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The whole adventure started when I picked my friend Jason Stapleton up at the airport. He had just flown in from Missoula Montana to do some fishing. We hadn’t seen each other in almost 5 years, but we picked up right where we left off and used fishing as the excuse. Our plan was to take my SKA partner Steve Sprigg’s 31’ Jupiter offshore in search of permit and cobia. We left the dock around 10 o’clock in the morning and our first stop was the Gordon Pass headpin to cast net whitebait. We had already purchased 13 crabs from Naples Bait, and 2 throws of the net finished us off in the baitfish category. I set the boat on a course to a wreck which lies in 63’of water about 21 miles north west of Naples, which was about the only direction we could have gone because of all the thunderstorms around us. When we arrived at the wreck we had it all to our selves so we set up on the anchor.
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We first put out a couple of crabs on flat lines, and then started to bottom fish. The permit rods are a set it and forget it deal so I use a 3/0 circle hook, 8’ of 30# fluorocarbon leader attached to 30# power pro. For rods I use a 25# cape fear spinning rod with 12000 Thunnus so I can use the bait runner feature. The rod, reel and line are crucial because there are so many jewfish on the wrecks that if you can’t get the fish whipped quickly enough they will be eaten. After putting the crabs out, we began to bottom fish to see what we could muster up. Every bait that hit the bottom got throttled by various species. Everything we caught other than trash fish, we caught in 3’s, 3 keeper cobia, 3 keeper grouper, and 3 bonita, and let every fish go. Had reset the anchor once in the middle of the time we spent there, and continued to catch fish, but never found our permit so a move was in order.
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We ran south a bout 10 miles to a wreck that sits in 53’ of water that I have fished many times, and never lets me down, but it’s like any wreck in that if you don’t set up perfectly on it, forget it. We set up dead on on the first shot, and were fishing in no time. Crabs went out first, then baits on the bottom. I was hoping to catch some snapper, but never hooked any. I fish that wreck at night for snapper and it can be incredible, but not that day. As the first permit rod got smoked, all our attention went towards them. I started with 13 crabs, and we ended up with 12 eats. Only 3 of the fish made it into the boat, 3 were eaten by jewfish, and the other either broke us off our never got the hook. I can’t tell you how many jewfish I have seen over 300#, but I watched one eat a permit that was by far the biggest I have ever seen. Those fish are out of control, and even the law enforcement and the scientists realize that something needs to be done to manage them a little bit better- I hope something happens. Like I said, we let every fish go, but ‘killed’ three because of the jewfish-what shame. Once we were out of crabs we packed it in and headed for the ranch. A storm was bearing down on us, so I put ‘er on the pins and let it eat. We covered the 15 miles in 28 minutes and were home safe and sound. Stayed tuned for a report and pics from the snook trip with Capt. Doug Hanks…
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Fish On
Henley

I have seen people hoist jewfish up on Naples pier.
How much of them are out there now. Can I expect some
in the passes around Naples or do they only hover in
deep water ?

Hey Marcel- The jewfish are everywhere-in the backcountry and offshore. I have never caught one on fly, but do know many people who have. I usually catch them on live or dead bait, and all too often on another fish that I am fighting. There is always a good chance of hooking them, but most of the time you need huge tackle to get them up. Some of our offshore wrecks may hold 20 of them over 200 pounds, with some going upwards of 600 pounds. Think of how much just one of those fish needs to eat...

That's what I figured. If you see the gear of the nightshift on the pier you could assume jaws is swimming out there. Even with the heavy gear the big jewfish get away.

I have heard a couple of those fish call the end of the pier their home and snack once in a while on a snook or red caught by a "lucky" angler.

I would love to catch a small one on the fly though.