Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
August 31, 2004
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
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For those of us in Collier County, Hurricane Charley is nothing more than a bitter memory. For those of you who are still suffering, our hearts here go out to you. Hurricane Frances is out there as I type and it is not looking too good for Florida. It looks like we will have to brace for another one. These past few weeks of fishing have been very productive. Bait has returned to the shorelines and the fish have been providing the action.
Snook have been a no brainer in the Marco and Ten Thousand Island areas. Double digit days with snook are not a problem. I have been using mostly scaled sardines but other methods are working for others very well. I have friends that have been throwing soft plastics most of the week and they have been coming up with impressive numbers. Snook have been on the points from the outside to the bays in the back. Most of them are small to medium size. There have been more than enough larger snook to keep things interesting.
Anglers are starting to catch redfish with more frequency than the earlier part of the month. I have been experiencing the same thing on my trips. It seems that the further you go south towards Chockoloskee, the more redfish you will catch. Redfish are real suckers for just about any kind of jig. I have been catching most of them on live bait but I keep a jig rod handy and I will often catch an overlooked redfish before moving on to a new spot.
There are still quite a few tarpon around. Many of them are in the ten to thirty pound range but sixty to ninety pound fish are being brought to the boat as well. Live silver mullet is a good bet right now. Threadfin herring have been hard to come by because the water is pretty warm right now.
All of the other players are out there to keep things well rounded. There are plenty of mangrove snapper to keep you properly humiliated. Let’s not forget the fisherman’s life saver the jack. With all these fish around, it’s pretty hard not to have a good time. It’s hard to believe that September is on our doorstep. The water will start to cool down a bit and all hell will break loose soon. I will see you on the water.
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