Marco Island, FL - 5/27-6/3

[jpb2187]

Just got back from Marco Island, Florida for a vacation with the family. Left Saint Louis at 9pm on Thursday night and arrived in Marco Island around 7pm Friday evening. You can probably make the drive in about 17-18 hours if you are with adults, but it was me, the wife, and 3 kids (8, 2, & 4 months - lots of stops.) The in-laws condo is on the north side of the island, backing up to a canal, with a nice little pool for the kids to swim in. Marco Island is about 30 minutes south of Naples, and just about the last stop before the Everglades in Florida. The island itself is tons and tons of little fingerlings interconnected by canals, with the Capri Pass to the north and Caxambas Pass to the south. I brought the Kayak down and was planning on doing some fishing each morning. I was wanting to catch some Redfish, Snook, Speckled trout, and maybe a Shark.

 

For the first day I started just fishing the canals in the afternoon with artificials. Not much action had one big fish follow a paddle tail swimbait, and i could see a big flash of white when he turned to hit it, but no hook up. 

I headed to the bait shop the next day and picked up some shrimp. Hit the canals again, this time seeing much more action. Lots of bites, a few fish landed, and lots of shrimp donated to the fish as well. Ended up bringing a Mangrove Snapper and a Sheepshead home for dinner (Fish Tacos). 

 

The next day, I decided to get up earlier, ditch the canals, and head to some bigger water. 

Got to my spot right at sun up - where the smaller bay empties into the pass, and IT WAS ON! Or at least I thought so... Learned pretty quickly that I was outgunned when it came to tackle strength. I had three rods rigged and ready - spinning rod 15lb braid 20lb leader, baitcaster w/ 17lb mono, baitcaster w/ 40lb braid and 20lb mono leader. On one of my first casts, my baitcaster doubles over as if I'm snagged on a log, drag screams, and POP! About 5 seconds later a big snook jumps out of the water flailing trying to shake the hooks out of his mouth. Dang. Well hopefully theres more where that came from. Pick up the braided rod. Again rod doubles over, fish is just taking line without slowing down... snap. darn. Didn't see what that was. Lets re-rig. cast out another mullet and pick up the spinning rod with a spoon while i wait on that rod. Spinning rod bends over, drags racing... pop again. $%#^&#*$%*!!! $($$()*!)!!!! #@$%!!!!! &$^!!!!!! Oh wait it looks line that baitcaster's line is moving. Reel into the fish, feels the hook set, but this guy wants nothing to do with being shallow, heads to deep water, and I can't stop him. 

Looks like I need to regroup. 

Headed back to the condo, put on some 20lb braid on the spinning reel. Head to the tackle shop and get some more 50lb braid for the baitcasters and 50lb mono leaders for all. Restock on circle hooks and mullet and I'm ready for the next day.

Head out the next morning about 5 am, before the sun came up. I'm paddling along the bay, admiring the peace and quiet - no boats, no jetskis- looking at the stars sitting back in my kayak. Take one more paddle and then it happens. KAPOOSH1 KAPOOSH1 KAPOOSH! KAPOOSH! About 5 feet away from me it looks as if a freight train just tried to drive through the bay. My heart is beating in my chest at this point and my kayak is rocking in the waves. Not exactly sure what happened here, but I think I scared a pack of Manatees, whatever is was, it moved fast for being that big. Turn around, grabbed my life jacket, headed back to my spot from yesterday. Set one of my newly rigged rods up in the rod holder cast out my mullet and wait. Nothing yet, so I picked up the spinning rod with a silver 1 1/2 oz. war eagle silver spoon. About wore out my arms reeling in ladyfish. Even caught a few Jack Crevalle. 

My baited rod finally doubles over. Grab it set the hook, and the fish takes off. Please baby please baby hold on. I get the fish turned, and it looks like I might land the fish. Here she comes, oh no don't jump. Still hooked, thank goodness. Get it to the beach. It's a nice 28 inch snook. 

Snook are spawning on the beaches right now, so the season is closed. That snook gets to live another day. 

The next day was beach day, and I didn't get to do much fishing. 

The following day, the family rented a pontoon and went to explore on our own. found a nice little island with a beach and spent most our time there on our own private little island. Pretty neat. Saw some dolphins and a giant school of stingrays on our boat ride there. Its was pretty incredible.  There were at least 100 stingrays all swimming together. Never seen anything like it before. Didn't do much fishing but on the way back I saw a bunch of pilings under some shade near some current. Tossed a finger mullet free lined and bam! This fish was a fighter. Had the rod bent over for a while, me and him trading blows, he'd take some line and run, i'd turn him, but then he'd take some more. Finally got him to the boat. A nice jack crevalle, about as big as my boy ha! 

Went out to my spot the remaining days, but nothing to write home about. Caught more ladyfish and catfish than I could count. On the last day I did finally catch a spotted trout on a shadow rap deep jerkbait off of the beachfront. Was hoping I'd maybe found a school, but could only get that one bite. All in all a great trip, wish I could have caught some better table fare, a redfish, and a Shark to get revenge on, but I still had fun and kept the rods bent a lot. even caught some weird fish like this Oyster Toad Fish in my bait trap. 

Can't wait to get back there and build on the knowledge I gained from this trip. 

 

 

 

[marcus]

yes!!!! what a trip im jealous sitting in my little cubicle wishin i was fishin//// nice report way to get it done sir! 

[Gavin]

Good for you! Looks you might have a dock light or several nearby. Would hit those for Jacks, Snook, & Tarpon before sun up. Ask the fellows at the bait shop about the tides. Fish move and eat when the tide moves in and, not so much on slack tide. Paddle into the tide, cast upstream, and drift your candy downstream.

[JestersHK]

Looks like a great trip.  Thanks for sharing!  

Got to get back to the ocean... never know what you'll catch.

[jpb2187]

12 hours ago, Gavin said:

Ask the fellows at the bait shop about the tides. Fish move and eat when the tide moves in and, not so much on slack tide. Paddle into the tide, cast upstream, and drift your candy downstream.

Yep, I kept an eye on the tide charts. When the tides were moving up/down it really ripped through that channel into and out of the bay. I found the best bites were coming and the start of the incoming tide, and at the tail end of the outgoing tides. 

The Dolphins were all over the tide movements. As soon as the tide started pulling all of the water out of the backwater areas, they were set up right in the bay at the mouth of the channel waiting for an easy meal. I had one dolphin come within probably 10 feet of where I was standing chasing fish. 

[Johnsfolly]

Great trip report! Glad to hear that you were able to gear up to stop the breakoffs and land some of the those fish. When my wife and I talk about what we miss about living in Florida, it is fishing like you have described that I miss the most. Your post brought back a lot of good memories.