Breaks in Weather Bring Great Spring Action in the Backwaters
Capt. Todd Geroy
May 4, 2014
Naples - Saltwater Fishing Report
April was a very busy month as usual, but we had to work through some of the toughest conditions I can remember mainly due to frequent periods of windy weather. As earlier last week, we seemed to have emerged out of the slump and fishing action really bounced back. We had some great snook fishing along with some nice redfish and other species before yet another weather system moved in and made the last couple days a challenge.
I have been catching live bait (pilchards) daily and they have been the ticket to some hot snook action with as many as 20 caught and released on many half day trips. Size has ranged from 22 inchers to some fierce fighting 36 inch specimens weighing in at up to 16 lbs. The snook are seemingly all over the place right now from way in the inside bays to right in the passes close to the gulf.
This morning I had the pleasure of fishing with Lloyd Dorfinger of the Naples Fishing Club along with fishing partner Jay Bishop of Naples. The duo battled numerous snook and redfish to the boat all morning long. The highlights were an epic battle by Lloyd with a power house of a snook caught under the mangroves. It measured 36 inches and weighed in at 16 lbs. before we released it. Jay followed with a large snook measuring nearly 34 inches and was released. The gentlemen also boated several slot redfish and some mangrove snapper which were invited home for dinner.
Redfish are also all through the area right now. We are catching them in many of the same spots as the snook on live baits. Most all of the redfish have been running in the 23 to 26 inch range with a few over the slot at 28 to 30.
There are still some massive Jack Crevalle in the channels and along banks with fast moving water. Some of them have been up to 16 pounds! They really give a great fight on light tackle.
Tarpon and large sharks are in the area although most recent trips have had no interest in catching them. Wednesday, we did make the effort and had success while jumping two very large fish before getting a solid hookup and boating a small 40 lb. tarpon. May is a peak month for the tarpon and much of my time in the upcoming weeks will be spent targeting the "silver kings"!
Naples Fishing Forecast:
I am looking forward to the next few weeks and plenty of big fish as we enter into one of the best periods of the year for fishing in SW Florida!
Target Species:
tarpon, snook, redfish, mangrove snapper
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