# Marco Island advice early June



## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

Hi All and Happy New Year!

Actually I dont know if i can edit the post name, I will actually be there first week of May.

The family and I will be renting a condo the first week of May on Marco Island. I have 3 days booked with 2 different guides to hopefully get into tarpon and snook. I know a lot of people on this forum are from Florida so I am hoping for some DIY advice as well.

Any advice on certain areas to hit on my own to maybe get into baby tarpon or snook? Should I bring my inflatable paddleboard to open up other areas?

Any other good advice about fishing Marco Island appreciated.

I plan on bringing a 7wt, 8wt, and stout 10wt.. all with float lines and I thought I would bring 1 intermediate for th 8wt... any need for a 300g sink line?

I plan on tying all the standard beach snook and tarpon flies... if there are any lesser known patterns i should tie up please share.

Thanks! and feel free to PM if you want to keep secrets.

Thanks

Kerry


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## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

Bug Spray... and if it were me I'd bring that inflatable SUP even if its just to have fun off the beach.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

Sunrise for beach snook. Their bite falls off as the sun rises into the sky. Best to fish around knee deep at that time by wading in a bit and casting out but mostly parallel to the beach. No need for anything fancy. We spin fish them that way but I don't think there is any difference with a fly rod. Look for bait pods on the surface as they are often rich targets.


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## hostage1985 (Feb 27, 2011)

mightyrime said:


> Hi All and Happy New Year!
> 
> Actually I dont know if i can edit the post name, I will actually be there first week of May.
> 
> ...


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## hostage1985 (Feb 27, 2011)

Going out the "back way" towards Goodland is San Marco Rd or Rte 92. Between Goodland and the Tamiami Trail it's paralleled by a creek with several spots where you can find Juvy Tarpon.


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## bonehead (Dec 9, 2016)

Definitely hit the beach during sunrise. Any kind of small white fly should do the trick (think schminnow, DT special, etc). For baby tarpon the trail is a great place, although it is not for the "faint-hearted". You will have semis going 70 literally 5ft behind you, and you'll come across gators, snakes, bugs from hell, etc. That's what makes it fun though!

Good luck on your trip and let us know how it goes.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

X 2 on the trail just what bonehead said about the tractor trailers and bring bug spray but you should see some tarpon or maybe snook on the trail.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

I get a few dozen small tarpon on my light in the canal that time of year but I have never cracked the code to getting those jaws unlocked. The canals around here are loaded with them by the thousands but they seem completely uninterested in feeding.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Cam said:


> I get a few dozen small tarpon on my light in the canal that time of year but I have never cracked the code to getting those jaws unlocked. The canals around here are loaded with them by the thousands but they seem completely uninterested in feeding.


You can't fish from the same dock and expect to catch them, nor snook.

*The code - *

He can bring his inflatable SUP or you can take a kayak, canoe or skiff. On the back side of the island you'll see endless canals with homes on them and many have docks. Some of those docks that have special lights they turn on at night to attract baitfish and therefore predator fish. Typically you can find snook, ladyfish, sea trout, hard head catfish and some hold baby tarpon and occasionally some will even hold redfish. Those are either low hanging lights or underwater lights. Stay away from the lights and just watch to see which ones they are on. You'll see the shadows and occasional see them hit something. To fish them you want to stay away as far as you can and throw a long cast but close enough to where you can make a nice presentation. Make *NO NOISE* when you approach. Your fishing platform will be pointed into the current and I typically will stage-up downstream a bit from the light. I've gotten away with using a small paracord (not rope) tied to a small anchor at max casting distance from the dock and then just use a paddle to swing in the current a little closer to the dock to make an easy gentle long cast. Otherwise, you can get away with a trolling motor on "slow" in a skiff, as long as you are max casting distance from the light, down stream from the light in the tidal current and throwing upstream at a 45 degree cast, casting upstream to the light. Then once hooked up, use the TM to help pull the fish out and away from the dock to fight out in the open water of the canal, free from dock structure.

You will be casting up stream from the light and allowing your fly to "drift" thru the light on the outside edge of the light ring. As you see the fish turn on the fly, strip it in a bit faster to cause them to lunge on the fly. When they hit, keep stripping them out away from the dock as fast as you can, holding the rod tip up high and not worrying about getting them on the reel.

The best time to fish them is on the last half of the incoming tide and the 1st half of the out going tide. In other words, the water needs to be high around the dock and there needs to be water movement.

Many flies will work, but If I was only bring one fly for both dock light fishing and beach fishing, it would be this one.









This is one I started developing over 25yrs ago and perfected it about 20yrs ago. The tail is white arctic fox or finn raccoon with the underfur pulled out and only about 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" long tail. Bronze bead chain eyes and the chenille is a longer clear white ice chenille or catus type chenille with no pearl to it. I typically use a size #2 in something with a o'shaughnessy style bend (i.e. Mustads 3407 or 3407-BN (black nickle) or a Dai-Riki 930 SS). But you could get away with a Gami SL12. If I'm only trying to target small tarpon, I'll use a #1-1/0 Owner Mosquito hook 5177. Make sure you strip strike the fish before you lift the rod.




I use the same fly fish beach fishing, along with a DT special in the same size.



Ted Haas


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Backwater said:


> You can't fish from the same dock and expect to catch them, nor snook.
> 
> *The code - *
> 
> ...


Ted knows most fish down here are smarter than the people who fish for them stealth is definitely the key.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

One last remark about night-time docklights... We don't fish over that way much - our night fish are in the Miami to Miami Beach area - but the night scene isn't much different wherever you fish them... As already noted -stay as far away from the light as possible - and approach as quietly as possible (already said...). I tell my anglers that only the first couple of casts have any chance of success - and that's how we operate... I long ago learned that your first few presentations have to be on the money - and that, after that, you can work those fish until you get tired, and rarely succeed. As a result we'll work a light with a few casts and even if we see fish we'll leave it for another light - but we may come back an hour or so later for a second shot at them....

If you're on foot in Marco during May make a point of looking up Tigertail Beach since it's a great wading spot right at dawn and the sun will be behind you (with no swimmers so you actually can fish it... ). hope this helps.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

We have tried fishing them from a dock about 50' from mine. I will try that kayak approach you recommended. Our light is loaded with tarpon every night when it is warm and snook year round. They don't seem to mind someone on the dock but clearly it is impacting the bite.

During summer months the canals by the bridges are so full of them we can see dozens of fins as we roll through our bridges.


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## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

all this info is so great! We actually rented a place on a canal with a dock so i can launch from my back porch. Does light color matter for snook? I have a couple of very bright waterproof scuba lights in white i could tie off to the dock and light it up at night.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

mightyrime said:


> all this info is so great! We actually rented a place on a canal with a dock so i can launch from my back porch. Does light color matter for snook? I have a couple of very bright waterproof scuba lights in white i could tie off to the dock and light it up at night.


Any light works as long as it attracts the bait fish for the predators. But the bright ones will attract more attention.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

White light is good. It will look green/brown underwater around here. The brighter the better. Lights that are up off the bottom also fare better.

Typically we see minnows at dusk followed by small shadows darting around just after dark. Couple hours after dark we get circling mullet by the dozens. Silver flashes along with fish casting larger shadows hover around the very edge of the light. Often snook will hover over the light all night. It can be a real show.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

The best lights where I am are lights that are on night after night- and have been for months. New lights over on the east coast are often barren until tarpon get used to feeding there each night...


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## Pbertell (Apr 22, 2015)

Great info!!!
Thanks for sharing you guys are great!
Stop by *Lee Be Fish* for a fish sandwich and a beer. Great fish - small little fish shack.... 
It's my brother in laws - but it is good or I wouldn't recommend!! Tell them Paul from Miami sent you!!


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