Warm weather is back on the rise in the Naples and Marco islands area.  With this said, look for the fishing to keep improving each day .  These past few cold fronts have had the bigger snook offshore hunkered down on the wrecks and reefs & are now starting to show back up looking for their next meal. I have had no problem getting live bait(pilchards ) offshore on the wrecks but with waters temperature still around 70 degrees I’ve had just as much success fishing jigs(3in doa paddle tails ). The trout bite has been a go to when looking for a good meal to take home for the grill.

I have also been finding some really good mangrove snapper’s deep in the back country. I’ve been concentrating on the lower incoming tides,  fishing the deeper shorelines.  One really good trick is make sure you chum with some live bait as your fishing. This will draw out some of the bigger snappers as they tend to hide deep in the cover. I use the exact same rig for snappers as I do for snook. This is a 3 foot piece of fluorocarbon leader(30lb) attach to a 1/0 J-hook . Keep it simple and easy and you’ll have a great time on the water. Look for this weeks fishing to improve every day into the weekend . See you in the water.!!!!

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

Bright red morning sunrises are always a great way to get excited for a day on the water.  Snook around the Naples and Marco island backcountry have been harder to catch as the gulf waters have dropped into the low 60s. Every winter when our Waters temps drop & we have other species of fish that take priority (redfish /sea trout/sheep head / mackerel/pompano/black drum).  I like to target these winter fish with artificial jigs . A go to winter bait is a 3/8oz tube jig light brown in color tipped with a small piece of shrimp . Not frozen shrimp but live shrimp cut into small fingernail pieces.

This time of year can also bring in king mackerel & Bonito . If you happen to see tons of birds diving just off our beaches make sure you go check it out and you could be in a bunch of drag screaming action.  Look for the good winter fishing to continue as the cold fronts have been showing up every week now . C u y’all on the water !!!!!

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

We are starting to feel some good cold fronts rolling into the Naples and Marco island areas .  Weather has been just perfect with highs averaging in the upper 70s  and lows in the 50s at night . These cooler night temperatures have kept the gulf temps rt around the upper 60s to the low 70s. As you can see in the pictures, I’m still finding some really good Snook but not seeing the big numbers like I see in the spring and summer.  

I am still cast netting live pilchards, that seem to be a crowd pleaser inshore and in the backcountry .  On the side of the fishery , these cooler temps are prime time fishing for sea trout.   These fish will start to stack up in the deeper cuts in between the outer islands . Look for good rolling current, and a slight drop off in the bottom and you should find action.

Fishing for trout is really easy once you find one your usually find a pile of them .  Make sure to fish slow as they will be tight to the bottom . With this said a 3/8 ounce jig head with a DOA paddle tail (3in)or gulp shrimp will most definitely get that Rod bent . I see in the forecast another cold front doing this weekend so make sure to get out this week is that high pressure will get these chew N !!!!! See yah on the water.

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

Foggy mornings in the Naples in Marco in Island areas, have the inshore snook chew N !!!   Fog usually means no wind so It’s been a nice change From a bright sun rise to misty like feel .  Moring incoming tides have been the ticket to getting these big fish to eat . My favorite parts tides right now are , the last hour of the outgoing and in the first hour of the incoming. This seems to be when the currents are less strong & these fish are able to see your bait passing by at a much slower rate . I also think when the tides are ripping fast that these fish tend to hunker down on the deep structure, and are less willing to make an effort to chase your bait. So with this said timing is everything!  

I have also been catching some giant Jacks that are mixed amongst the snook. These fish are not structural oriented and are always on the move ,so be ready as fast as they come , they can leave just as fast. When a fish is hooked up It’s always good to throw a handful of baits (chumming) into the water to keep them around feeding . Seatrout have been another target of mine this past week.

We had a big cold front that dropped our gulf temperatures into the upper 50s and this is always a good sign if you enjoy targeting sea trout . One of my go to methods is very simple, it’s a 3/8 ounce jig head with a 3 inch paddle tail & a little bit of pre-cure shrimp sauce for a little extra added flavor. I find working the deeper holes that have a nice rolling current have been producing the most fish.

With trout where you catch one, you will most definitely find more, so make sure to work your fishing area thoroughly! Look for these Northeast winds to keep the gulf gin clear & the good fishing will continue to get better ! See YA on the water!

I wanna start by saying I hope everybody had a great holiday with family and friends. It was one of the coldest Christmas as I can remember which dropped are water temps down into the 50s. Whenever this happens, due to the drastic cold drop , it puts our fishery on lock but thankfully we are back in the 80s and the fishing is back heating up.

The Snook bite in the Naples and Marco island area have just started to pick back up .  I am finding good action still on the outside islands but also deeper in the backcountry. When the gulf temps dropped it pushed allot of fish deeper in the backcountry.  Our morning low tides have pooled up these fish in the deeper holes. I have been using live baits(pilchards) but also DOA 3in paddle tails with 3/8oz jig head and having great success.

Sea trout , jacks , snapper and snook have all been targets using these artificials. As our weather stabilizes ,  Look for this weekend fishing to get better each day . Happy new year and hope to see y'all on the water!!!

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

This past week in Naples and Marco Island have been more of the same great weather, and some fantastic inshore action.  For me it’s always been that first hour or two at sunrise seems to be Magic . I have been hustling offshore to get bait at first light, then doing a quick U-turn, and heading straight for the backcountry.  Snook and monster jacks have been hot on the incoming morning tides. The bigger snook we have been catching have come from the deeper cuts and shorelines.  There’s no real method to catching these big snook,  you Just have to fish tight to the structure and lock down those drags ready for the strike . If you’re into some Jack action make sure you chum heavy with live bait to keep his fish interested. They’re not a fish that likes to sit under the mangroves, but they are constantly on the move looking for the next meal..   Looks like this weekend we will see a drastic drop in temperature due to a strong cold front dropping down from the north. Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. See yah’ll next week for some fish the salt action!

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

It’s been a steady week of charters in the Naples and Marco island areas and I am very thankful for the great weather we have had. Snook have still been our main target but we have also been catching some monster jacks in the 10-15lb range. To really get these fish going you better have allot of extra bait to chum with as quick as they come, they can leave just as fast.  Not much for  redfish at the moment but I am still catching a few mixed in with the snook and jacks . When the winds lay down and you’re able to get just offshore 5-10 miles around the nearshore wrecks there have been kingfish starting to show up. I love free lining some big baits over top of the structure and let me tell you if you’ve ever seen a king fish skyrocket in mid air with your bait in his mouth it’s a site to see .  Looking at the extended forecast, we will see a cold front coming through tomorrow, which will drop temps & cause are winds to shift out of the north.  Might be a few days of unsettled weather. You can bet to find me deep in the creeks hiding enjoying some of the calm waters are back country has the offer..  tight lines!

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

Absolutely perfect weather equals some outstanding inshore fishing.  This week we have been on some full moon tides which means one thing ,super High tides and really low tides in the morning. I am a huge fan of fishing the lower tides as it pulls the fish from the tree roots and stack them up in the deeper cuts & holes.

It’s important when fishing a shoreline on an extreme low tide, is to take your time, put the nose of your boat into the current and slowly back troll making lots of casts toward the deeper structure. A lot of times you can feel you’re bait getting nervous right before a strike is about to occur.  It’s very important to relax & Let the fish take the bait and swim off before you set the hook. All these bigger snook on the initial run , will head straight for the structure. When this happens, make sure to keep your rod low almost in the water and angled , as to keep the trajectory of the line from hitting any sharp barnacle limbs.

If you can get that fish turned after that initial run, you can then raise your rod tip and fight it like normal with a  pump & reel motion . Don’t be surprised if you think the battle is won and that fish decides, it’s gonna give it one more shot towards the trees. Just repeat process till its energy is exhausted and you are able to control it. Be sure to take very good care not only Landing these big snook but also give it enough time during the release to recuperate some of its lost energy and swim off on its own. This will ensure that that fish survives and will be able to fight another day. Till next week tight lines.!!!!!!!

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

Naples and Marco Island offer some of the best light tackle inshore fishing in the country. We have such a vast fishery with endless opportunities to target our local Gamefish (snook,tarpon,sea trout & redfish). Snook are always top on my hit list and they can be found just about anywhere in the back country and near shore islands . We have been using live Pilchard & threadfin herring that I cast bet every morning. These fresh live baits are the key to an action packed day on the water. Yes you can catch fish on artificial such as jigs ,flies , plugs and soft plastics, but nothing beats the real thing.

We are still catching some smaller redfish and big Jacks that are sprinkled in amongst the snook. Always around this time of year we get a big push of live bait just off our beaches .  With all this activity look for Bonita , sharks and late season tarpon to be around the bait school and birds. Weather looks to be stable this coming week so Look for good fishing to continue. C u on the water!!!!

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

It’s been a finicky inshore bite going on in the Naples and Marco island areas.   When I say finicky, I mean one week it can be red hot and the next week the bite can be off. This is all to do with early-season cold fronts.  One thing to remember ,  It’s always good fishing the week before a cold front , this is due to high pressure and the weather being consistent . Usually the day after a cold front has passed through is when you can see a drop in fishing activity as the weather fluctuates from hot to cold . With this all said we have been having some great snook action. Due to the cooler temps , I am starting to notice fish migrating from the beaches to the middle island and backcountry. We have been catching a lot of small to medium snook but have also been picking through some really nice big females . Live bait is always my favorite way to have great action no matter what time of year it is.  

Due to some windier conditions, I’ve been loading up on bait further offshore on the wrecks . There has been some inshore Jack crevalle action going on . I’ve been finding them on heavier current around deeper fallen structure. Make sure to have that drag set as these fish hit hard and run fast.  Look for this weeks fishing action to increase with an approaching Coldfront due this weekend . One more thing happy Thanksgiving to y’all & hope everybody can enjoy some time with friends and family!!!!!