Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
April 28, 2000
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Roll And Pick
Another week slid by and it was like trying to score two points from the inside only to take a shot from the key for the three pointer. Frontal associated winds plagued us off and on all week. Those that were savvy managed to pull off some great days. As the week progressed, the winds built to the point of frustration. There are moments when guides ask themselves where the glamour of the job went. Fishing can become work. That’s when you have to catch your breath, relax and start from the beginning.
Winds were stiff when I last left you ant then they laid down for a day on Friday. Jim Kenney was on board and the tarpon came alive. We hooked twelve fish and brought six of them to the boatside. I knew he was tired when he made me fight the last fish. The next day, the wind beat the water to a froth. Guides and anglers beat the lee side of banks with popping corks and shrimp. If you were thorough, you could garnish snapper, small snook, and an occasional redfish or trout. That was only if you had luck going for you. I did come through a pass just in time to see anglers Bill and son, Adam Herbst, hook up with a hundred-pound tarpon. The tarpon had his way and spooled Bill’s reel. I thought it was a fluke but young Adam hooked up with another monster fish. Unfortunately, the fish threw the hook. The pass had white caps in it and those fish were proof positive of the exception to the rule. The wind disappeared on Sunday, so while most were in church, we tried our hand at tarpon again. Our efforts paid off and we were able to bring three very large fish to the boat that day.
On Monday, the wind reappeared and it has been relentless ever since. Most of the guides are using popping corks and shrimp or shrimp tipped jigs. Fishing has been very tough. Only the very diligent are making noteworthy catches. It has been enough just to find a spot where your scalp won’t get blown off. A few redfish hit the table yesterday and there was talk of small snook. Most of the fish were caught on shrimp.
The fronts keep ripping across the nation with no signs of an immediate reprieve. The tactics for inshore fishing have remnants of those methods that we use in the winter. Let’s hope that the cool fronts will be on their way and we can get into a manageable spring pattern. We could use a break. Bring your kite and I’ll see you on the water. Be sure to use Kevlar string.
More Fishing Reports:
