June and July were on fire. I mean it was hot and the fish were chewing. The average temperature down here at this time of year is 91 degrees and then it usually starts storming by 1-2 pm. After that, it cools down to a brisk 83 degrees and cools off a bit more over night, with lows in the mid 70’s. The water temperature does the same with trips usually ending by 1pm, due to water being too hot, or a risk of being struck by lightening. This weather pattern repeats daily until mid October. So it is a solid morning and mid morning bite until then.
This time of year I have coined it to be “Trophy Season”, with solid big fish. Big Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Black Drum, Sharks and even Triple Tail haunt the morning waters down here. The Black Drum bite was solid and kept my customers drag screaming through the months . Most caught by jigging buck tail jigs and paddle tails off the bottom around deep cuts. The Sea Trout bite was strong through both months keeping the dinner plates loaded. ESPN’s Debbie Hanson, host of Reel Time Radio, came down for some fun and started out with the first Sea Trout for the CCA Tournament. Popping corks with shrimp brought them in quick, but the bigger ones, up to 24 inches, were being taken on top water plugs.
The Snook bite was in full swing with a heathy stock of females moving in from the Gulf of Mexico. It is catch, photo, and release season on these girls, as they are restocking the area with hatchlings. My groups have been targeting these fish with mullet and chunk baits. But some have come while trying to catch Trout, which always gets us by surprise on the light rods. Not all of them make it to the boat, but that is fishing.
The Redfish, Tarpon, Sharks, and even Tripple Tail have been coming on the same baits as Snook, adding to a mixed bag of fun. You never know what is going to happen in the backcountry this time of year.
Other note worthy fish have been the abundance of Mangrove Snapper that have been around. That fish brings some non-stop action for the beginners, and you never no what else is holding up in those snapper holes. All in all it is a great time for bragging rights, tears, and, “Did you see the size of that fish?”, time of year.
Give me a call if you want to get in on some of this action.
Until then, Tight Lines,
Captain Jim Fortman
239-325-7109
Backwater Fishing in Naples & the Ten Thousand Islands 