Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands

Capt. Matt Hoover
May 22, 2001
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report

Summer Slammin'

Mild wind and warm sunshine blessed us this past week. The water temperature climbed past the eighty-degree mark for the first time this spring. That is just as it should be. There was plenty of bait and fish to be had. Almost everyone that I talked to had great fishing this week.

Many anglers were pitching live bait. Captain Duane White and anglers Wayne Bergquist and son in law Vince caught a boatload of snook with and a couple of redfish for good measure. It seems that most of the guides are starting to catch a few redfish with each outing. Other anglers have been doing well with jigs and other artificially. The trout fishing has been excellent too. Get over some grass and have at it with a jig.

Tarpon came in the bays in fair numbers. Fly fishermen and sightfishermen had many shots in quiet coves. I had an angler get surprised when a hundred-pound tarpon ate his shiner on a ten-pound test outfit. The fight lasted for almost two hours. Anglers Jim Kenney and his son in law Brad landed six for ten tarpon with me using cut bait. Brad’s first tarpon was a brut of about one hundred and fifty pounds. It’s all down hill from there Brad. We used cut bait in and near passes to get those fish.

We have a front on the way. I am sure that it will give us more unwanted wind. It was nice while the break lasted. Forecasters predict that the front will move through fast. There seems to always be wind out of the west with a front. That will make getting bait difficult. I would expect a normal southeast wind to return quickly. The stage is set for some premier fishing. The water is warm and the heat is building. It’s time for some summer slammin’. I’ll see you on the water.

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