Fishing: Be thankful for some really good fishing

And why not? Fishing sure beats shoveling snow for exercise any day!

Both backwater and offshore anglers should be able get a good workout this weekend. Tonight a front should be near the area, but forecasters say it may break up some and not be too bad, and that we should see sunny, warm but a little breezy weather for the weekend.

NAPLES/GORDON PASS -- Capt. Steve Westervelt has been fishing with live baits. He says the baits are easy to find most days. Fishing with Dave Rowe, and his son, Craig, Westervelt reported a good catch of snook, mostly small, but one 28-incher, several red fish, big jacks, trout and a juvenile tarpon.

Westervelt says it is really good "mixed bag" fishing right now and should stay that way.

Offshore the action on grouper is very good, says Capt. Will Geraghty.

Gag grouper are in close and there are red grouper as well. Action on the ledges has been very solid with fish up to 12 pounds landed this week.

Snapper have slowed with the coming of the new moon, but should pick right back up in a few days.

Kings and Spanish mackerel are from the beaches on out to about 10 miles.

MARCO ISLAND, TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS -- I've been fishing in the Ten Thousand Islands. The fishing is pretty darn good all around. Snook, mostly around 22 inches, abound in the back bays on out to the outside, redfish had to be worked for a little harder though.

The low tides we have been having offer some good sight fishing along the back bay shorelines. You just have to work a lot of shoreline.

Outside grass flats have trout, some pompano and probably most of the ladyfish in the Gulf of Mexico on them. Sheepshead are showing up in big numbers and seem to flood in through pass areas with the incoming tides.

Baits are a little spottier, but can be found along beach areas. It doesn't matter much though, as plenty of action can be had with shrimp under popping corks and tipped jigs.

EVERGLADES CITY/CHOKOLOSKEE -- Capt. Bruce Miller says the fishing to south is great. Bait is around, says Miller, but you don't need it. Action on jigs is hot with plenty of snook and redfish around, many slot-sized fish to boot.

Miller says most days are seeing 20 snook landed and several reds caught along with tons of sheepshead. Bruce says the sheepshead are pouring in with the tide down in the park as well, with many 3- to 4-pound fish.

WIGGINS PASS TO ESTERO BAY -- Capt. Terry Davis and his son, Eric, have been fishing in Estero Bay and lower parts of Pine Island Sound. He reports that bait is both good sized and plentiful.

Action on snook and redfish has been great most days, but the slow days can be really slow. When that happens they have been running out off the beaches and finding action on near shore reefs.

Schools of big bull redfish and cobia are out there and can be sighted cruising just under the surface.

Capt. Dave Hanson has been offshore when he can, there are still some rough seas farther out, but in closer you can find grouper, snapper and mackerel on the closer in artificial reefs.

FRESHWATER -- Capt. Lee Boyd is easing his way back into the swing of things after beating colon cancer this summer.

Boyd took a look around the canals south of the "Alley" with a couple of buddies and reports some really big bass concentrations already.

Plastic worms worked deep are the best shot. The fish weren't interested in any top water action.

Boyd says if the conditions now are any indication of the fishing to come -- when the water levels drop lower this winter -- bass anglers should have one of the best seasons in recent memory.