Fishing Through the Dog Days of Summer
Capt. Todd Geroy
August 6, 2011
Naples - Saltwater Fishing Report
I've been especially busy for this time of year and am looking ahead to quite a few trips on the calendar for the next few weeks.
While I would like to do nothing but brag about the fishing, I would not be giving an honest report if I didn't say that fishing the shallows in August can be challenging. One trip can be very productive while the next can leave you totally flustered. The bottom line is...Yes it is hot and that can make the fish lethargic, but they do have to eat sometime and you don't know if you don't go!
I have been catching some nice snook in the last week as well as some slot redfish and mangrove snapper. There are plenty of small pilchards along the beaches here and I have been cast netting them by the hundreds before my trips. We are usually fishing them with a small split shot to make accurate casts easier. High tide has been most productive as the fish move up under the shade of the mangroves. A pinpoint cast in pockets of right at the edge will keep baits in the strike zone and away from the catfish.
I had the pleasure of fishing a couple outings with Tommy Ennis of Orlando. This young 12 year old angler is an accomplished angler for his age and very patient and committed. In the past we have had some great trips with his dad and it has been inspiring to watch his skill progress with experience.
On one evening last week, Tommy fished solo and released over 15 snook several jacks and his biggest redfish to date, a seven pound 26 inch fish. Here he is showing it off before release...
A couple of day later, we returned to the water with his mother, Lisa for some morning action. Lisa had never fished for snook before and broke the ice with a 10 pound fish.
Tommy also got into the act with his first tarpon ever. A beautiful juvenile fish caught under the mangroves.
He followed it up by releasing a 9 pound snook that tried desperately to drag several yards of line through the bushes at high tide. After quite a tug-of-war, Tommy prevailed and promptly released the snook.
I also had one productive shark trip out a couple evenings ago, releasing three 5 foot bull sharks and an 8 foot lemon. Unfortunately, that was followed up by another shark outing the next morning where we only had one brief hookup. It is very unusual not to have more action on the sharks, but that is the kind of frustration I was talking about in the beginning of my report.
I recommend getting out at first light and towards sunset for the best action right now. Evenings can be especially good if they follow a good, cooling afternoon rain.
-Capt. Todd Geroy
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