Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
February 3, 2003
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Winter Thaw
The frost came off the pumpkin this past week. Early hours started out in the fifties. By mid-morning we were starting to shed a few layers of clothes. Afternoon sun brought us in the seventies. That’s good news when you consider that water temperatures have been in the fifties. Last week a few of us found casualties floating in the rivers. Fortunately, the cool blast did not last long enough to do that much damage.
We have been spending most of the mornings throwing shrimp weighted down with split shot into the deeper areas of rivers in Marco and the Ten Thousand Islands. These areas may be four to fifteen feet deep. When it is as cold as it has been, fish will drop to deeper water. Sheepshead, snapper, and jacks have been the mainstay. We are catching a few redfish and snook in deeper water as well. Black drum are almost a certainty.
As the temperatures rise in the afternoon, the back bays have been good for sight fishing opportunities. Dark colored bottom retains more heat and that is where we have been seeing snook and redfish. These are not easy fish to catch. Long, well placed casts with a fly rod or a light jig have been the way to go.
Trout fishing improved this past week too. Quarter ounce jigs of all kinds will get you plenty of action. Expect to catch your fair share of ladyfish and jacks in the process. The deeper runs along the islands have been holding keeper sized trout. Look for trout over the grass flats of Cape Romano.
February can dish out some cool weather. Let’s hope that we are over the hump. It won’t be long before the large tarpon start to show up. It’s getting time to polish the big guns. I’ll see you on the water.
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