Cold winter conditions have settled into Naples &  Marco island areas & this has the inshore bite firing up .  I know most people don’t like the cold here in south Florida but honestly, it’s a nice change from the constant summer heat.  Don’t be discouraged when you see temperatures dropping, this will concentrate our fish , making it easy for you to target them.  When I see a week of highs in the 70s &  lows in the 50s I know exactly where I’m going & that’s deep in the back country.   The trick is getting your boat deep in the creeks and concentrating on the deeper holes & shorelines.

These fish(sea trout / pompano / jacks / snapper / sheep head & ladyfish ) will be actively feeding during these colder weeks u just have to get to them.  I know the limits of my boat and I know when I am able to get to these areas without running a ground .  Once back there, I usually have these areas all to myself, and if I can time it just right, these fish will be concentrated waiting for an easy meal. With this said, make sure you’re fishing close to the bottom, using live shrimp or artificial, such as jigs . This will ensure an action packed morning on the water . Looking to next week we have warming trend look for the bite to fire back up !

C u on the water !!!!

Capt. Tim Daugherty
www.fishthesalt.com
(239) 280-8138

The Naples and Marco Island inshore fishing continues to produce some action packed days on the water!  This past week we have been on the hunt for sea trout, Pompano, Jack’s & redfish.  The sea trout action has really been the star of the show. We are finding good numbers of fish deep in the creeks on the low incoming tides. This winter time fishery does much better when it’s cooler and stays cool for a period of time .  My experience tells me that these fish settle into the deeper holes when the water temps get into the upper 50s & 60s.   This makes it easy to target areas that have deeper pinch points (where the water has to funnel through) that lead into back bays.

I think with the colder nights these fish pull off the flats and settle into these holes were the water temps much more stable.  Next thing you have to look for is a nice rolling tide incoming or outgoing doesn’t really matter, but it has to be moving.  All winter I have been throwing 3/8 ounce stand up jig heads with a DOA paddle tail(white or root beer) or a 6 inch gulp (new penny color).  These are excellent search baits to cover areas and really dial into a good bite .  

When I pull into one of these areas, I usually give my anglers a dozen or so cast before I know either it’s time to stay or pick up and let’s run to another.  That’s  the winter game stick and move.  We have been seeing some really cool temps all week but next week will see a slight rise and temperatures & This should turn on some other species. 
C U on the water !!!!!


Capt. Tim Daugherty
www.fishthesalt.com
(239) 280-8138

The winter drop in water temps have the inshore trout bite around Naples and Marco island firing!   This time of year you have to adjust to these colder temps. We do have some weeks where our weather can be in the mid 70s and you can start to see some snook chewing again but for the most part, you have to dial into the winter Fishery.  With this said it’s time to focus on artificials,  a.k.a. jigs.  There’s no live bait(pilchards) around this time of year and with the cold water temps you really have to slow your presentations down.  

Still my favorite go to is a 3/8oz stand-up jig head with a DOA paddle tail , root beer or white in color. I love seeing these new or full moon negative low tides in the mornings as I know these fish will not be underneath the bushes, but packed in the deep holes in the backcountry.

There is one problem getting to these places on a negative low tide.  If you are able to navigate the maze of shallow waters and make it back to these deep holes, you can usually expect lots of action.  I have been finding lots of sea trout, pompano , whiting , jacks and redfish .  The morning low incoming tides have been my favorite as these fish tend to be on the move or nosed up in the current looking for an easy meal. I always tell my anglers to bundle up this time of year and stay warm while that morning sun is rising. Dressing properly can ensure you have an enjoyable morning session on the water. See you out there ! <•{{{{{><

Capt. Tim Daugherty
www.fishthesalt.com
(239) 280-8138

First of all, I’d like to start by saying I hope everybody had a great holiday break with there families and friends.  We have been seeing some warmer temps in the Naples and Marco Island areas. This has really fired up our fishery and has these fish on the move looking for food .  The inshore fishing continues to produce some great winter time fishing with snook , redfish , sea trout and pompano being on the top of our hit list .  Like I was saying we have been having some warmer temps and just a few degrees has made our snook bite really turned on..  I am finding some snook on the outside islands, but most of my action has been deep in the back country using live baits.  We have been seeing morning negative low tides, and this is my favorite time to wedge myself back in the creeks , as I know these fish will be pooled up on the deeper shorelines.  

Live bait has been a little bit, tough to catch, but I have still managed to fill my live well and bring these nice tasty treats right to their front door.  Later on in the afternoon on the higher tides, I’ve been finding red fish in tight to the mangroves . A well placed cast into the open pockets will surely get your odds in the right favor. There has been plenty of jacks & sea trout just about everywhere I’ve been fishing this past week.

Its been really nice to be able catch some really nice trout everyday for my anglers to take back to the grill.  It looks to be another drop in temperatures(cold front ) coming this weekend so make sure you get out this week and get it while the getting is good. 
Tight lines !!!

Capt. Tim Daugherty
www.fishthesalt.com
(239) 280-8138