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Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
November 24, 2002
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
The Bill Chill
It has been awhile since my last report. Please accept my apologies. Life, travel and opportunities have been bombarding my everyday routine. Fishing, however remains a constant. The variables in the game are the ones that we have to stay attuned to.
It appears that we are in the throws of winter. One cold front after another has plagued us in the past few weeks. It is a little early, but nature has no schedule. I saw white pelicans in the backcountry of the upper Ten Thousand Islands the other day. They usually don’t show up until mid- December.
If you are in the know, you can still catch shiners. A prudent angler would keep some live shrimp in the well also. The snook and redfish have scattered because they have been blind sided by the drop in water temperature. We are still catching those species but most of us are starting to pursue trout, sheepshead and anything else that will bite.
This past week, I spent the mornings trying to drum up some snook using live shiners, but they were deep in hiding. We changed tactics by throwing popping corks and shrimp. We threw jigs for awhile too. Those methods produced trout, ladyfish, jacks and a couple of smaller redfish.
As the tide came in, we headed to the backcountry and switched back to shiners. It was in the backcountry that we started catching a few snook. It seems that the snook are happier when the sun is high. The water in the backcountry is a degree or two warmer at this time of the day. They ranged from eighteen to thirty inches. It is apparent that the snook are on their way to the inner reaches of the creeks and back bays, which they will call their winter home.
It is not impossible for the weather to get warmer as winter progresses. If we have a couple of weeks of warmer weather, the snook will come out of the woodwork. Right now, it is a good time to carry shrimp and throw jigs. I like to drop shrimp into deeper holes and runs. This method can produce just about anything that inhabits our waters.
It is going to be a busy week around Thanksgiving. Most of the guides and serious anglers will be hard at work. With all of these folks on the water, it will be easier to give a more detailed assessment what’s really going on.
In the meantime, get on the water. Have a happy Thanksgiving. I’ll give you a full report after my share of turkey. I’ll see you on the water.
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