Report for Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands
Capt. Matt Hoover
August 30, 2000
Marco Island - Saltwater Fishing Report
Round The Corner
The kids are back in school. The mornings are cooler. The fishing action is heating up as we round the corner for another fall season. I love fall fishing. I think that most seasoned anglers would agree. It is always a time of reflection and certainly another reminder that we aren't getting any younger. It is all the more reason to fish more often.
The bait is everywhere. Birds are diving. Jacks and mackerel are crashing. It is like someone threw a switch. Water temperature and sunlight hours have something to do with it. Snook of all sizes are ready for the taking. We have been catching them from Marco to the back bays in the Ten Thousand Islands. Live bait, jigs, and lures have all been working. Topwater plugs on a still morning are a hoot. God help the snook this week because it is open season on them starting September first. You may only keep two snook per person. They may not be smaller than twenty-six inches or larger than thirty-four inches in overall length. You need a snook stamp on a valid fishing license.
Most of the people that I talked to are still catching a few redfish on each outing. Some of the fish reported have been oversize. Jigs and live bait have been working the best with them. Redfish don’t mind a well placed fly either. Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for a good fall season with the redfish. Last year was poor in comparison to previous years. I haven’t heard a good explanation for their lack of cooperation. It may be cyclic. It would be another good excuse to garnish some grant money for one of my pet projects.
There are plenty of large trout and mangrove snapper to keep you amused. The trout have made an amazing comeback. They keep getting bigger and bigger. They don’t mind eating any jig of your choice. I have been catching them on live shiners. The larger trout will smash a topwater plug. Cape Romano is a great place to throw plugs for them. You never know what else you might catch besides trout.
Small to medium size tarpon are being caught throughout Marco and the islands. We have been seeing them in the morning along the beaches and in the passes. Smaller tarpon are in the bends of rivers. They will take jigs and plugs. Live bait is still your best bet.
We are moving into the season where it becomes a free for all. There will be hordes of bait everywhere. All species of fish come together and take advantage of the opportunity to get fat for winter. This is a great time to get out and catch a ton of fish without the pressure of the winter throng. Hurry up. Get out there. I’ll see you on the water
More Fishing Reports:
