It’s been one windy April on record . We have had some great weeks of light winds but for the most part it’s been Blowing just about every week .   I am ready for the hot ,humid & buggy weather to settle in and really fire up this fishery !!! The backcountry and inshore fishing around the Naples and Marco island areas have been full of action . Snook , sea trout , and redfish have been chewing good on the mornings hard incoming tides . One of my favorite ways to get these fish into a crazy feeding mode is to Chum heavy . All this means it to take bat (chum bat) fulls of pilchards and sling them close to the shorelines you are fishing .   Watch for fish to explode on the fleeing baits and just cast close to where you saw the blow up and hold on.  Also this chumming will draw out fish, that were deeper in the mangroves to come out and join the party.   It’s a great way to get the action fired up !!! Looking forward to more great fishing in May .

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

Solid inshore fishing continues around the Naples and Marco island areas . I can’t stress it enough but the most important part of our day is catching a load of bait for the day‘s trip. Our bait fish are constantly on the move this time of year,  so it takes a lot of time on the water and recon to locate them every morning. Having a live well full of energetic baitfish will increase your chances of catching that trophy fish of a lifetime.  Snook and redfish are always top on my hit list .

On the morning incoming tides I like to find shorelines with mangroves that hang over the water . Look for these fish to be tight to cover(mangroves) or just inside the shade lines. Well placed cast close to the structure and making sure to let you bait stay in the strike zone as long as possible . 

Also if you pay close attention to what your live bait is doing you can tell a lot about what is going to happen.  Let’s just say you see your bait starting to make aggressive move left to right or even jump out of the water that’s a telltale sign to get ready as a strikes about to happen. Stay patient, let the strike take place  & wait for your line to come tight and set that hook hard ! May is just around the corner and that’s usually when the floodgates open to some outstanding back country fishing .

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

In Naples and Marco island it’s that time of year for some  outstanding fishing . Big snook are starting to move into outside islands.  Every late April and especially May I start to see snook in the 40in range start to show up in the inshore islands.  The best way to get these big fish to eat is using big baits( mullet or pilchards).   Very important to get you bait close to the structure and let it swim hard to draw out those bigger fish . Have your drag almost locked down as they most certainly try to get you hung up in the deep cover .  Also be ready for redfish spotted sea trout, jacks & mangrove snapper to be in the mix .   Tarpon are stating to show up in the backcountry and beaches so always bring a few bigger setups (rod/reels) to be ready.  Our weather is starting to get more and more stable and this will lend itself to sone outstanding inshore & backcountry fishing . 


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

More of the same outstanding fishing around the Naples and Marco island areas .  This time of year lends itself to some of the best snook, redfish & sea trout inshore/backcountry fishing in SW Florida.  Due the hard east winds we have had , the gulf waters have laid down and become gin clear.  Anytime we have this clear water our game fish seem to get into bigger groups and are easier to catch .  Spend the time in the morning to look for live bait(pilchards) as this is the key to getting big numbers of fish to the boat .   I am concentrating on shorelines with current and deeper edges . I will position my boat so my anglers are just in casting range and we slow drift out live baits down the mangrove shorelines.   This time of be ready for anything as big fish will be moving through .   Get out and enjoy this great weather !!!

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