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

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

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

The Naples and Marco Island inshore fishing continues to produce some great action. The weather has been perfect with cool starts in the mornings and warming up to the 80s by the afternoons. I’ve been starting my trips at 6:30 to get a jump on morning bite & with outgoing tides its really been helping and getting these fish active. Live bait is just about everywhere and one key indicator is to look for birds diving. 

When getting bait on the beaches , It’s best to throw a quarter 1/4inch net as these baits can be a mix of small and big. If you’re looking for an artificial bite try throwing A skitter walk or Zara spook at first light around points and any sunken structure. Make sure to mix up your retrieve  with some good left to right action (walk the dog) but also it’s good to pause and speed up at times. I am  just trying to pay close  attention to what speed they’re liking for that particular morning and tide .

The snapper bite has really subsided as most have moved offshore but our Jack Crevelle bite has really picked up so be ready for anything as this time of year can be really exciting!!!!!
C u on the water!

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

Absolutely beautiful weather here in southwest Florida and our red hot fishing continues . As you can see from the pictures snook have been our main targets. I am finding bigger snook closer to the passes where there is good current. The last part of the outgoing tide in the first part of the incoming seem to be the “magic” for Getting these big girls to eat.   The most important thing you can have on your boat is a live well full of fresh bait . If you don’t know , Catching live bait(pilchards) in South Florida can at times be harder than catching our targeted fish . Take the time in the morning to find the right size baits & they can be found around the beaches or on the offshore Wrecks & rubble piles. When fishing these baits along the shoreline I like to use nothing less than 40lb leader attached to a 2/0 or 3/0 J hook .  This is my standard go to Rig that I use every day.   The mangrove snapper fishing has really died off in the back country and now there is a plethora of big jacks cruising these shoreline. You’ll be very surprised when an 8 to 10 pound jack grabs hold of your bait and gets your drag scream N !!!! Look for this great fishing to continue as high pressure has settled in. Hope to see y’all on the water!

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

I am finally back on the water after hurricane Ian ripped through SW Florida.  My heart goes out to family & friends who live in Ft myers, Cape Coral ,  Sanibel Island areas as they took a direct hit and some lost everything …. We as Floridians will ban together and come back stronger than before. 

As far as the fishing goes there has been a Stellar snook bite going on . These fish are hungry as it seems they haven’t eating since before the hurricane. I am having no problem in getting live bait on the offshore rock piles . Make sure you use a 1/4in 10ft net as there is a mix of small to medium baits .  There has been a crazy jacks bite going on so be ready when fishing those deeper shore lines with current on them , as they hit like hard and run fast.  October is my favorite month for redfish. I focus most of my attention on the outer islands closest to the gulf.  This weeks strong morning incoming tides will be the perfect match to finding some great snook and redfish action .  See y’all on the water !!!!!

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

Great inshore fishing continues around the Naples and Marco Island areas . Strong morning incoming tides have Snook, redfish , mangrove snapper, jacks & sea trout on the feed. I have been concentrating on points, middle  islands and beaches that have big pods of bait fish surrounding them.  It’s been one and done for catching  live bait on the offshore Wrecks and rubble piles.  My ticket to success is to get as much bait as possible so that I am able to chum throughout my trip and keep our fish chewing all morning long .  Sight fishing Snook in the shallows has been really successful all week as they are on the move looking for baitfish to eat .  Be ready for loads of mangrove snapper to drive you crazy as they are masters of picking your bait right off the hook.  Just have to be patient as the bigger ones are on the deeper submerged trees but you might have Weed out a bunch of small ones. Big Jacks have been  just about everywhere so be ready for that drag to scream .  As these high flood morning tides continue so will the good fishing.

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

September is a great time to be on the water as there is little to no boat traffic and the fishing is spot ON!!  Naples and Marco island have been producing some great inshore  fishing action. Snook have been our main target with jacks , snapper and redfish in the mix. Live bait has been so plentiful that’s it’s been one or 2 throws with the cast net and you’ll have more than enough for a morning session.

I have been finding redfish on the high incoming tides around the deeper shorelines. A well placed cast close to the mangroves with insure a good hard strike .   Don’t be surprised if a Goliath or gag grouper decides to take a run at yah. This week weather looks good for some calm early morning action but don’t sleep in to Late as the summer heat us in full effect and those afternoon storms will be coming in fast!  Catch m up ! 

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

Afternoon Summer heat has the morning inshore bite on fire. The Magic hr is right when the tide switches from slack to incoming. Around the Naples and Marco island areas look for snook/reds/& snapper to be on the feed. One gimme is when you pass a shoreline with snowy egrets stacked up on the shorelines. These birds are there just waiting for the sun to come out but they’re there enjoying the bait fish Buffet. This is where I have been finding most of my action.

My tactic is simple start up current and while using my trolling motor I can methodically fish the structure as I’m passing by it. When one of my anglers gets a fish on Or an area just looks super fishy I can use my spot lock( an anchor feature on most trolling motors) to keep me right next to the strike zone.  

Live bait is plentiful on all beaches but if you’re looking for some bigger size you have to head offshore to the near shore Wrecks or any rubble pile in that 20 foot of water depth . A 3/8in 10/12ft cast net is my goto for getting those big pilchards of the bottom. The Mangrove snapper bite has been a go to if you’re looking to take some great tasty fish home for taco night. Look forward to seeing y’all on the water!!!

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

May inshore fishing around the Naples & Marco island areas ,never disappoints. There’s such a variety and abundance of fish that frequent our area during this time of year.  Snook , redfish , pompano , snapper , sea trout , tarpon , jacks , Goliath grouper and sharks are all on my hit list during this time of year.

Live bait is still plentiful on the offshore rubble piles and wrecks . My favorite net to load up on bait is a 10 to 12 foot 3/8 inch black pearl cast net. This is the perfect net to get down 20 feet and come up with a live Well full of beautiful Baits. These live bates are the key to having an action packed day on the water.  For my fly anglers what a perfect time of year to stock snook on the beaches.

The combination of gin Clearwater and lots of sunshine equals great site fishing opportunities. I like to cast more natural patterns due to the clean water( white /tan/olive/ colors).  The key is to stay as far off of the fish as you can as they can be spooky in these conditions. A long cast in front of the fish , with a good fast retrieve Will ensure a hard strike. Great time to get out early before the midday heat & enjoy some great Southwest Florida action.

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