Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
February 18, 2004
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Over The Hump
“The trick is to give your wrist a small snap, just enough to get the jig to hop on the bottom”, I said. We were using tube jigs tipped with shrimp. They are a small piece of surgical tubing slid onto quarter or three eighth ounce jig head. Bob followed my instructions and his rod doubled over immediately. The drag gave a periodic whine. Bob did the angler’s jig from the bow to the stern of the boat to avoid any mishap. Soon he was slinging a healthy pompano over the side. Pompano are in the same family as jacks and permit. They all command brut force for their respective size. One thing that separates the pompano from the rest is its popularity at the fish market and restaurants.
February can be a highly unpredictable month for fishing. There are two things that you can be sure of. You will be able to catch fish. We are getting over the hump with the throws of winter. How the weather behaves will determine what fish most of us will go after. Back to back cold fronts will rip through the nation and Southwest Florida will feel the influence of this weather. By mid February, it is not uncommon to have unseasonably warm weather as in last year’s case. This time last year many of us were catching sardines and chasing snook. The tarpon migration started early as well. For the most part, most anglers will concentrate their efforts on trout, sheepshead, and pompano.
Pompano like to stage in the passes of Marco Island. We catch pompano in some of the hard bottom passes of the Ten Thousand Islands too. As mentioned, we like to use tube jigs tipped with shrimp. These jigs imitate shrimp or a small crustacean called the sand flea. When the jig is given a little hop, it makes a small puff in the sand on the bottom that will attract the attention of the fish. Pound for pound, it is hard to beat the power you will feel from a pompano. Pompano will sometimes be found on the grass flats where trout like to feed. It is not uncommon to spook pompano when you are drifting along for trout. You can’t mistake a spooked pompano. They will jump out of the water and skip on the surface sideways like a flat stone. Many times you will catch one out of the corner of your eye as you are motoring along on a full plane. If you double back and start tossing jigs, you may be able to catch a few.
Trout season has been open for a month now. Our trout fishery has been improving every year since inshore commercial netting was brought to a halt. Trout in the twenty inch range are plentiful. Trout will be over the grass patches from Rookery Bay in Naples to the far reaches of Chockoloskee. They are the mainstay of the winter angler. Many trout will fall for quarter ounce jigs with plastic tails of all configurations. Popping corks and live shrimp is another old standby method. Popping corks are cone shaped bobbers. The cork is put above a live shrimp with enough line so that the shrimp will stay just above the bottom. Give the cork a little wrist action and it will pop on the surface of the water. Trout will come to the sound to see what the commotion is all about. When the cork goes down, set up on the fish with a full follow through. When the cork is down, its cupped top creates a lot of resistance. You need all the swing you can get to achieve a positive hook set. Expect to catch as many ladyfish and jacks as you do trout.
Trout love shallow grass flats. They also like to hang out on the deeper edges of the islands. Larger trout like to stage in the shallow part of a major drop off. The water may be only a couple of feet deep. But you can be sure there will be a deeper escape route nearby.
Carry plenty of shrimp when you go fishing in February. Many of us are still “zoo fishing”. That means that we are deep dropping shrimp into rivers and deeper holes with harder bottom. This water may be four to fifteen feet deep. Put enough split shot above your shrimp to let it bounce at a slow pace along the bottom with the current. Sheepshead, snapper, black drum, and redfish could be your reward. You may catch a snook or even be surprised by a full grown tarpon. You never know what is going to bite using this method. Small rivers and creeks are full of deeper holes. Pay attention to your depth finder when you are idling along. These places can yield great action on the worst weather days.
Weather will be a major player during the month of February. We may see the worst of winter or it could be as pleasant as a spring day. Serious anglers will spend time sight fishing in very shallow water in specialized flats boats. Snook and redfish like to get in shallow dark bottomed bays. The water may be warmer there. We use light jigs, shrimp and flies to pursue these fish. Usually, one person is poling the boat quietly while looking for fish. Polarized sunglasses are a must. The angler will lead the fish with his offering. Hopefully, all will come together and the line will come tight. There is no better feeling than quietly stalking a fish and having everything go right. You don’t get the big numbers of fish, but your satisfaction level is ten fold.
February signals the beginning of the tarpon migration. It starts in the Keys. The first tarpon in our area show up in the rivers and bays of the backcountry to the south of Chockoloskee. Soon they will make their way into the Ten Thousand Islands. By March, April and May, all serious anglers and guides alike will be infected with tarpon fever. Most of us are already starting to get our gear ready in anticipation. This guide measures his life by the passing seasons spent chasing tarpon.
Remember, February is a winter month. It can be very cold doing thirty to forty miles an hour in a boat. Dress appropriately. You can always store that jacket when the sun starts cooking. I’ll see you on the water.
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