We’re already getting calls for the holidays so a good time to book is now.
I love fall fishing. Baitfish seem to be everywhere, and the fish are happy.
It’s Mother Nature at work. The winter months are leaner when it comes to baitfish, so fall is the time for gamefish to feed heavily and fatten up. Right now, baitfish are lining the beaches, filling the adjacent bays, gathering over offshore wrecks, and showing up just about everywhere.
September and October are two of the best months for redfish. They can be found in the passes, bays, cuts, and up in the shallows. Live bait, especially pilchards, is always hard to beat, but I really enjoy targeting them with topwater plugs, jigs, and flies. You’ll usually catch fewer fish on artificials, but there’s something much more rewarding about fooling a redfish with a lure or fly.
Snook are still prowling many of the same areas as the redfish. Along the beaches, Spanish mackerel have been active, and false albacore—or bonita, as we call them—should show up any day now. We look for diving and feeding birds because they’re chasing the same schools of baitfish as the bonita.
Bonita are probably my favorite fish to target this time of year. They’re absolute screamers and can peel line off a reel in a hurry. Spoons are especially effective because you can cast them quickly and a long way when a school suddenly erupts on the surface. Jigs and flies work great, too.
Fall is a great time to be fishing Southwest Florida. There’s bait everywhere, plenty of different species to target, and you never quite know what’s going to show up next.
Give me a call or text. Now’s also a good time to book for the holidays.
Capt. Mark
Fall Fishing in Naples and Marco Island: Prime Time in Southwest Florida
Fall is one of my favorite times of year to fish Southwest Florida. As the seasons begin to change, baitfish become abundant along the beaches, throughout the bays and passes, and across the backcountry. That abundance of food creates excellent opportunities for anglers fishing Naples, Marco Island, the Ten Thousand Islands, and the surrounding waters.
September and the fall months are particularly good for redfish. Reds can be found along mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, passes, creek mouths, and shallow bays. Live pilchards are one of our most productive baits, but this is also a great time to throw artificial lures. Topwater plugs early in the morning can produce explosive strikes. As the sun gets higher, jigs and soft plastics worked along shorelines and deeper edges are excellent choices.
For live bait, I generally prefer a simple setup. A circle hook matched to the size of the bait, fluorocarbon leader, and little or no weight allows a pilchard to swim naturally. Around mangroves and structure, heavier leader may be necessary, while lighter fluorocarbon can get more bites in clear, open water.
Snook fishing remains excellent through the fall. Snook follow the bait and can often be caught in many of the same areas as redfish. Mangrove points, current-swept shorelines, creek mouths, passes, and deeper cuts are all worth fishing. Pay attention to moving water. Current concentrates bait, and snook frequently position themselves where they can ambush an easy meal.
Speckled trout are another fall favorite. Look for trout over grass flats, around sandy potholes, and along deeper edges. A popping cork with a live shrimp is a dependable combination, while soft-plastic jigs allow you to cover considerably more water. When using a jig, vary your retrieve until the fish tell you what they want. Sometimes a quick, erratic retrieve works; other days, slowly bouncing the jig near the bottom produces more strikes.
As water temperatures begin to moderate, pompano also become a welcome part of the mixed bag. Small jigs tipped with shrimp can be extremely effective. Work them close to the bottom around passes, channels, sandy areas, and places with good tidal flow.
Fall also brings plenty of jack crevalle. We love jacks, when a big school erupts on the surface, they’re hard to resist. They’re aggressive, powerful and will readily attack plugs, jigs and flies.
Along the beaches and nearshore waters, Spanish mackerel and bonita provide some of the fastest action of the season. One of our favorite tactics is simply watching the birds. Diving birds usually mean baitfish, and predators are often underneath them. Spoons are particularly effective because they can be cast quickly and a long distance to moving schools. Jigs and flies also work extremely well. Bonita are tremendous fighters and can empty a reel surprisingly fast.
Shark fishing continues to be productive as well. Depending on the size of the sharks we’re targeting, we use heavier tackle, strong circle hooks and appropriately sized leaders. Fresh cut bait or live bait placed around channels, passes and areas holding concentrations of baitfish can produce blacktip, spinner, lemon and bull sharks. Proper tackle and rigging are especially important with sharks, both for landing them efficiently and releasing them in good condition.
Whether you’re interested in backcountry fishing, offshore fishing, deep sea fishing, or spending a morning chasing snook and redfish along the mangroves, fall offers tremendous variety. That’s what makes this one of my favorite seasons for Naples fishing charters and fishing charters Marco Island.
At Everglades Guide Service, we’ll supply the tackle, bait and local knowledge. You just need to show up ready to fish.
Give me a call or text to book a trip or just talk fishing.
Capt. Mark at 239-450-9230