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Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
August 21, 2001
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Gettin' Fishy
Fishing remained steady as Chantal breezed by us early this week. We experienced some rain as a feeder band went over Florida. Chantal may spawn some tropical weather for us as the week progresses, but I think that the next week of fishing will be typical late summer business. Fishing in the mornings this past week seemed to be the most productive time. We had a lower tide that produced good moving water for the most part. The water started to flood out by noon. Shoot, it was pretty hot to be fishing at that time anyway. I took folks out later in the afternoon as the tide was falling and the temperature cooled down.
Around the Caxambas end of Marco there is all sorts of small live bait. It is a mixture of sardines, threadfin herring and Spanish sardines. To the south I have been finding menhaden of fair size. On the points you could find small tarpon, snook and jacks gorging themselves in the stuff. Now I know that bait that small can be hard to throw but it works. Get gutsy and drop down to eight-pound test and use a number one or a number two hook. Anglers had a field day catching small to medium sized snook, jacks and ladyfish on every other cast. Ten to fifteen pound tarpon behave like the big boys on that light gear. The action has remained that way pretty much throughout the week. You had to find key spots where the fish were happening because other spots were as dry as the Sahara desert.
We caught a few “rat” reds throughout the week too. Other guides gave me similar reports. That is good news, as they always seem to proceed the larger redfish. We caught a few legal size reds this week too but they still seem to be scarce throughout Marco and the upper Ten Thousand Islands.
Flies and rubber-bodied jigs are taking their share of fish as well. Don’t hesitate to use the method of your choice. We are coming to the end of the hot season and all hell is going to break loose within the next few weeks. Fish are going to be getting fat on anything they can catch. It is coming up on what I call dummy season.
There have been a few larger tarpon coming in and out of the shallow water areas. Look for them along the beach early in the morning. They will also be milling about in the passes and quiet bays. Use your weapon of choice. All methods will produce results.
Trout fishing has been good off of Romano and the grass flats in front of the islands. The small live bait that we are catching are candy to these fish. Your old stand by favorite jigs and flies will get the job done too.
Fishing is going to get better as fall approaches. Late August and September can be a fantastic time if there is not too much tropical activity. I’ll look for you on the water.
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