PaulC
10-18-2005, 10:21 PM
Hey Folks,
Thought you might enjoy a report from out of state.
I just got back from Naples, FL for a wedding. Of course, I had to add some form of fishing to the trip.
We arrived on Friday and I managed to get a bit of beach fishing in friday afternoon and saturday morning. Not much happening from shore by the hotel. Lots of mullet, but no snook cruising.
It turns out they had been hammered with red tide just recently killing off most of the small baitfish. Apparently fishing from shore was very poor as a result.
Sunday, we went guided with Capt. Aaron booked through everglades anglers fly shop.
We went out to fish the 10 thousand island nature preserve, which turned out to be a fun time.
The conditions were a bit windy with the water off color, which was non-ideal. However, I managed to get into a few snook and some jack crevalle busting the surface which was a blast.
The snook were interesting as they hung out by the mangroves, and would mad dog you trying to get back in there. They wouldn't move much to take the fly, so you needed to almost bounce the fly off the mangroves.
Saw some tarpon rolling but they wanted nothing to do with me.
Casting was different with alot of sidearming like steelheading under bushes to get things close to the mangrove roots.
Most of the flies they use out there are EP flies with a split V of heavy mono for a weed guard. That was also really effective when the wind pushed your fly up into the mangroves. A little twitch and it was out again.
Overall, it was a great trip. I could see when conditions were right, that place could be phenomenal. When the water is more clear you get alot more stalking & sightcasting than I experienced.
According to the guide, the best time out there for larger tarpon was in the april-may timeframe.
Lots of shopping in Naples, with the downtown much like downtown Santa Barbara. Great place to go if your spouse doesn't fish.
Here's some pics.
-Paul
Sunrise @ 10k islands, a jack, and a snook
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Cronin/collage_1copy.jpg
[b]Cast at those roots!, Looking for the next cast, Naples sunset
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Cronin/collage_2copy.jpg
Thought you might enjoy a report from out of state.
I just got back from Naples, FL for a wedding. Of course, I had to add some form of fishing to the trip.
We arrived on Friday and I managed to get a bit of beach fishing in friday afternoon and saturday morning. Not much happening from shore by the hotel. Lots of mullet, but no snook cruising.
It turns out they had been hammered with red tide just recently killing off most of the small baitfish. Apparently fishing from shore was very poor as a result.
Sunday, we went guided with Capt. Aaron booked through everglades anglers fly shop.
We went out to fish the 10 thousand island nature preserve, which turned out to be a fun time.
The conditions were a bit windy with the water off color, which was non-ideal. However, I managed to get into a few snook and some jack crevalle busting the surface which was a blast.
The snook were interesting as they hung out by the mangroves, and would mad dog you trying to get back in there. They wouldn't move much to take the fly, so you needed to almost bounce the fly off the mangroves.
Saw some tarpon rolling but they wanted nothing to do with me.
Casting was different with alot of sidearming like steelheading under bushes to get things close to the mangrove roots.
Most of the flies they use out there are EP flies with a split V of heavy mono for a weed guard. That was also really effective when the wind pushed your fly up into the mangroves. A little twitch and it was out again.
Overall, it was a great trip. I could see when conditions were right, that place could be phenomenal. When the water is more clear you get alot more stalking & sightcasting than I experienced.
According to the guide, the best time out there for larger tarpon was in the april-may timeframe.
Lots of shopping in Naples, with the downtown much like downtown Santa Barbara. Great place to go if your spouse doesn't fish.
Here's some pics.
-Paul
Sunrise @ 10k islands, a jack, and a snook
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Cronin/collage_1copy.jpg
[b]Cast at those roots!, Looking for the next cast, Naples sunset
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Cronin/collage_2copy.jpg