Friday, February 17, 2012

Naples and Marco Fishing Report For February/March

Great News so far, no cold weather to kill fish this year.  The only down side, it  has been a little too warm for this time of the year.  Why I say this is not that we aren’t experiencing great fishing now but it might throw our whole fishing calendars off for the spring summer fish runs that everyone comes for.  Well we will just have to see.  This month’s fishing has been fantastic.  Bait fishing has been good with lots of bait available on the outside(unusual).  Trout and Redfish have been found in there spring time locations more than there winter locals.  Many out on the flats and to the outside. Rather than the deep cuts and channels in the inside.  Snook fishing has been excellent from North Naples down to the Everglades.  Not typical fishing, they have been roaming the inside and outside Islands not just inside.  Even the passes are holding fish this year.  If the weather stays the same we will be Tarpon fishing and Snook Fishing like Spring before the end of February.  I am seeing some Tarpon show in places they should not be yet, but we could still have a cool month and I have seen a March in the past that was cooler than normal.  The one part of our fishing that is still slow is the Bass fishing in the Glades, still too much water out there and they are scattered.  The peacocks are moving around in the Canals but if the water Management people do not get to work and clean some of the grass out of the canals the fishing will be poor.  It is amazing what great potential we have in our canal fisheries and for lack of Management it could be all lost.  My forecast for March Fishing is going to be a guess at best.  If weather continues to stay warm I would expect march to fish like April and see a fishery more based toward the outside areas rather than inside fishing.  I just do not know yet.  I kind of hope temps stay a little cooler for the rest of February so that we have a more typical March.  His will make our May/June fishing a little more normal.  If we keep going on the warmer trend then we might have a tough summer fishery especially for Tarpon.  Keep looking toward the outside if the water temps stay in the 70’s and expect to see the Big tarpon show up in all the bays.  Bass fishing in the Glades should get much better with the water levels lowering.  Bait fishing will continue strong and probably get better as we enter March.  Here is a shameless plug now!  Come visit Indian Pass Outfitters in the Ships Store at Naples Bay Resort just down form Bonefish Grill.  We have a full complement of TFO Spinning and Fly Rods along with the new BVK series reels.  You can also find them on line at www.indianpassoutfitters.com

Thanks and good fishing Roan z