Marco Island, Ft. Myers & Boca Grande

Capt. Scott Hughes
August 21, 2000
Fort Myers - Saltwater Fishing Report

Nothing special.........Just Solid.

We didn’t break any personal records this week, but the fishing was very good. Its not the busy season but I’m getting a few trips in per week in both Marco Island and Charlotte Harbor. Snook have been the main targets in the 10,000 islands and trout the best bet in the harbor to the north. Tarpon of all sizes are around, but they haven’t been a sure thing for a few weeks now. They do seem to be starting to stage for their major feeding frenzies before they head out for the winter.

Trout are still providing for plenty of action and good eating in Charlotte Harbor. Most of our catches have come on small sardines fished with a popping cork. The flats of the east and west side of the harbor are holding good numbers of fish. The west side seems to have more fish over the twenty-inch limit. Red and white top water plugs are my second choice because we have actually had popping corks come apart because of the number of trout that come up and hit the cork instead of the shiner.

Snook are about the only species that is really hitting good in the Marco Island area. Small snook are on the outside beaches and sandbars and the larger fish over 10 pounds are in the creeks leading to the open water. Sardines are the best bait for both. I like to use very large threads or sardines for the trophy fish but the smaller baits will produce smaller snook with more numbers.

Fair numbers of tarpon are in around Marco Island and in the upper Charlotte Harbor. The Marco Island tarpon are much smaller that the fish in Charlotte Harbor. They are ranging for 10-50 pounds. Live sardines are producing good numbers of hit on every trip if you can find them rolling. When they quit showing the bites go away also. The Charlotte Harbor tarpon are all pushing 100 pounds with a few scattered small tarpon hanging around the bridges in the Peace River. We have not hit the strong bites but I’m sure they are eating. I just haven’t hit them at the right time. My best success has been to locate some rolling fish in the harbor and drift live pinfish or thread herring around them until they bite. Sand trout will also work in a pinch.

Very large jacks have been keeping the drags singing when the action gets slow. The 41 bridge is holding big schools of jack crevelle, which won’t leave a thread alone, long enough for a cobia to find it. Its hasn’t been uncommon to catch a dozen and get broke off a handful of times in 30 minutes when the tide is rising. They don’t have any food value so don’t kill any of these fish. This time of year all the big species like tarpon and snook are catch and release anyway.

Good Luck!

Capt. Scott Hughes

Blackwater Charters

863-946-9171

[email protected]

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