Outside Madness
Capt. Jeff Legutki
October 13, 2008
Ten Thousand Islands - Saltwater Fishing Report
Well the fall is in full swing with the hordes of bait of the beaches. Schools of mullet have been washing in the inlets in numbers compared to the mullet run on the east coast.
This past weekend I witnessed millions of mullet balled up so tight you could have walked across them. As the sun was setting tarpon started blasting through the mullet in every direction. Unfortunately we couldn't buy a bite to save our lives with all the other baits around, kinda like playing the lottery.
Off the beaches you can find bait balls everywhere by looking for the birds first. One particular morning I ran across a pod of bait that was probably 2 acres around, mackeral were going ballistic smashing and flying out of the water everywhere you looked. Along with the macks we caught bluefish, ladyfish, king mackeral, and saw tarpon and sharks mixed in here and there.
This has to be the best scenario for taking kids fishing, action on every cast. Even the novice anglers will have a good time and can learn alot from situations like these. And whenever you have this action, you know bigger preditors are close by.
Snook and redfish have been real thick on the outside points taking advantage of all the food being washed in with the tide. The reds are schooled up and can usually catch a half dozen at each spot.
All methods are working right now! Flyfishing has been great for the snook eating the smaller bait, cut ladyfish are getting all the redfish you want, and the live bait fisherman are always getting the bites! Sometimes the bait is so thick you're better off using something different to stand out from the hordes of bait.
Last weekend I fished the Red/Snook tourney in the fly division with my client Jim Brown and Ron Alderman. We finished a respectable 3rd behind two pro tournament angler teams. We did catch the biggest snook for our division, Jim Brown landed a 34 inch snook on a chart. toad. I am happy with our results, but not to happy with the tournament rules, as far as having to compete against the bait catagories for biggest fish. Bait will always catch bigger fish compared to the fly! Oh well, thats how the Red/Snook is run. Everyone thought we should have won an award for such a big fish on fly.
Until my next report, tight lines and screaming drags to all!
Capt. Jeff Legutki
Anglers Addiction Guide Service
www.naplesfloridaflyfishing.com
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