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Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
February 28, 2001
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
February Finale
I am almost afraid to speak about the kind of February that we have been having. It has been as good as I can remember and I feel that we deserve it. It doesn’t appear that the weather is going to change too much in the next week. There are severe fronts raging through the Midwest but most of it appears that it will slide to the north of us. The temperatures will remain in the eighties until mid week and then there will be a cooling off period with possible showers. The good news is that we should have a great fishing weekend. This past week showed a steady increase in activity.
There have been schools of bait moving into the Marco area and the Ten Thousand Islands. Snook, redfish, trout and all the other backcountry players have been more than willing to stretch a line. Quite a few large tarpon have moved into the area and I have been getting many reports of fish being caught over one hundred pounds. I had the pleasure of fishing with my dad on his 72nd birthday and he boated a tarpon that was a little over one hundred pounds. Live bait, cut bait and flies are doing the trick. Tarpon are in the passes and are also laying up in the bays asking for a fly. I would expect that you could pursue them at least through the weekend. If weather comes, they will move offshore and hide until the coast is clear.
Snook and redfish have been taking live bait, jigs and flies this past week. Catches will continue to improve as the water temperature climbs. Trout are still providing plenty of action. Most of them are being caught on jigs over the grass and the deeper runs.
Pompano are still in the passes around Marco. Most of the guides are using jigs tipped with shrimp. Bounce the jig on the bottom and be prepared for the hard strike that pompano can deliver.
There is plenty of activity and it should remain steady at least until mid week. The weather system that is coming may fizzle out as it gets here. That has been the case this month and let’s hope March is just as favorable. I hope you catch your share.
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