Printable View
We are visiting family in Marco island this week, and plan on doing some fishing and may even spring for a charter boat, My relative said he has poles, I am a midwest fisherman Crappie, Bass, Cats is all I know. Wondering what to target this time of year and what to use, Flounder, drum, mackeral, trout? Hoping to make it down to the everglades for a day too. Really wish I had time for Ochachobee.
Being an Ohio guy - you are not exposed to Saltwater fishing.
I would take opportunity to really enjoy a guide trip into the Gulf - weather on
big fishing boat or guide trip with 3 -4 others on board.
Grouper fishing plus various other saltwater fish are totally different than you have
ever been around.. Guide trip going to cost but it will be a memorable trip of your
life. Check out guides in Marco area - there are several ... You should not be
disappointed. Florida is also excellant freshwater fishery. - but you are on
vacation........enjoy something different.
Snook, redfish and trout all behave similar to bass. Pretty much same tactics work. But highly tide driven feed times. Each area will have preferred tide stage for best bite. Find structure and fish it same as bass. Zara spooks and storm chug bugs are great topwater baites. Flukes and and swimbaits are good. Bucktails work great as well as bass tubes for flounder. Can always tip with thumbnail size piece of fresh shrimp. Live shrimp or finger mullet or pigfish under a cork work good. Beach side your typical botom rig for catfish is main set up surf fishing. Just wash everything well when done. And same as fresh look for bait or signs of bait and fish will be around. Especially if you see an area all of a sudden get herons flocking in and pelicans paying attention. Terns and pelicans diving on beach is good sign too. A big spoon with wire leader should always be ready on the beach in case some mackeral cruise through. And a word of caution, trout, flounder and mackeral have big teeth and redfish, drum and snook have razor bleades for gill plates. Most of all have fun. Oh and last thing, your 1/8oz crappie jigs are great for pompano tipped with a tidbit of shrimp.
Great info guys, I am convinced I need to put a small tackle bag together and I have a spinning reel w/t 30#power pro braid I will have to find room for. It looks like I will have plenty of time fishing the shore and peirs, I was going to pay for a charter seeing My Sister is putting Us up for a week, it looks like the going rates there are basically $100-150/hr for a party of 4, or singles get a better fair. I watched a few You tube videos of how to catch native fish there, I was surprised the Trout have one tooth? not like the rainbows and spots I've caught in Ky.
Step back and think this out: First time to Florida - primary thing, due you have funds
to be involved with a charter out to the reef's /wrecks etc........Thats where the
big fun is, memories, pictures. Working shore line- buying a 7 day saltwater license, carrying a shrimp
bucket - necessary saltwater gear - min equipment and maybe you have couple
hundred involved - places to go - maybe to pay piers - shoreline ?? - bridges, etc.
(for each hr you fish in salt - will take you that long to clean up, dry off equipment.
After you have come down for couple years (and you will be back) than start
getting lay of land and whats going on / where & how to fish / hang out at
fishing pier's ....
Again, just my 2-cents..............
I was lucky in my youth - father lived in Florida - had 38 ft boat - we could
go out deep or work Tampa bay...............and man did we have some fun times.
Father lived here and had spent much time on saltwater - also excellant fisherman.
Which really made it that much more fun.
That 1 or 2 teeth are big and sharp. With power pro I would add a 2' flourocarbon leader. They tend to be line shy in clear water. Have not fished that area so not positive on water clarity. Hope to change that some day soon though. The area is an inshore mecca.
Before taking a charter check on snapper and grouper closures. If they are closed avoid a party boat and ask many questions on 6 pack charter. An expensive boat ride sucks.
Agree with Mike on this one: Know what your getting when taking a charter.
The more questions asked the more fun you will have on trip.
The 25 -50.00 party boats are not really what you want to do - you want the
feel of the real deal of Saltwater Fishing. If they are going after grouper - that
is a fish with unbelieable power for size when they hit, along with several other
salt fish. One thing about Saltwater fishing - you have no idea when you hook
into something whether you will get to eat it or it will eat you.
Good advice. As a long time offshore charter captain, gauge your target species on what is biting. Listen to the crew. If they don't want to talk it out on the phone, move on to the next.
OK, time for my two cents. I've lived here a long time, relocated and returned yet again. I know how to fish and what tactics will probably work. I still hire a guide. The inshore saltwater fishing we have here is not found to this degree anywhere else in the country. Weather is a big factor in offshore trips and if the wind is blowing all your plans will be for nothing. Talk with several inshore guides and have some questions written down that you want to ask. once you get on the phone there will be so much info being thrown around you will barely remember your name. One day with a good guide is worth the fee and a fair tip also. I have been with a few and the first was a dud, but that was my fault. I didn't get enough info up front and I just rented a guy with a boat. Cold winter weather can be a plus for some truly big Seatrout. Redfish can be aggravating but available. Snook are as good as it gets but I don't know enough about them to comment on weather or not you should expect them. A Seatrout clearing 5lbs is a trophy and fight you will not soon forget. Do your best to release the brood stock and keep the smaller eaters. Trout is a light white meat that's a real pleasure. I talk of trout so much because they are readily available most of the year and can be caught in good numbers making for a fun day. Take your time and be comfortable with who you book. Good luck with it all and keep us posted on how you make out and which plans you decide to go with. You will be teaching us all.
? Hoping to make it down to the everglades for a day too. Really wish I had time for Ochachobee.[/QUOTE]
If you make it to the glades here is my first trip in 2014: http://www.crappie.com/crappie/south...florida-ruint/
My post from 2015 reads the same. We are headed down first of April. I can't tell you how much fun the Oscars are. They are like catching a 5# Bluegill and on my 10 ft crappie rods they were a blast. I had to use braided line to keep from breaking off in the Lily Pads. If you got young ones with you they will have a blast. Just ignore the alligators, they are everywhere.
Skeetbum, thanks for the reply and info I will report how everything went, My Sister has owned this place for 6 yrs now, and this is the first year we could make the trip, Shes a great girl, but a fishermen no. My Wife has issues with sea sickness, My Brother in law does fish but mainly wades and bank fishes, He mentioned they catch drum, stingray, and shark. I am going to see if everyone wants to go on a boat, but I am guessing in may just be Me and My Brother in law. You guys mentioned asking questions on the charter services, besides the obvious, whats biting, where will we fish etc.. is there any other things I could ask? I understand having a note pad ready and plan on it, My memory is in the CRS stages now.
As of today its been 3 weeks since I've have been able to wet a line, which is the longest I've gone without in all of 2015' so I am rarein to fish again, who knows maybe I can talk the wife into staying another week and fishing Crappie on Okeechobee!:crazy:
If you make it to the glades here is my first trip in 2014: http://www.crappie.com/crappie/south...florida-ruint/Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
My post from 2015 reads the same. We are headed down first of April. I can't tell you how much fun the Oscars are. They are like catching a 5# Bluegill and on my 10 ft crappie rods they were a blast. I had to use braided line to keep from breaking off in the Lily Pads. If you got young ones with you they will have a blast. Just ignore the alligators, they are everywhere.[/QUOTE]
Hold on did You say ignore the alligators? will they ignore Me? Lol
Yes for the most part if you are in a boat of any size....14 ft. Jon boat for instance. I would not want to kayak among them simply because if I fell in I would fear the thrashing to get back in would attract too much of their attention. The big difference in the Alligators was the first year we put in at Holiday Park and there were dozens of Airboats taking tourist through the canals so the gators kept their distance.
Here is my post from 2105.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/south...rida-revisted/
In 2015 we put in at one of the I75 rest stop exits which has boat ramps(yep, an interstate rest stop with boat ramps, gotta love Florida) and we saw almost no boats so the gators were much more prevalent.
Well We had our first taste of Winter here in the Buckeye state today, 45mph winds 2" snow and it will be 8 degrees when We head to south Florida in the Morning, You know I could get used to being a snow bird!
How long in business? Start time? If bait is involved, who pays. How long for how much? Can I extend if we do good and how much would the extra be? What kind of gear will we be using? Quality or low end? Snacks and drinks? Supplied or do I bring? In the conversation you'll get a feel for his overall attitude. A real plus as you'll be spending your hard earned and be in the boat all day with him. Does he clean your catch or do you need to come prepared to do so. What are you allowed to keep of what species? These and others will be going through your head while you think it over, write em down. After 3 or 4 contacts I think you'll know who you'll use. And going by yourself can be a real plus too. You'll learn so much and maybe get him do go out of the normal day if something comes up in conversation that catches your interest. Brother and I went and the day slowed for reds, Trout would have been a major relocation and he knew where some good black drum were, so off we went. Call one and get your feet wet and you'll see what I mean.
Thanks again Skeetbum, thoughs are a few things I would'nt have thought to ask. Looking forward to sunny Florida.
The biggest thing is the guide should also be asking questions from you. I used to have tons of people that would show up at the dock with a family wanting to "troll for Marlin" or "heavy grouper fishing." It was clear they needed direction to ensure the whole family had the best time. While I love spending all day looking for Mr. big, a family needs to see cool barracudas, Kings, jacks, and Bonitas.
The weather will also dictate your activities for the day. If a captain has no problem beating the hell out of his boat and you as well, you probably need to find another guide.
Go go have fun and don't overthink it. Shouldn't be a chore...
Excellant thought JJsMarlin
Having a good time on the fishing excursion is what it is all about.
If the guide does not want to back away because of possible weather
problems - he might loose his fee -
You are paying a good price for this fun day..........
I always ask a lot of questions of my clients prior to excepting charter.
I want to know what they want -what they like - and what they are looking
for .....
Its not all about money..............
Making a friendship - a good chance of repeat business, and referrals are.
Update from chilly Florida: I found a reasonably priced charter that went 20 miles off shore, and with the unseasonable weather down here, I schedulaed it for what seemed like the best day, Tuesday morning (Today), unfortunatly a tornado hit just North of here this week and another the week before, so the Captain cancelled the trip due to rough seas. We where able to fish off the sea wall here and caught many small Lane Snappers and a couple keeper size Sheepheads, also made a trip to a public beach called Tiger tail and surf fished, the gulf was rough due to the recent weather but We did catch a half a dozen Catfish, although My Brother in law got stung by a cat when a strong wave took him under, I lost my Cdc hat and pair of pliers trying to keep him above water. We called it a day a took him home to tend to his wound.
We are hoping to come back down next Winter, hopefully the weather will be better. Thanks again guys for the help.
Sorry to hear weather put a real cramp on your opportunity to see Florida fishing
at its best. To date the year as been a very cummy one due mostly to Weather
Pattern of ElNino -(what ever)
Good to hear Captian canceled trip - i would remember him next time down.
Seemed to be more into seeing you would have good time vs money involved.
Salt water Cats - def. not good to eat - also have mean bit of poison in those
barbs - can make person sick and swell up bad at point of impack.
This is not the norm of Florida - only on the ElNino years..........1-2 days bad weather, 3 days of improvement & than start it all over again - this will probably
go on till March. Weather will change reaction of fish simply by dropping .01 degree
on barometric pressure- Things will become more stable though winter months
Hope you had good time other than poor Fishing experience .
Contact us again when comming down - will try and get weather Gods to give you
a break