Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
October 11, 2000
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
October Lion
It is as if October has come in like a March lion. Rain dumped down on our area at the beginning of the week. That forced everybody off of the water. Many fishing trips were canceled or rescheduled. I was sitting on the veranda of my mother’s house overlooking the Caribbean at the foothills of the Blue Mountains in Jamaica. I was feeling pretty smug as we were enjoying rest day in the middle of the Port Antonio International Marlin tournament. The marlin fishing was slow by the standards of the tournament. But after watching the weather channel, I knew that south Florida was getting hammered by a tropical wave and that I wasn’t missing anything business wise. Yes, Jamaica would have to do.
We flew into Miami the next Sunday and it was back to work plying the waters of Marco and the Ten thousand Islands. A cold front was plowing through Florida and there were winds that could lay your ears back. It has been blowing hard every day since. That’s what I get for being so smug. We have been finding bait and fish despite the heavy winds. Redfish have been showing up in greater numbers and the snook are still going strong. Those that haven’t been using live bait have been doing well throwing jigs and plugs. Sometimes it’s easier to get to fishing with artificials than to scurry around looking for bait. The snook and redfish have been hanging out along mangrove shorelines. They are particular to bushes that are hanging in the water. We have been catching a snook on one throw. Then it is not unusual to catch a red on the next throw. Most of us feel that this past cold front will heat up the redfish action.
There are still some tarpon around. Captain Duane White reports that he landed a fish that went well over a hundred pounds this past week. It is not unusual for larger tarpon to pass back through this area briefly in the fall. You have to be prepared and keep your eyes open.
Trout are being caught in the deeper runs along the islands. It has been too rough to get to the favorite grass flats. There have been reports that the pompano are starting to show up in greater numbers. Most folks are concentrating on redfish and snook.
Lets hope that this windy system will move on its way. It makes fishing seem more like work. Work? Nah. We have had enough wind for the month though. I’ll see you on the water.
More Fishing Reports:
