows where the trout are hiding and how to read tides and water conditions.
• He teaches the proper presentation for live bait, ensuring your hook-ups are consistent.
• While trout are the target, trips often include bonus redfish or snook, giving a mixed-species experience.

A day live bait fishing with Captain Jon isn’t just about numbers — it’s about learning the rhythms of Estero Bay, seeing trout strike first-hand, and walking away with both fish and knowledge.

1. Live Bait (Most Reliable)

• Pilchards (Greenbacks/Threadfin Herring):
  • Top choice for live-bait fishing.
  • Free-line them along mangroves or use a popping cork over grass flats.
• Live Shrimp:
  • Versatile year-round.
  • Hook them under a popping cork on flats, or pitch them tight to mangrove roots.
• Pinfish & Finger Mullet:
  • Excellent for larger redfish.
  • Can be free-lined or used as cut bait near oyster bars and channels.

2. Cut Bait (Great for Soaking Spots)

• Cut Mullet or Ladyfish:
  • Irresistible scent trail, especially in summer and winter.
  • Anchor near oyster bars, creek mouths, or deeper channels and let it sit.
• Cut Pinfish:
  • Durable bait that stays on the hook longer.

3. Artificial Lures (Active Search)

• Gold Spoons:
  • Classic redfish lure. Flashy and great for covering water.
• Soft Plastics:
  • Paddle-tail shads or shrimp imitations on jigheads.
  • Work best around grass flats and potholes.
• Topwater Plugs:
  • Best at sunrise or sunset on shallow flats.
  • Explosive strikes when reds are aggressive.

Quick Tips

• Use 20–30 lb fluorocarbon leader to prevent cutoffs on oysters.
• Match bait size to what’s naturally around (smaller in spring, larger in fall).
• Keep bait presentation natural — redfish can be wary in clear, shallow water.
• Live pilchards and shrimp usually outfish everything else when the bite is tough.