Fishing SW Florida 2.11.08

mark · Joined: Apr 08, 2004 Posts: 264 Location: Naples, FL

Fishing has been very good of late. The warm temps and the light wind out of the east have produced very clear water and have brought in the tarpon.

Snook are even cruising the beaches especially at high tide. In the backcountry redfish have become prevelant in Rookery Bay. For flies the Gummy Minnow, Mighty Minnow and Emerald Shiner have been great in the shallows and the beach. Try low incoming shallow water and look for fish or head wakes.

In the backcountry the Swamp Rabbit in brown has been productive as well as the Glades Minnow. The mid to late morning low tides we'll have this week should make for some good sight fishing and will pull the snook and reds out of the mangroves and make them more accessible.

Layed up tarpon have showed in some of the bays south of Goodland and south of Chokoloskee. One of the few places in the world you can fly-fish to a average 80lb fish laying motionless in less than 3' of water. Tarpon Bunnies in orange/brown and purple/grey are working. Remember if you cast to a tarpon most of the time they sink and track it before they eat it. Sometimes you can't see them but keep stripping. Sometimes they eat it next to the boat.

The canal along 41 south of Port of the Islands has been fishing well especially at sunrise. Baby tarpon, snook and some big gar are being caught. Try using flies about the same color as the water. Brown, tan and gold.

The shop has a new shipment of flies and is fully stocked.

Mickey Ford with a nice snook caught while fishing with Capt. Ken Chambers

Capt. Tim Daugherty with a nice shallow water Redfish.

NYflyguy · Joined: Feb 21, 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Ridge, New York

What is the best approach for those snook that cruise. Flies that a great in the 10,000 islands & off jettys, just get refusals (plus they are spookier than trout). Have tried both parallel & perpendicular casts but neither seem to work (haven't tried at dusk or dawn) on 8 - 9' leaders. Help Crying or Very sad

mark · Joined: Apr 08, 2004 Posts: 264 Location: Naples, FL

Hi, Yes, snook can be finicky. If there is bait in the area try to match the hatch. Also, try smaller flies such as the Enrico Puglisi Bay Anchovy's or the Micro Minnows. Sometimes strip faster so the snook doesn't have much time to think about it. Plus make sure if possible to make the fly travel away from the fish.
Hope this helps
Thanks
Mark Ward
Owner
Everglades Angler

Stoli · Joined: Jan 18, 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Indiana

My findings in Feb. and March last year are right on with what Mark had to say. I hooked over 20 fish in a 6 day period. Small EP minnows with a little shiny materials in them worked wonders on those cruising beach snook just like Mark suggests. I had to back down my bite tippet from the usual 30 lbs I use for snook to 20 lbs, but on the beach you don't really run the risk of them rubbing on anything (except those darn gill plates!!) I got bites all times of day which was fun. I just had to locate the snook. I had to lead them, and I mean lead them far!! If they even saw my fly line in the air, they spooked out of there. Get it way out in front of them and time it so the fly passes perpendicular to their nose right as they cross your path. Few things I noticed: the shallower the fish (sometimes inches from the beach) the more likely they were to eat, and if they were in groups they ate much better (due to the competition I guess). Also, they seem to be somewhat territorial. If I messed up on a shot at a fish, I'd get another shot if I just waited 5 to 10 minutes, or in most cases just kept walking down the beach and then returned to that same spot in a few minutes. Also, it got to the point after a few days were you could almost always count on seeing fish at the exact same places on the beach. Great sight casting fun. Watch out for the beach joggers though on that back cast!! Wink

NYflyguy · Joined: Feb 21, 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Ridge, New York

Tried similar patterns but more like glass minnows with flash. I was using an IS 8wt at ~ 1.5-2 ips but it (and several others similar) just got refused. How far a lead do they need? Change to a floating line? These guys are within 10 feet of the surf line. Easy pickins with a rock but I'm trying to be subtle Confused

mark · Joined: Apr 08, 2004 Posts: 264 Location: Naples, FL

We use floating line 99% of the time. Sometimes I let the fly set on the bottom untill the fish comes up and then strip it. Also try crab and sand flea imitations.
Thanks
Mark

NYflyguy · Joined: Feb 21, 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Ridge, New York

Thanks again. Will try this next time I'm there. More "stuff" to keep in the arsenal. Laughing