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Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
March 31, 2003
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Any Way The Wind Blows
March has proven to be as unpredictable as it can be. The first few weeks of March were warm and pleasant. It appeared that spring would come in like a lamb. For all practical purposes, it did. The winds were mild and the weather was warm. Snook and redfish were coming out of the woodwork. Bait started to flow into the Ten Thousand Islands. You could feel that all hell was about to break loose.
By the end of the second week we were concentrating on very large tarpon. Live bait, cut bait, flies and plugs were all taking their fair share of the silver rush. As the third week of March approached, the winds took a turn for the worse. Strong winds out of the south put a damper on the fun. Fishing was not impossible, but it became a challenge. Seven days passed and no relief came. At that point, there came one day of calm. Tarpon, snook and redfish went crazy. Everyone who was out had a blast. Then a cold front passed through and the winds shifted to the north. We all scrapped for bait and still caught good numbers of snook. With a few reds mixed in and an occasional tarpon, all was manageable. There were moments of reprieve where fishing was actually dynamite.
With the close of March came the cold front from hell. The temperatures dropped to the forties and the wind has been blowing trees sideways. This weather kept all of us at home repairing tackle. It afforded yours truly a much needed chance for a fishing report update. As the week progresses, the weather should improve. Large tarpon schools are circling their wagons offshore. Hopefully, this front will be the last one- two of a belated winter. Most of us will spend the next two months chasing the silver fury. But for those of you who like the challenge of the lighter side, snook, redfish, trout and jacks of all sizes will be there to scratch that itch.
Live bait of all varieties are here or coming to an area near you. With the bait come all the back country brawlers. With the tarpon come the sharks of just about every species. Sharks are a noteworthy adversary. Bear in mind that the sharks have been getting hit hard by the commercial industry. Even though they make for good table fare, there is a lot of prep to making them edible. Besides, there are a lot of other great fish to eat.
We have a great season to look forward to. I hope to see you on the water.
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