Fished in Wind all week in the Naples and Marco Island waters.
Capt. Roan zumFelde
March 22, 2008
Naples - Saltwater Fishing Report
I fished everyday last week and found it very challenging is all I can say. As unbelievable as it may seem with winds on some days approaching 40 miles and hour we caught fish. Not a lot of fish but still we caught fish. I sure hope the winds die down in April, because I need a little break from them. anyhow here is how we caught the fish we did. Fished bait during the days and fished fly at night when the winds lessened a little or just enough to be able to throw a fly in the protected canals of Naples. Day fishing was generally fair. I think the reason I caught fish was I used something that we do not really use here that often. Each day I would take some time and catch thee or four ladyfish to use as chum and cut bait. When I could get white bait I used it but it seemed only to produce moderate catches of small Snook in the back country. Live Shrimp accounted for some of the catches including Snapper and a few Redfish. The key I think to catching the bigger Reds and a couple of good sized Snook was to chunk the ladyfish and chum a point or a pocket. This seemed to fire them up a bit more than white bait even did. Many times throwing handfuls of white bait the fish never responded. It seemed they were just not interested in expending any energy to run it down. I am not giving anything away here, I know a number of people that chunk ladyfish it is just not a common thing in this area. Well anyhow, the ladyfish will not be around to much longer and we will be back to throwing artificial and live bait if we can catch it. But you might want to try it sometime before things change and we get back to summer type patterns.
Night fishing for Snook was not bad in the backs o f the canals in Naples Bay. The key to finding and getting them to take flies was to try and beat the dirty water. If the lights had dirty water the fish wouldn't hit. If you went to the isolated lights in the backs of the canals you got bit. Fished 4 nights this week catching about 10 to 15 fish each night on small baitfish patterns in yellow. Yes you heard right yellow. Another tip that will come in handy one of these days when you have off colored water try a different colored fly. The other tip and this is indispensible as far as the lights go. Just because you do not see the fish doesn't mean they are not there. Try sinking your fly a couple of feet not just casting and retrieving. Man I should be getting paid for these bits of wisdom.
Naples Fishing Forecast:
I have no idea what is going to happen next week. The weather definitely looks like it isn't going to get much better with another low pressure followed by a cold front and then more winds from the South toward the end of the week. No predictions but I think it is going to be a tough one. Next week with the moon phase should be a great tarpon week if we can get these winds to stop, but I think it might be a lost cause. Seeing some around, they just aren't biting for me up in these waters yet.
Well Good luck and Good fishing and I hope I have helped someone with the tips I have given you. And for all the guides that know about the ladyfish trick, I am sorry if I gave away your closely guarded secret. Good casting Roan z.
Target Species:
Snook, Redfish, Tarpon, Snapper
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