Ever Changing Weather Keeping Fish on the Move

I am writing this on a chilly 43 degree Sunday morning taking a well needed day off after a very busy run of trips the last couple of weeks.  We have had ever changing weather recently, with cold fronts moving through every few days.  The fishing action has fluctuated along with the weather as the fish have been on the move.  Pompano, sea trout and redfish have been the main targets.  We are using both jigs tipped with shrimp as well as live shrimp with equal success.

Wayne Fox and Tim Cabral came out just before Christmas for a morning half day.  With water temperatures hovering at 72 degrees,  I netted a load of sardines before the trip and headed to the mangroves to see if we could produce a few snook.  The snook cooperated, with Tim and Wayne releasing several nice fish each.   The star of the morning was Wayne after battling a very feisty 33 inch snook from under the bushes.  We also worked the outside passes near Marco Island with jigs and boated several pompano.  Here is Wayne wtih his big snook…
Other notable trips were Bob McClure and son Joe last Thursday morning.  The duo had a great catch of pompano and sea trout.  Most were caught on jigs tipped with shrimp.  We were fishing in the Rookery Bay area.

Dave Fruend and Nick Smirnov fished Friday afternoon and pulled a bunch of redfish out of one pocket on a mangrove shoreline in Johnson Bay with live shrimp.  A couple of them were invited home to dinner.  The redfish were running from 18 to 24 inches.  We then proceded to a channel  bordering a long flat.  It was loaded with trout.  Several were caught on jigs, but most seemed more interested in live shrimp.

We have been finding a wide variety of other species on many trips with as many as thirteen different fish being caught.  These include snook, redfish, trout, pompano, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, small permit, mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, goliath grouper, black grouper, bluefish and spanish mackerel.

- Capt. Todd Geroy

Mid - December Mixed Bag in Naples Backwaters

December 11, 2012


Southwest Florida has been experiencing some unusually warm weather so far this December.  And while we have been enjoying it, it has made the fishing a little hit and miss.  By the end of November, the waters had cooled and put the fish into a typical winter season pattern.  With the warm up, the fish seemed to have scattered more and while we have had some great trips others are finding it a little more challenging.

I have been going back and forth with both live sardines and live shrimp as well as jigs trying to find a pattern to success.  We have managed to find some nice snook to 34 inches along with some giant jack crevalle destroying the sardines.
We are still finding a few pompano in the back country channels with jigs tipped with shrimp.  There are a few trout scattered in the same areas.  Although scattered, we have been managing a few decent redfish on most outings.  They have been taking shrimp as well as live sardines.

- Capt. Todd Geroy

Chilly Temperatures Bring in the Pompano to Naples Backwaters

November 26, 2012

November is winding down this week and as is usually the case this time of year, the fishing scene is in full transition right now.  I have had a full schedule of two half day trips each day for the last week and mother nature has brought in a solid week of down right chilly weather.  With that, the fishing action has changed with some new targets showing up such as pompano, trout and bluefish.  Snook have seemed to go into temporary hibernation as water temperatures cooled down to 63 degrees in some of the back bays.  Redfish are still working the area, however we have had to really hunt for them catching mostly single fish in one spot and moving on.  Most of the reds have been in the 23 to 24 inch size range.

The pompano are throughout the back country channels adjacent to shallow flats.  Moving water is the key to success on either tide.  A favorite bait for these tasty fighters is a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig.  I like to tip the jig with a cleanly cut segment of fresh shrimp tail.  anchor or drift on the channel edge and make cast across current.  Keeping the tip up slightly, bump the jig up off the bottom with a sharp one foot hop, retrieving the slack as it falls back to the bottom between hops.
My favorite jig is sort of a Naples entity developed on the Naples pier a half century ago. The tail of the jig is nothing other than a short piece of surgical tubing. Chartreuse and pink are colors of choice.  These are easy to make and there are several locally made versions available in area tackle shops.  I attach a piece of 25 lb. leader directly to the line with a modified surgeons knot.

 Here is my typical rig…

The redfish action last week was hit and miss.  While most trips caught a few nice reds, we were never able to locate them in schools.  We targeted them in deeper mangrove edges as well as shallow oyster bottom and cover with live shrimp or jigs.  Moving spot to spot, when we found a fish, it was and instant strike.  The reds were all nice fish running 23 or 24 inches.  Friday morning, Barritt Gilbert and son William worked hard for some nice results catching and releasing several pompano and then moving on to releasing several nice reds.  Heres William with a 24 incher caught in heavy cover…

I have another busy week ahead, and with the weather finally on a warming trend along with strong tides, I expect it to be more productive.

- Capt. Todd Geroy

Big November Snook and Redfish

Every now and then despite everything going for you such as great weather and good tides, the fish gods just aren’t smiling.  Tough days when all is going for you is just the way fishing is sometimes.  Such has been our experience since my report a week ago.  While we had a great time on every trip with some nice fish hooked and caught, a few were lacking in the action we expect this time of year.
I ventured out into the Gulf of Mexico early in the week fishing just offshore of the beaches.  With calm conditions, we found plenty of spanish mackerel and bonito feeding voraciously under clouds of gulls and other sea birds.  They were easy targets, and we caught plenty while casting jigs into the feeding frenzies.

In the back country, the action was a bit spotty.  We did manage some nice redfish on each trip along with snook and some big jack crevalle.  Live sardines were the bait of choice.  We also took some fish with shrimp imitations on 1/4 oz. jig heads.

This morning I fished with long time clients Tom Iverson, Jay Sandza and friend Kim Shearburn and managed six slot reds averaging 25 inches while sight fishing on a very low tide.  The fish were cruising water as shallow as 6 inches.  A bait placed in the right spot in front of the them got immediately consumed.  We also caught several snook to 25 inches along the same banks.  Later in the morning after a lull in the action,  we headed to a snook spot that had been red hot a couple of weeks ago on similar tides.  Right away, Tom was hooked up to a 14 lb.snook.  After finessing it out of the mangroves on light tackle, the fish came aboard for a photo and release.  Here’s Tom with a
a great catch...
 
After that fish was released, Jay and Kim were instantly hooked up with two more big snook at the same time!  Kim’s managed to throw the hook while Jay’s stayed tight and burned into the mangroves.  Jay eased tension on the fish and we managed to pull close to shore and boat the fish.  This one weighed in at 15 lbs!  Jay with his snook catch before release…
Great November fishing action in the Naples backwaters!
- Capt. Todd Geroy

November Brings a Transition of Fish and Weather in South Florida

November 7, 2012
November started out a little rough on the fishing scene as Hurricane Sandy skirted the east coast bringing some very strong winds to Florida.  That was followed by a cool front which really slowed the action for several days.
We adjusted to the conditions for a few days, targeting redfish with to jigs and live shrimp instead of the live sardines that had been the norm.  It paid of pretty well on several trips, with some decent numbers of reds being caught.  These were all slot fish in the 22 to 24 inch range.  Last Thursday afternoon, Jay Sandza and Tom Iverson managed to boat ten nice redfish fishing the oyster laden shorelines of Rookery Bay.   The reds took Berkley Gulp shrimp on 1/4 oz. jigheads as well as live shrimp.
As the waters settled down by last weekend, the sardines showed up again in large numbers.  I fished the annual two day Redsnook tournament with Doug Poe and Jim McGuire.  Despite good bait being plentiful, we found the fishing to be off on the first day with only small snook to 25 inches and reds to 23 filling our card.  A family medical emergency forced Jim to head back to Alabama after day one.  We recruited my son Capt. Ben Geroy to fill in on day two.  Fishing turned out a little better filling the card with reds to 23 inches and a 31 inch snook caught at the last spot by Ben.  We ended up 6th in the field.  A good time to benefit the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
Fishing improved the last two days with some larger redfish to 26 inches being boated on each trip as well as some good snook action with fish ranging to 27 inches.  Joe McGurrin boated this nice 26 inch red on Monday morning…
Another cool front is moving through today as I write this and I expect the pompano and sea trout action to heat up after it’s passing.  Cooler waters usually move these fish into the backwaters in November. I have a very busy month ahead and am looking forward to some great days on the water!

Great Late October Fishing in Naples

October 28, 2012
This will be my last report for October and the month has certainly lived up to it’s reputation as one of the very best months to fish in the Naples Backwaters!  I have been fishing every day and my anglers have been having great trips with plenty of redfish and snook action.  Last week brought some very windy conditions due to Hurricane Sandy skirting the east coast, but that only turned on the fishing more.  We are getting our first strong cold front of the season moving through as write this, and it remains to be seen what that will do to the fishing for next week.  I am sure we will be changing up the techniques and adapting to the conditions.

Redfish have continued to please anglers with some trips catching and releasing as many as 20 on half day trips.  Live sardines free-lined along the mangrove edges at high tide are being eagerly consumed by the redfish.  A little live chumming gets them going when they are being picky. All of the redfish are running within the keeper slot with most measuring out at around 23 inches. There are some larger fish in the 29 inch in the mix as well.

Snook have been cooperative in many of the same spots as the redfish.  We are also releasing up to 20 fish on several trips.  Plenty of small snook in the 18 to 24 inch range have been the norm, however a couple trips got into fish that were running in the 15 to 20 lb. range.  Unfortunately this week, the big fish beat us up by running my anglers lines deep into the heavy cover and breaking free.  Not before several epic battles with these great fish.
Dave Rowe and Wayne Mulligan fished with me on Tuesday morning.  We were off to a slow start for the first couple of hours with only a few jacks and a big 26 inch flounder to show up for our efforts.  But later in the morning as the tide started out, I found the honey hole!  Wayne and Dave ended up hooking up on slot redfish and snook on nearly every cast that was on target for nearly an hour!  We released close to 20 redfish in the 19 to 26 inch range.  A couple of the reds along with the flounder made it home for dinner.

A nice redfish caught last week.

Friday morning, as the winds picked up to gusts to near 30 knots, I fished with Chris Mans, his cousin Pete Mans along with brother-in-law Matt Head.  The trio enjoyed a fantastic morning of action as the fish were on a feeding frenzy obviously connected to the weather change.  We released countless snook and redfish along with too many big jacks crevalle to count.  At the last stop, Matt slugged it out with a couple bruiser snook in the 15 to 20 lb class only to end up cut off in the cover or with a pulled hook.  What a blast we had though!

Chris with one of the many snook caught Friday…

Pete with one of many redfish caught on Friday..

I have a full week of trips booked next week with the annual Redsnook tournament next weekend.  I’m looking forward to some good days on the water!

- Capt. Todd Geroy

Giant Redfish Caught in Naples Backwaters!

October 7, 2012

Wow!  As I’ve mentioned before, October is one of my favorite months to fish the backwaters in SW Florida.  Last week was no exeption.  On several half day trips, my clients enjoyed plenty of action with snook, redfish and juvenile tarpon.

Snook fishing was good, but as the week went on the action seemed to taper off.  However the redfish action really took off as we had trips catching 25 or more fish during half day trips.  The redfish are averaging 24 inches and seem to be just about everywhere we stop right now.
The highlight of the week was Friday afternoon, with long time client John Shroyer and his daughter Susan.  The two found constant action with redfish (boating at least two dozen in four hours) as well as several snook, flounder, too many jacks and a hookup with a 40 # tarpon by John which ended up with a cut off in the mangroves.

John managed to muscle in a huge 24 lb. 26 inch redfish from under the mangroves.  This was the largest red ever boated in the backwaters aboard my boat during my 31 year career!  My previous boat record was 17 lbs.

Bull reds like this and larger were common in the 1980′s but were always caught in the gulf or near the passes.  This was certainly a trophy fish as well as a fish of a lifetime!
Here’s John and Susan with the prize catch before release…
This morning (Sunday) I had a repeat trip with Chuck Maston and buddy Chris.  We managed a mixed bag of several slot redfish, snook, two juvenile tarpon, snapper, gag grouper and plenty of fiesty jack crevalle.
I  am looking forward to another great week on the water!
- Capt. Todd Geroy

October Fishing in Naples Backwaters Is On Fire!

Rolling along now into what is usually my personal favorite month for back water fishing here.  Snook, redfish and tarpon are all potential targets and the action can be all day long.
I had some great snook action on trips the last two days.  I found snook throughout the area and had anglers releasing as many as 30 fish per half day with several running up to the 14 lb. range.  Live sardines provide the best results.  I am fishing quite a bit in the Johnson Bay area right now as well as along the Intercoastal waterway between Naples and Marco.  Moving water is the key regardless whether the tide is incoming or outgoing.
This morning, I fished with Chuck Maston and buddy Chris Conure.  the duo boated and released more snook than they could count.  Chuck battled the two largest fish which were 11 and 14 lbs.  Once the tide came in a bit, they managed 4 redfish up to 26 inches before it was time to come in.  There were plenty of jack to fill in the gaps between all the other bites to keep lines tight all morning long!
Here’s Chuck with his two prize catches of the morning…

It’s time to book now for some of the best fishing our area has to offer!
- Capt. Todd Geroy

Redfish and Snook Still Keeping Rods Bent in Naples, Florida

September 25, 2012

     More of the same action last week as redfish continue to prowl the back waters of Naples and Marco Island.  Snook action has been very good as well.

     Reds are congregating along hard bottom shorelines at high tide as well as shallow channel edges during low stages.  Low tides have brought some good sight fishing opportunities lately.  Live baits as well as jigs and other soft plastic lures are being eagerly consumed by the hungry reds.

     Snook continue to be just about anywhere we fish.  We are boating fish to 30 inches on each trip while releasing as many as 25.  On Friday afternoon, I got a quick trip in between rain storms with young anglers Dylan (7) and Carson (5) Phelps.  We stayed close to home with the pending severe weather but both boys managed to boat a number of snook and a few redfish in a short time.  The highlight was a 29 inch snook caught by Dylan on a new rod and reel that he had received a few days before on his birthday.  A nice job by both guys! 

Here is a picture of the three of us with Dylan’s snook…

- Capt. Todd Geroy

Naples backwater fishing charters with Capt. Todd Geroy. Light tackle fishing for Snook, Tarpon, Redfish and giant inshore Sharks upon the shallow inshore waters of SW. Florida for over 31 years! Naples fishing reports.

    
      September is well underway now and we are enjoying some slightly cooler temperatures compared to August.  Water temps have cooled down to the 83 degree range.  With that brings the annual fall redfish run in SW Florida.
     Reds have been showing up all over the back bays as well as along area beaches and passes.  The best concentrations of large fish can be found in and near the passes.  September will bring shots at the largest redfish of the year, with some fish ranging upwards to 20 lbs.  These fish can be caught with a variety of live baits as well as cut bait fished on or near the bottom.  Good tide flow is the key and using just enough weight to keep the bait down ensures success.

A nice September redfish comes aboard!

     There are plenty of schooling redfish along shallow mangrove shorelines right now.  These fish are running in the 22 to 26 inch range on average and when one is caught, there are usually more in the same spot.  I prefer the higher stage of an incoming tide as well as the first hour or so of outgoing tides. We have done well with live sardines as well as Berkley's Gulp shrimp rigged on a 1/4 ounce jig head.  I like the molting color, but many anglers do well with the new penny and natural colors as well. 



     Snook fishing has been fantastic so far this month.  Plenty of small fish are everywhere we go.  We are also hooking some nice fish in the 12 to 15 lb. class.  Live baits such as sardines and thread herring are getting the best action.  With the waters cooling a bit, we are seeing more fish moving inland from the passes where they were holding in large numbers in the hotter weather.

     September is a great month to get out on the water with very few anglers on the water and virtually no boat traffic.  Contact me for more information on some of the best fishing action of the year!  I can be reached through my website at http://naplesfishing.com/ or email intowishin@comcast.net

- Capt. Todd Geroy