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Southwest Florida - Naples, Marco, 10,000 Islands
Capt. Jeff Legutki
July 4, 2007
Ten Thousand Islands - Saltwater Fishing Report
The Heat is ON
Wow, summer is here all of the sudden! Dead calm mornings, higher tides, and soaking wet shirts by 8:00 am. Empty boat ramps and lots of hungry big fish for the one who chooses to face the heat.
Start before sun up with top water plugs on an outside point with a good current and you're bound to find aggressive snook popping mullet. "Big" snook hungry after the spawn will be stacked around the outside points and passes. As the sun rises, switch to a jig or a subsurface bait, and concentrate on shadow lines and deeper water.
This is a great time of year to fish at night as well. Take advantage of the full moon nights and seek out the giant linesiders luring in the darkness. I prefer the 3 night before the actual full moon when the moon rises earlier.
Tarpon are still around with most fish being between 10 - 50 lbs. Rolling fish are easy to find in the calm morning and usually take a well presented bait. Doa bait busters are hard to beat or a bushy fly like a big muddler that pushes water will get the action.
Red fish are being found in the same areas. Soft plastics are working for me, as well as flies with some sort of weighted eyes. This way the fly has a jigging action to catch their attention, once you see the red notice the fly let it flutter to the bottom and the red should slurp it up. Reds will also take top water plug and give an impressive strike on the take as the have to get on top of the plug to eat with their mouth is positioned yto feed on bottom.
After the big 3 gamefish, there is a large assortment of other fish waiting to pick a fight. Permit are on the inshore wrecks, which are accesable for smaller boats this time of year. A live crab never gets turned down! Also keep an eye out for cobia. Sharks are always present, and of course the goliath grouper you can always fall back on if nothing else wants to eat.
This in my opinion is the best time of year to catch alot of good fish in a short period of time. Fish feed heavily in the early morning hours until the sun climbs high in the sky. Completeing a slam before 10:00 am is so possible( tarpon,snook,redfish)!
Call and book a trip and witness the Everglades and the 10,000 Islands all to yourself. Empty waters are begging for company, and the fish are looking for a fight! Until my next report, tight lines and screaming drags to all.
Captain Jeff
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