Naples & Marco Island Fishing Report

May is always one of my favorite months to be out on the water, chasing our local game fish .   The inshore fishing around the Naples & Marco island areas ,never disappoints.  There’s such a variety and abundance of fish that frequent our area during this time of year.  Snook , redfish , pompano , snapper , sea trout , tarpon , jacks , Goliath grouper and sharks are all on my hit list in may .  Live bait is still plentiful on the offshore rubble piles and wrecks .

My favorite net to load up on bait is , a 10 to 12 foot 3/8 inch lee fisher cast net( humpback).   This is the perfect net to get down 20 feet and come up with a net full of beautiful Baits. I know I say it all the time, but these live baits are the key to having an action packed day on the water.   Let’s switch gears for a second and talk about some fly fishing.  

For my fly anglers what a perfect time of year to hunt snook on the beaches . The combination of gin clear water and lots of sunshine equals great site fishing opportunities.   I like to cast more natural patterns due to the clean water( white /tan/olive colors).  The key is to stay as far off of the fish as you can , as they can be spooky in these conditions. A long cast in front of the fish , with a good fast retrieve Will ensure a hard strike.

Also one thing to remember because our waters are so clear this time of year is  light floral Carbon leader (20-30lb) can sometimes be a game changer . Great time to get out early before the midday heat & enjoy some great Southwest Florida inshore action. 

Catch yah on the water !!!!!

Capt. Tim Daugherty
www.fishthesalt.com
(239) 280-8138