Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
September 27, 2000
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fall Fantasy
I had to leave you all to fend for yourself the week before last. My family and I went to the East Coast of Costa Rica to chase tarpon at the mouth of the Rio Colorado River. It is a remote spot in the jungle about ten miles away as the crow flies from Nicaragua. Costa Rica has a beautiful landscape and the people are warm and hospitable. Unlike some of the other third world countries that I have visited, I think they are actually happy to see Americans. Or maybe it is that they are a happy people.
The tarpon fishing was fabulous. The Caribbean was calm and fish were rolling everywhere. We put ninety-seven tarpon in the air. Most of the fish were over one hundred pounds. We caught them on plugs, jigs, and many were caught on the fly rod. My brother and I were tying a lure that we called a “flig”. It was a three-quarter ounce jig that had the feathers and trappings of a tarpon fly. It was deadly. My wife and sister in law went to the other coast and did some rafting and gliding on guide wires through the forest canopy. My wife PJ wants me to tell everyone that bungee jumping is the ultimate.
After some hurricane disturbance, I understand that the fishing was quite good in the Marco and the upper Ten Thousand Island areas. There is an astronomical amount of bait around. Captain Duane White and Captain Stacy Mullendore told me that they had double-digit days with snook early on in the week. Everyone is catching a couple of redfish on each outing, but they are not in big schools yet. I was out with clients Dave and Russ Rehn today. They caught at least twenty snook. Most of them were small to medium size. They did catch two keeper reds too. There are a few medium size tarpon around and plenty of baby fish as well.
There are jacks and ladyfish crashing everywhere. They always round out a great day of fishing. Folks are hammering keeper trout over the grass flats on the Cape and in front of the islands. Fishing has been fabulous and is going to remain strong until the first cold fronts of winter. This is one of the best times of the year to get some “catching” done. Hurry up and get out there. I’ll see you on the water.
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