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Southwest Florida - Naples, Marco, 10,000 Islands
Capt. Jeff Legutki
October 9, 2006
Ten Thousand Islands - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report 10-7-06 Estero,Naples,Marco Island, 10,000 Islands "Month of Transition"
This is the time of year where all the latest patterns are starting to change. Water temperature is finally starting to fall, and the dominate southerly winds are starting to shift out of the north. Here we are in the first week of October and we have already had two weak cold fronts come through with breezy northerly winds that lasted a week.
I myself, along with all the other captains have been plagued with the ugliness of another "Red Tide". Due to all the fresh water washing out from the big "O". This year they deverted alot of water through the Everglades instead of the big rivers like the Caloosahatchee, Myakka, and the Peace River. Last year at this time the Pine Island area was littered with dead fish, this year it stretches from Naples south to Caxambas Pass in the southern portion of Marco Island.
The fish are showing the first signs of transition, moving from the outside points to the middle bays and the back bays. With water temps dropping the backcountry is starting to become tolerable for the fish. Oxygen levels are rising, andd the salinity levels are rising as well. Some parts near larger creeks are still receiving lots of fresh water where the water can be 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding bays. Water has a clear yet tannic look, unlike the other bays that are so tannic you can't tell if its one foot or ten feet deep.
All the sign of winter to come are starting to show. I woke up this morning to see that the wind was already blowing out of the northeast steady. Yesterday, I saw the first flock of white pelicans flying south looking to ride out the winter in the Everglades. And large schools of bait are also migrating south. All the signs of transition are staring to take place.
Last Saturday, I was fishing the grass flats south of Cape Ramano and couldn't beleive the vast schools of pompano skipping out of the water everywhere, along with lots of trout being taken on jigs. This is our winter targets usually another month or so from now. Redfish are schooling up everywhere from Pine Island to Estero.
In Naples, offshore captains like Wes Bedell and Will Gehraty are slamming the over size reds on the inshore wrecks while fishing for the last schools of permit. These fish are up to 40 inches long and are eating crabs intended for the permit. Others are being taken on jigs and shrimp.
On the beaches you can see migrating schools of big tarpon heading south in the early morning rolling through the large schools of glass minnows. Through out the day you can catch as many mackeral as you want to under the birds feeding off these schools. Mix in the blue runners, ladyfish and jacks.
Snook are being taken on topwater plugs in the back country, along with redfish. Small tarpon are in front of just about every creek through out the Everglades, and trout are starting to pile up in the holes in the middle islands.
This past weekend was the full moon, making fishing a little tough during the day, partially because I beleive they feed all night long. Early morning hours you can still find feeding fish as long as you can still see the moon. As soon as the moon dips below the horizon, it seem the fish stop feeding and rest up for the next night.
Saturday night I and two friends went out to do some snapper fishing over some near shore wrecks. Mangrove snapper up to 18 inches were eating everything we dropped down untill we ran out of the small shiners. So we caught some larger baits with sabiki rigs and flat lined a couple baits back in the chum slick. With in minutes the drags starteg to scream. We caught five cobia in the 30 -40 pound range, a couple king fish and several sharks. A couple times something picked up the bait and left for Mexico without stopping. To say the least we lost three spools of line to large critters of the night only to leave you guessing what they were and how big do you think they were to take 300 plus yards of 50 pound braid.
All in all I think I am ready for the winter to come. Changing things around, no real need for the first light bite, that only lasted a couple hours. I like the fact of winter where there is no need for early starts, the bite last through out the day. Fishing calm coves in the lee's with little current and warmer waters. Sight fishing once again with cleaner, greener waters.
I think this might be the first time I am anxious for the winter season. Good luck and keep the lines tight!
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