Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
June 25, 2002
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Yucatan Blues
Due to an upper level low, we have been dodging rain for the last two weeks. Warm air from the Yucatan keeps fueling the weather system. That has made fishing down right tricky or impossible.
In the beginning of the week, most of us were able to get some fishing done in the morning. Bait is scarce. There is some finger mullet around if you spend the time looking. They can be tricky to catch. I have been catching micro sized shiners and using them for chum. We set the boat up on a point where the current is flowing and dole out some freebies. Then we would freeline a live shrimp into the melee. I scaled down to a small number two hook. My anglers have been catching large mangrove snappers and snook with this method. Make sure that you have a lot of shrimp because the snappers are thieves.
Anglers caught two to eight pound snook using this method. The tides were soft and high in the morning. Once the tide started moving out, the action could be furious. I had a group of three this week and at one point, I was taking off snapper, snook or jacks at any given moment.
There were moments of real frustration that went with this past weeks’ fishing. Rain and wind were a sure bet throughout most of the week. If you stayed out past the morning hours, you were sure to get wet. The high tides were particularly hard to deal with as well. It was one of those hit and run weeks. You had to go to many spots to find one that worked.
By Saturday, the sky let loose and it rained all day. Many guides and anglers fished the Redbone tournament out of Everglades City. Saturday was very difficult for most but sweet for those in the right spot. One team caught six redfish south of Everglades City that day. They did well with snook too. Sunday, the weather cleared and fishermen got down to some serious business. Fish in the south Marco Island area turned on and we caught a dozen snook up to six pounds in a half-day tossing freelined shrimp.
It doesn’t look as if this weather system is going to be loosening its’ grip anytime soon. I make a habit of studying the radar on live feeds on my computer as well as the NOAH weather channel. Pack the rain gear for sure. This system has a lot of electric in it too. Stay safe. I will see you on the water.
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