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

We are right back in the swing of things with nonstop inshore fishing action around the Naples and Marco Island areas . We are just coming off a cold front and finally the winds have clocked back around east which is allowing our gulf water to clear up . When this happens, you tend to see fish schooling up and bait fish, showing back up along the beaches, passes and wrecks .  These are all things you want to see before the next cold front arrives. As they say , You gotta get it while they’re getting as good. We are still finding good numbers of snook and big jacks in the back country. We have been having really extreme low tides in the mornings as we’re just coming off a full moon.

’ve been concentrating on creeks and rivers  in the backcountry that have deeper shoreline. I am finding success in these spots , as there is nowhere else for them to go due to the low water levels . The trout bite has remained consistent due to the cold water temps . These fish are a staple in our winter months as they are less sensitive to temperature changes. The best way to target these fish are jigs.  3/8oz stand up jig head attached to a root beer colored soft plastic is a deadly winter time combo. 

Don’t be surprised if you catch some nice size pompano during our winter months . These fish tend to be running the same channels that the trout like to sit in.  The extended forecast is showing some nice weather coming for Christmas.  This will warm up the gulf temps and get the snook back feeding. Hope everybody has a happy holiday.  See yah on the water !


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

This past week we have been treated to some warmer weather and calm winds.  This means the inshore fishing in the Naples and Marco Island areas have been on fire .  I always say it, but weather has a lot to do with our fishery.  The areas I fish( northern part of the Ten Thousand Islands) are very temperature sensitive due to their shallow depths. When our weather is stable, and the sunshine is able to warm our waters up a few degrees,  It really turns our fishy on.  This week we have been treated to some good snook , redfish , sea trout and jacks action . 

Live bait is always a great way to target our fish but also when weather temperatures get cool jigs are my go to..   This year I’ve been having a lot of productivity on the root beer color soft plastics .   Curly tailed or shrimp pattern all seem to work great when paired up with an 1/8oz or 3/4oz jig head .  These are great search baits to locate where these fish or schooled up . Once you get into some action, it’s very easy to dial it in. Look for sea trout to be around the points with current and in the deeper holes in between the islands.   

These fish love to lay face in the current and wait for bait fish to get washed in with the tide .  I’ve noticed our water clarity this week has been gin clear .  So it’s best to make long cast and really work area as to not spook these fish that may hear or see you coming.  It’s like clockwork, another cold front due in  tomorrow late afternoon which will drop attempts yet again. This is the norm for this time of year so remember the backcountry is where the action will be.   See you on the water !!!!!!!

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

The hot inshore bite continues around the Naples and Marco island areas.   I can’t say it enough, but it has been absolutely beautiful on the water.  Temps in our areas have been highs in the upper 70s  with lows in the 60s. Fishing around these cold fronts can sometimes be tricky as the fluctuation of temperature can cause these fish to hunker down.

When a cold front has pushes through and the water temperatures have dropped , it’s a perfect time to break out the jigs..  If you’re not too familiar with what I’m talking about , it’s a lead headed jig ( 1/4 & 3/8) with a soft plastic attached.  There’s not a specific brand I use , as I like to mix it up to see what they’re into. One of my go to colors is root beer with a 3/8oz jig head .  

You have to remember when fishing these baits , is to make bottom contact , very important. When our water temperatures drop our game fish hunker down on the bottom so if you’re going too fast of a retrieve, they will never see it.   I like to make it as easy as possible for them to not only see my bait, but I have enough time to swim over and inhale it.  One winter time trick I like to use , is a product called procure.   All this is , is a fish attractant with the consistency of toothpaste that you squirt onto your soft plastic to give off  smell to these fish. I have done a lot of experimentation  and these scents really do work.    

After these cold fronts have pushed through & the weather stabilizes it’s back to live bait.    I love filling my live well full of pilchards ( live bait ) and taking them deep into the back country , where I know the water will be slightly warmer.   I’ve noticed just a few degrees warmer can really turn on the bite. This is why the backcountry is my favorite place to be during our colder days .  See you on the water !!!!!


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

Finally some welcomed relief from the summer heat .  Naples and Marco island temps have been absolutely perfect with highs in the low 80s and winds out of the East .  We are due to have our first cool down (cold front ) this Wednesday afternoon and will drop temps into the 70s.

The inshore fishing has just been nothing short of stellar . Snook have been hungry and we have been feeding them some nice  big live baits (pilchards) . They have been concentrating around the inlets and passes still feeding on the schools bait fish they get pushed in and out with the tides. On the higher water, I have been prospecting deep in the back country and having some great success with not just snook, but redfish as well.  

One of my favorite things to do this time of year ,as bait is plentiful is to take a live well full into the back creeks & chum chum chum . This is how I locate where these fish are hiding , in a very short period of time. I have also been finding some really nice sea trout out front along the beaches and passes mostly on the incoming tides. I’ve noticed when the clean water makes it into the areas I am fishing that these trout get very active.

Yesterday I had four anglers on board  and we were able to get our limit(3 per person ) of trout in 1/2hr or so . Can’t beat that !!!  Look for this cool down to push our snook further into the back country as they seek warmer waters.  Enjoy these great temps we’re about to have.  See you all on the water.. 

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

Outstanding week of inshore light tackle fishing .  Weather has been great , with lower humidity days and a nice NE breeze.    The Naples and Marco island areas have been consistently producing some stellar snook and red fishing .  I say it every time but live bait (pilchards/ thread-fin herring )  are the key to a drag screaming morning .  On the higher incoming tides I have been concentrating in the bays and creeks closest to the main rivers and passes. There is still a ton of small baitfish around so these fish are staying close to the source .  Find the food and you will most certainly find the fish !!!  

On the later morning outgoing tides I have been getting my anglers into a free for all .  What I mean by this is chumming heavy on the outside points where there is steady current flow.   Once we get these fish going (snook , redfish , jacks , sea trout , snapper ) it’s a toss up what’s gonna hit you bait .   Winds will die off a bit by this weekend allowing the gulf waters to clear up and get even more fish schooling up .  Get outside and enjoy these great temps …See yah on the water !!!!!!  

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

Last week hurricane Milton brought high winds and storm surge to the Naples and Marco island areas but we were spared again .  Fishing around these hurricanes can be really productive.  I have found over the years as these weather systems are approaching the pressure begins to drop causing the fishing to go crazy .  Also 4-5 days after the hurricane has passed , when the water begins to clear up the fishing goes crazy again . This weeks inshore fishing has been on fire . We are averaging 30-40 snook a trip.  

Pilchards and thredfin herring are abundant and a live bait put in the right place will not get passed up on .  It almost feels like these fish haven’t eaten due to the hurricane and are now chewing on anything that passes by .   On the later morning incoming tides I have been finding redfish close to the bushes . I know I say it allot but I love to chum heavy to draw them into our zone .  Once we start catching a few then I know we are gonna put a beat down on them .  Our first cold front comes Thursday morning and I have to say I am so excited to feel temps in the 70-80s it’s my absolute favorite.  Its been a hot fishy summer and my favorite months are coming soon !!  C u on the water !!!!   

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

We just had hurricane Helene pass just off our coast . A lot of areas from Fort Myers north to the panhandle suffered significant damage . Naples and Marco Island were lucky this year with just minimal storm surge .  Just before this hurricane arrived our inshore fishing was red hot . This always happens prior to a big storm arriving , when our pressure starts dropping and our Gamefish get really hungry.  

Around Naples & Marco island we have been targeting snook , redfish , sea trout , jacks & mangrove snapper to name a few . Live bait has been piled up on the beaches and around the mouth's of the passes.  Best size net to use during the summer months 1/4in  8 to 10ft length.  Once you have a pile of bait secured, it’s game on for some morning time action .  

I’m starting to see a lot of schools of mullet showing up, and this usually means the tarpon are not far behind. Look for the tarpon fishing to ramp up in October & my favorite way to target these fish is to throw artificial(paddle tails ) around the schools of mullet that are being attacked.   October & November are two of my favorite months to be fishing in SW Fl  . C U all on the water ;) 

Naples and Marco Island inshore fishing has been most productive early in morning and late in the evenings.. Every week we get closer to October, I am starting to see more redfish action. This weeks strong  morning incoming tides we have been catching these fish tight to the trees so pick your pockets and get your baits deep under the structure to give these fish the best look . Mangrove snapper are still plentiful and what a great fish to take home for the grill.  We will start to see more and more tarpon showing up this month and through October as we always get a late mullet run. The best action will be at first light look for pods of Mullet to be balled up around the passes .  There’s still plenty of live bait (pilchards ) on the near shore wrecks and rubble piles. If you’re looking to chase some tarpon, there’s nothing more tasty to them and a nice 6 to 8 inch mullet .

Every week we get closer to October I am starting to see more redfish action. With a few throws of the cast net, live bait is still the easiest way to insure an action packed morning. These fish are tight to the trees so pick your pockets and get that bait deep to give these game fish the best look. Mangrove snapper are still everywhere and it’s been great if your looking for a great fish taco dinner. Tarpon will start to show up again so no time to sleep in as you have to get while the getting is good.

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