Tell me what’s better than watching the sun come up and tarpon rolling all around you?  It’s been that way the past few days due to these light east winds and hot south Florida weather.  If you asking what is the best bait for tarpon fishing in our area , I would hands down say a small to medium sized pass crab .  My second is a live mullet or thread fin herring .  For my leader ,  I like to use a 60lb 6ft piece of fluorocarbon leader to a 6/0 circle hook . It’s a simple rig but it works!  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 .  Give me a call if your looking to get on the hunt for some of these great south Florida gamefish . 


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

May has been action packed with snook , tarpon , redfish and sea trout in abundance . Naples and Marco Island inshore fishing always fires up this time of year as water temps are on the rise and we have been taking full advantage .     Live bait (pilchards) have been prevalent along the beaches, and the near shore wrecks & rock pikes  .  Once my live well is packed I make a turn and head rt back inshore to get this party going  . Look for fish to really start schooling up along the beaches and passes.  This is due to all the small baitfish that are getting pushed in and out all day with the tides, it’s the backcountry Buffett . 

Gulf water are gin clear so make sure when working a shoreline to keep your eyes glued to the shallows looking for a slow cruising fish .  Try not to present your bait right on top of the fish but see which way they are pointed and lead the fish by 2 to 3 feet.  There are also some big Jacks and sea trout mixed in so be ready for that bait to get hammered and your drag to start singing .  Now that our winds have been tapering off look for tarpon rolling just off our beaches and passes . Can’t beat a free-lined live crab but a big pilchard or thredfin herring will most definitely get some attention.   It’s that time of year guys get out on the water and enjoy some great South Florida fishing action!!!!!!! C you on the water !

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

Prime weather in South Florida =s outstanding inshore fishing. 

It’s that time of year where all of our game fish(tarpon/sea trout/snook/redfish) are on my hit list .  In the Naples and Marco island area , we have snook all over the beaches and passes feeding on the small pods of bait fish. If we see birds (snowy egrets / pelicans ) lined up on a shoreline I will always swing in to soak some live baits .  Speaking of live baits the off shore structures (wrecks/rubble piles & beaches ) will be holding some nice big baits this time of year.  When it comes to catching your bait nothing beats Good electronics (simrad/Garmin) are imperative to have , so you are able to  differentiate the structure and the bait that is hovering along side it .  

There have been some Redfish mixed in with the snook and trout so don’t be surprised to hook into some big boys . Tarpon are  starting to make their migration down the beaches and passes .  I like to use live small blue or pass crabs on the beaches but if there in the back bays my favorite is a slimy catfish chunk or mullet.   You have to remember tarpon are scavengers so they will never pass up a chunk of meat on the bottom .  Look for our weather to stabilize even more and the fishing to get better and better . My favorite time of the year is now !! Get on the water and enjoy this awesome playground. 
See you on the water ! 


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