Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
November 6, 2002
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fall Harvest
Yes I know that it has been awhile since my last post. I have been back and forth from out of the country. Just when I got home, I came down with some kind of mutant illness that kicked my butt into total bedridden submission. Nevertheless, I’m back feeling healthy again. So here is the deal.
Calm warm days have embraced us this past week. The early morning hours have been picture perfect. Baitfish of all description has moved into the Ten Thousand Islands. Birds are cartwheeling everywhere. The fishing boarders from fair to excellent. I’ll take those ratings any day.
Some days have been hotter on the action than others. The main reason is that the fish are stuffing themselves and then laying back for a day or two. If you hit it right. Double-digit days on snook are a certainty. Most of the snook that anglers are catching are small to medium size. There are a few bruisers out there. Redfish in the upper islands remain spotty.
We had some new moon tides this week. I spent the mornings flyfishing with clients. We had several hookups with snook that we sightfished. We blew some other shots on redfish as well. We also ran into some laid up tarpon. These fish were in the fifty to eighty pound range. Unfortunately, buck fever got the best of the guy on the bow. I no longer get frustrated with blown shots from a fly caster. It is entertaining watching a good caster fall to pieces on a gravy shot.
The tides were swift and high this week. As high tide approached, we bailed on the flyfishing and caught bait. The snook are definitely on the move as the water temperature is slowly dropping. We have been starting to catch snook in the back bays of the Ten Thousand Islands that are silver.
Large jacks and mackerel are blasting bait everywhere. Mondo ladyfish are in the mix too. I ran offshore this week on a calm day and we found blue fish as well. They are a sure sign that winter is on its way.
We have a small cool front about to pass through. It doesn’t look as if it will effect us that much. I am not ready to chase sheepshead and trout just yet. I’ll see you on the water.
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