John Preeg: Heat bothers fishermen, not fish

It has certainly been hot out on the water, but all of the heat has not had an adverse effect on the fishing.

Snook, tarpon, redfish and trout are all taking baits in the backwater, and although quite a few fishermen have admitted to wilting in the afternoon heat, the fish have remained energetic all day.

The rains associated with Alberto, and followed by some afternoon storms, have sparked the snook spawn. Large female snook surrounded by the smaller males can be seen in and around the passes. The females seldom take a bait, but the males are very active. All of these fish should be released gently because they represent the future of the snook population. Even holding a fish up for pictures can harm a pregnant female, so it is best to release the fish while it is still in the water. One picture is not worth a thousand eggs.

-- NAPLES — Capt. Pat Gould reported that the recent rains have really sparked the fishing in the Naples area. The snook are schooled together for the spawn, and although most of the snook that are being caught are the smaller males, some of the big females have been taking baits in the afternoon.

Tarpon fishing has not been great, but it is better than it was. The tarpon have been gathering in small pods of three and four fish in the channels between Naples and Marco Island. The tarpon are not plentiful, but they have been aggressively attacking small jigs.

Trout, mackerel, jacks and ladyfish are all active in the schools of bait along the beaches. There are also a few tarpon and sharks in these same areas.

-- MARCO ISLAND/TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS — Capt. Larry Regeinczuk fished out of Goodland on Monday and said that the water was very dirty just south of Marco Island, but cleared south of Gomez Point. Bait was plentiful, and snook, redfish, trout and tarpon were all active.

Regienczuk managed to land a dozen snook including several fish in the slot, plus another half dozen trout, a legal redfish, two huge hound fish, a cooler full of snapper and a 10-pound tripletail. Surprisingly, most of the fish were caught between one and three o’clock during the hottest part of the day. In the morning, Regeinczuk had fished for tarpon and saw more than a hundred rolling fish, but only managed to get two small fish to take a lure.

-- EVERGLADES CITY — Capt. Bruce Miller reported that fishing has been excellent south of Everglades City. Miller has been sightfishing with both flies and jigs and catching fish every day. Both redfish and snook have been active in all areas, and there are tarpon in the passes, but Miller has not been targeting them.

Miller fished with William Mulloy, and Mulloy landed six redfish to 29-inches, five snook, fifteen trout and a 14-pound black drum. They were casting jigs on the outside.

-- WIGGINS PASS — Anywhere there is water there are fish, according to Captain John Vest of Fishtrap Marina. Snook are in the passes and along the beaches, redfish can be found along the edge of the bay and around the oyster bars. Trout are biting both in the passes and over the grass beds, and there are baby tarpon in the deep backcountry and rivers. Larger tarpon and hammerhead, bull and blacktip sharks can be hunted a few miles off the shore.

Vest has been using mainly shrimp and pinfish for bait, but there is also “white” bait along the beaches and thread herring just outside the beaches.

-- FRESHWATER — Ski Olesky reported that the first phase of the dredging of Lake Trafford has been completed, but unfortunately, the second phase seems to be stalled. A good portion of the muck has been dredged out of the lake, but there is still enough left to so that the waters appear tainted. More rain is needed to bring the lake up before the actual results of this years dredging will become evident.

The fishing on the lake has not been that good. Some crappie, bluegills and catfish have been caught, but the water is still too low and hot for good fishing.