# Marco Island Fly Patterns



## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

So my dad just pulled one of his surprise vacations out of his butt and told me that we're going to Marco island for a week. I normally get bored on vacation and end up fishing the beach before anyone wakes up. Anybody have an idea what fish I should be targeting? I'm assuming reds and snook but mainly snook. Are there especially productive fly patterns for that are?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Boat? When?


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backwater said:


> Boat? When?


Doubt I'll have access to a skiff but I'll most likely be able to rent a kayak or paddle board somewhere and sorry about not posting when I'm going I'll be heading out tomorrow and staying there until next friday


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Snook along the beach with occasionally a few trout possibly. Use white seducer or deceiver patterns we have a lot of white bait this time of the year.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

And sounds like you got a pretty good dad taking you to Marco on vacation.


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## ColinMcMullen (Dec 20, 2016)

What time of year will you be on the island? That has a lot to do with what kind of fishing will be available.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Flylikebrian said:


> Doubt I'll have access to a skiff but I'll most likely be able to rent a kayak or paddle board somewhere and sorry about not posting when I'm going I'll be heading out tomorrow and staying there until next friday


Snook will be running the beaches and can be had on a #4-#2 size white shminnows, small white shrimp flies, small white deceivers, small white clousers..... The theme is "white" along the beaches. From 1st light thru sunrise and on to about 10am at the latest. You'll see them swimming along the beach like bonefish. Just lead them and wait till they approach, then take it away from them and they'll follow and pounce on it. 

I'd fish the deeper waters of the north passes from the shore during in the late afternoon till dark on the outgoing tide with a full sink line, clear intermediate line or sink tip line with larger clousers in chartreuse and white, olive and white or olive and tan or yellow. After sunset, you can go black and purple. You can also use EP minnow type flies in the same colors.

There is a public pier next to the bridge that goes to the island. Hard to fly fish off of, but you can hit it with a spinning rod and heavy 1/2oz jig heads with dark olive or new penny 3" paddle tail grubs, or bucktail jigs in 3".

Main species is snook in the above paragraphs, with jacks, spotted sea trout and ladyfish as by-catch (which are still fun to catch).

I would worry about fishing from a yak since there is plenty of fishing that can be had from shore.

Have fun!

Ted


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Flylikebrian said:


> I normally get bored on vacation and end up fishing the beach before anyone wakes up.


Marco is great for that.


Id go down toward the tip of tiger tail if I were you. Tides have been really high recently so keep that in mind when your heading back.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Along with beach fishing you might be lucky enough to be at place with waterfront docks nearby... Any docks with lights and a bit of current will be very attractive late at night or real early (before sunup...). The same small white flies as already noted - and you'll know whether a light is holding fish since you'll be looking at them... If you're on foot fishing docklights remember to walk like a ninja on that dock (better yet stay off the dock that's holding fish and cast from a nearby seawall or another nearby dock...). Fish around docks are really sensitive to footsteps on the dock - and they'll quit biting - no matter how many casts you make (another of those "ask me how I know" moments....).


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

My bartender showed me a video of a snook light down on marco that had a tarpon, some snook, and some jewfish all hanging out like an aquarium.

Forgot to mention there are a few boat shuttles on marco that will bring you to keywaiden. Its a short boat ride depending on where the shuttle leaves. Keywaiden is about 7 miles. The south end is filled with sandbar boaters. About halfway 3/4 of the way north there is a cut that you can walk through to backwater mangroves. See Bartel Bay in naples on a Map. Parts of the beach have old structure that hold fish. Ive seen big sheepshead close to shore as well.

Seminole state park is just up the road from marco. You can rent canoes and kayaks there for $5 and the scenery is beautiful. Ive never been fishing there, only canoed.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

lemaymiami said:


> Along with beach fishing you might be lucky enough to be at place with waterfront docks nearby... Any docks with lights and a bit of current will be very attractive late at night or real early (before sunup...). The same small white flies as already noted - and you'll know whether a light is holding fish since you'll be looking at them... If you're on foot fishing docklights remember to walk like a ninja on that dock (better yet stay off the dock that's holding fish and cast from a nearby seawall or another nearby dock...). Fish around docks are really sensitive to footsteps on the dock - and they'll quit biting - no matter how many casts you make (another of those "ask me how I know" moments....).


Good comment about stepping on the same dock you'll be fishing off of. I always tell people to move as quiet as possible, or better yet, fish from the seawall or from an adjacent dock. For some reason, snook always know if you are walking on the dock. That being said, that's the best thing to use a yak for over there is in the intercoastal canals and fishing the dock lights.


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## bonehead (Dec 9, 2016)

Hard to beat anything small and white... think Schminnow, DT special, anything on those lines will get the job done.


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

You can take the road past Goodland towards 41 and fish the ditches on each side.
Also 41 all the way to Everglades city and north from there you can hit the canals and borrow pits. 

Plenty of fish and plenty to explore.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> You can take the road past Goodland towards 41 and fish the ditches on each side.
> Also 41 all the way to Everglades city and north from there you can hit the canals and borrow pits.
> 
> Plenty of fish and plenty to explore.


I do see some old guys fly fishing usually in pairs but its up past port of the isles before EGC

Always wonder about traffic on 41?


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

fjmaverick said:


> I do see some old guys fly fishing usually in pairs but its up past port of the isles before EGC
> 
> Always wonder about traffic on 41?


Gotta watch your backcast or your flyline will be headed to see pib in Miami. Small tarpon and snook are always a possibility as is the occasional exotic species.


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

O


Backcountry 16 said:


> Gotta watch your backcast or your flyline will be headed to see pib in Miami. Small tarpon and snook are always a possibility as is the occasional exotic species.



Only place in the world you can hook a snook , a tarpon , a large mouth bass and a Mack truck in the same day.


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backcountry 16 said:


> And sounds like you got a pretty good dad taking you to Marco on vacation.


For sure man and yeah my dads pretty cool. He just doesn't tell me things with time so when I asked for a week off work my bosses were pretty upset that o said it with such short notice. 


Backcountry 16 said:


> And sounds like you got a pretty good dad taking you to Marco on vacation.





ColinMcMullen said:


> What time of year will you be on the island? That has a lot to do with what kind of fishing will be available.


I'll be there from today till next friday


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backwater said:


> Snook will be running the beaches and can be had on a #4-#2 size white shminnows, small white shrimp flies, small white deceivers, small white clousers..... The theme is "white" along the beaches. From 1st light thru sunrise and on to about 10am at the latest. You'll see them swimming along the beach like bonefish. Just lead them and wait till they approach, then take it away from them and they'll follow and pounce on it.
> 
> I'd fish the deeper waters of the north passes from the shore during in the late afternoon till dark on the outgoing tide with a full sink line, clear intermediate line or sink tip line with larger clousers in chartreuse and white, olive and white or olive and tan or yellow. After sunset, you can go black and purple. You can also use EP minnow type flies in the same colors.
> 
> ...


Thanks backwater I'll be sure to tie up a couple flies before I head out


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

fjmaverick said:


> I do see some old guys fly fishing usually in pairs but its up past port of the isles before EGC
> 
> Always wonder about traffic on 41?


I fish the trail I lot. My dad said we're taking to get from Miami to Marco. I haven't been out there lately as the last time I went the water was low and really polluted. There were dead or dying chiclids everywhere. Most of my pics on my instagram and my profile pic on here is from fish caught on the trail matter of fact.


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

And thanks to all of you that replied to this and gave me some help. If I hadn't of read that post about not walk in on docks, It would of been the first thing I would of done honestly.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Snook will be running the beaches and can be had on a #4-#2 size white shminnows, small white shrimp flies, small white deceivers, small white clousers..... The theme is "white" along the beaches. From 1st light thru sunrise and on to about 10am at the latest. You'll see them swimming along the beach like bonefish. Just lead them and wait till they approach, then take it away from them and they'll follow and pounce on it.
> 
> I'd fish the deeper waters of the north passes from the shore during in the late afternoon till dark on the outgoing tide with a full sink line, clear intermediate line or sink tip line with larger clousers in chartreuse and white, olive and white or olive and tan or yellow. After sunset, you can go black and purple. You can also use EP minnow type flies in the same colors.
> 
> ...


The cat walk under the Marco bridge was damaged by a storm so the county ripped it out instead of repairing the damaged sections. There was some talk about it getting rebuilt, but I don't think the people from Marco really want it. I've even heard them say it attracts the wrong kind of people to the island.


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

I'd give you the details on the one cast hole but capt Bob would kill me for hot spotting. 

Just look for the grocery bag tied to the mangrove tree on 92.
And watch out for the power line on your back cast. 

Several folks including me have hooked tarpon there. 
If you can post up a picture of one landed there I'll send you a 100 bucks.


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Update: seen 3 snook fishing the beach, hooked up with 1 but he cut me off


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Nice you should have better luck during the week maybe it will be less crowded.


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Nice you should have better luck during the week maybe it will be less crowded.


I went out from 6-8pm I'll try tomorrow morning and see if I have better luck


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Daybreak is when I would be starting personally nothing like a snook jumping when the sun is just rising and good luck. Most fish should be right along the surf break but don't over look a little further out for possible trout, mackerel,ladyfish,or stray redfish or if your real lucky a tarpon but make sure to do the stingray shuffle.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

White flies. When you walk the beach, always walk on the highest part of the sand, and look for the schools of snook about a 100 feet down the beach right along the beach in front of you. Best to see them before they detect you, that way you can cast to the fish undisturbed. Often as you walk down the beach, the fish will sense you approaching and move a little farther out off the beach. Just my observations.


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Couldn't sight fish this morning from how cloudy it was so I blind casted into grass patches and behind the wave breaks and hooked up with this trout


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

That's a great trout -particularly with a fly on foot... Great catch!


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Nice job sweet trout on the fly.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

What fly was it?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Flylikebrian said:


>


Sweet!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I hit the beach yesterday looking for snook and it was tough. We've had hot weather lately (92 degrees +) each day recently. So the water is like bath water up on the sand. Too hot for snook. They will go seek the cooler deeper water when it gets too hot. Unless you go out 1st thing in the mornings from 1st light till about 1hr past sunrise on the morning incoming tides, they will move off the beach as the sun comes up and heats everything back up. Some will move out to the trough between the beach and the 1st sandbar out, while others will run out to the passes. So it's best to target the beaches near the passes early and then go fish the passes after the sun comes up, using weighted flies and clear sink lines. 

I recommend a stripping basket. If you don't have one, Let me know and I have a plan that you can run down to Walmart off the island or the dollar store, for less than $5.

Ted


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backcountry 16 said:


> What fly was it?


A variation of a clouser that I tie. It's a lot smaller in the water


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## Flylikebrian (Sep 11, 2016)

Backwater said:


> I hit the beach yesterday looking for snook and it was tough. We've had hot weather lately (92 degrees +) each day recently. So the water is like bath water up on the sand. Too hot for snook. They will go seek the cooler deeper water when it gets too hot. Unless you go out 1st thing in the mornings from 1st light till about 1hr past sunrise on the morning incoming tides, they will move off the beach as the sun comes up and heats everything back up. Some will move out to the trough between the beach and the 1st sandbar out, while others will run out to the passes. So it's best to target the beaches near the passes early and then go fish the passes after the sun comes up, using weighted flies and clear sink lines.
> 
> I recommend a stripping basket. If you don't have one, Let me know and I have a plan that you can run down to Walmart off the island or the dollar store, for less than $5.
> 
> Ted


Yeah a stripping basket would be really nice right about now.


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