John Preeg: Great weekend for fishing

There have been a few days of rain, but this has had little effect on the fishing. The water is still very clear and warm, and most of our premier species of fish are biting. The one change has been that the huge schools of bait along the beaches and throughout the Ten Thousand Islands have dispersed.

Surprisingly, this reduction in the number of baitfish seems to have actually helped the fishing, particularly with regards to snook. Perhaps, there was simply too much food before, and now that these fish are a little hungry, they are more likely to inhale a well placed fly or lure.

There will probably be little change in the fishing this weekend. The summer rains will begin soon, but this can only spark the fishing. The rains cool the waters and move the fish around, and even if the water becomes a little colored, this will just adds a bit of disguise to the lure.

Expect a great weekend of fishing.

NAPLES — Conditions are ideal for sightfishing with a fly, according to Capt. Tom Shadley of the Everglades Outfitter. The water around Naples Bay is very clear, and small snook, redfish and baby tarpon are all biting. There also large tarpon in the 100-pound category out along the beaches that can be targeted with a fly for the expert, or a live or cut bait for the not-so-expert.

Shadley has been sighting the snook and redfish along the shorelines of the back bays on the bottom of the tide. The juvenile tarpon can be seen rolling in the channels. All of these fish will likely move out nearer the passes as soon as the summer rains begin. Shadley said that is very hot, so the best fishing is early. He has been back at the dock by 11 a.m. each morning.

MARCO ISLAND/TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS — Capt. Stacy Mullendore has been catching numerous snook and trout this past week. The trout can be found over the outside grasses and in front of the islands on the rising tide. The snook are gathered along the outside points and in the middle bays, and have varied in size from “peanuts” to 34 inches. The trout have been taking shrimp or jigs, while live white bait has been more effective for the snook.

Mullendore said that the redfish were scattered last week, and tarpon rare, but the summer snapper have moved in, and it easy to catch a limit of legal snapper once a school is found.

Mullendore fished with Bill Forte on Thursday, and they landed 15 snook with three in the slot plus a host of snapper and jacks.

EVERGLADES CITY — Capt. Shane Miller reported that the trout fishing has been terrific, but the snook fishing disappointing. Miller said that the water is very clear on the outside, and the trout can be found over the grasses where they are mixed with schools of mackerel.

The snook should be schooled up on the outside and in the passes getting ready for the spawn, but Miller said his snook fishing results have been disappointing. He believes that a combination of too much bait and too much water clarity have reduced the number strikes. The fish are probably there, but it is difficult to get them to take a line.

Miller fished with John L. Smith and John Mason on Saturday, and in a half day, they landed a limit of trout, numerous Spanish mackerel and a five foot blacktip shark.

WIGGINS PASS — The fishing outside the beaches in north Naples is very good, but inside of Wiggins Pass, it can be challenging. The water is very clear, and the fish have seen quite a bit of pressure for the past few weeks, so the snook and redfish that are there seem to be hook shy. There are a few small snook and redfish in the back, and it is easy to spot larger snook around the passes, but it can be tricky to get them to bite.

The most popular target has been the tarpon that are gathered just a mile or two off of the beaches. There was a big school just north of Wiggins Pass on Sunday and Monday, but there were also many boaters fishing them. For best results, get out early. Once the other boats arrive, it is better to hunt a little and find a school of your own. Tarpon are finicky about boats, in fact, tarpon can be finicky about anything.

Cobia, permit, Spanish mackerel, a few snapper, and too many goliath grouper are all being caught on the artificial reefs.

FRESHWATER — The rain has helped the freshwater fishing, but there simply has not been enough to have much effect, according to Jeff Edwards of the Golden Gate Tackle Box. Water temperatures have been in the high eighties, and that is too high for good bass fishing. Those fish that are being caught are being found in the deep holes where they are taking live shiners or slow moving plastic worms.

Juvenile tarpon are being caught out around the Big “T,” and oscars and other panfish can be found in the canals. The fishing is fair, but more rain is needed to bring down the water temperature and start the flow in the canals.