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Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
August 1, 2005
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Bonefish Break
I decided to do some fishing for myself this past week with my father. We went to Gargill creek in Andros, Bahamas for some bonefishing. We stayed at a new unknown lodge right on the flats side called Andros Bay Cottage. The accommodations are spanking new and very modern. The food was excellent and there is a massive flat out front that you can wade if you like.
This time of year is not actually peak season for bonefish, as the flats can get quite warm by midday. However, that didn’t concern us because we wound up getting shots all day. I took plenty of small Clousers, Crazy Charlies and an epoxy shrimp pattern that I concocted. We were also prepared for tarpon.
The first morning we went looking for tarpon. We came across some fish doing the string bean thing. My Dad pitched the fly and the second fish chowed it. After two jumps and a blinding run, the fish came unbuttoned. After that, we went looking for bonefish. We wound up getting three or four apiece in the two to five pound range. The flats were getting hot and the tide began to flood. I might add that we pulled the hook on several fish that day as well.
The second day we found forty to sixty pound tarpon laid up on a very shallow flat. I put a cockroach fly right on the nose of a fish and he inhaled it. After one jump, he threw the fly. We got back to the bonefish after that and repeated the day before.
The next morning we decided to go after bonefish right at the start. We went to a large flat to wade for bones. We stepped into them right away. They were tailing everywhere. Tailing fish are a little touchier. However, the solution was to lead them a bit and wait for them to get to the fly. The short of it was that we both landed our fair share of fish on that flat. The next morning we caught a couple of tailers. Then we found a mud where they were flashing like mullet. We pulled eleven fish from that mud.
Overall, it was a fantastic diversion. I highly recommend Andros Bay Cottage. They have four cottages for a total of eight people. Call Henry Bain at 1-242-368-5266. Email him at [email protected]. Fall through spring are actually the best months for bonefish, tarpon and permit.
Fishing here has been excellent. I had trips these past two days. I caught small shiners along the beach. They were perfect for snappers, snook, and redfish. We caught plenty of each in the last two days. There didn’t seem to be any particular pattern to the fish. We caught them out front, in the middle and in the back bays of the Ten Thousand Islands. There are still a few tarpon around but I have not given them any serious pursuit. All is well with the world. I’ll see you on the water.
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