Naples Inshore

July 25th, 2008

Naples Fishing Report

What can be said about the fishing this month, other than excellent. It seems everything has played out perfect the last few weeks. Fish are in the passes, over the wrecks and on the beaches. I have been fishing a lot of six hour trips starting with a little tarpon fishing at first light followed up with some snook fishing.

The main problem has still been the lack of quality pilchards. They are just not anywhere to be found in the mornings, yet are pretty easy to find in the afternoon. I have been fishing small baits that Im finding on the beaches and big threads brought in from offshore.

Tarpon are still around in good numbers off the beaches in 10-16 feet of water. Ive been finding them mixed in with mackeral chasing schools of small spanish sardines. The fish have been eating threads under a cork and baitbusters casted at rolling fish. An average morning has been 2-4 hookups on fish between 60-80lbs. It is an early bite that has shut off by 830am on most mornings. Snook have really gotten stacked up in the passes in Naples from Wiggins to Gordons. I have been doing real well this week on the morning outgoing tide fishing bait. The big fish are hitting threads, small pilchards and even mangrove snapper that are being brought in. The docks also have a good amount of fish on them along with the beaches.

Naples Fishing Forecast:

Snook and tarpon should remain strong for the remainder of the Summer. Now is a good time to get out at night and fish the bridges and lights. I like the Marco area as it has good moving water and the bait really flushes in on the incoming tide. Just remember to bring plenty of BUG SPRAY, they have been on a mission.

Target Species:

SNOOK, TARPON, SNAPPER