Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
December 14, 2001
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

I've got a bite!

“I’ve got a bite!” was the quote of the week by one of my customers this week just after a 80-pound tarpon took his bait. I ran two trip out of the 10,000 Islands this week and we landed 11 of 22 tarpon we hooked with live baits. The tarpon are everywhere. I saw tarpon in the back bays, under dock lights, in the passes, and on the outside. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and jacks are schooling with plenty of bait offshore and snook and redfish are working the points south of Marco Island.

The tarpon stole the show this week. The catches that we have had the past few weeks have been matching the best days we had last spring. Its not been uncommon the hook at least 8 double digit tarpon in an afternoon. Live baits are the best baits but red and white bombers have been producing excellent numbers of fish for Capt. Andy Bostick and Bill Jones.

Redfish to 30 inches are working the rock piles of the upper 10,000 Islands. Live sardines have been catching a few most days but the large schools that we saw in October are not here now.

Snook fishing has been solid but we didn’t get any of the 20-pounders that my customers were catching last week. We still managed a few keepers.

Sharks, spanish mackerel and jacks are working bait pods from 1-3 miles offshore of Marco Island. Spoons and jigs will catch as many as you want. Many of the spanish mackerel are 4-6 pounds.

The forecast is excellent for the next few days. We should have good fishing until the next cold front gets here. I sure hope we have a mild winter.

Good Luck!

Capt. Scott Hughes

Blackwater Charters

863-946-9171

941-628-4247 (mobil)

www.blackwatercharters.com [email protected]

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