Fishingcast: Conditions for Marco Island, Dec. 1-7

BACKWATER

Quiet weather week. Winds light to moderate and all NE until late week, then switching NW. Two p.m.’s light precipitation. Tides to full moon with racing a.m. incoming or moderate p.m. ebb. Water temperature holding 73 F. Water clarity a positive; pompano action Capri; Hurricane Passes sporadi; both tides on tipped jigs in moving current. Scattered mackerel Capri and Caxambas Pass; early moderate speed incoming and on top water jigs. Sheepshead action mostly shorts yet and need water temperature drop for keeper. Spec trout action Calhoun Channel east side 4-6’ edge on drift with shrimp under popper.

NEARSHORE

Manageable sea conditions. Very good action overall. Mackerel show, but scattered yet. On top water tipped jigs worked over chum. Bottom action on few harvest sheepshead with tad shrimp and cut crab tight to structure, both tides. Good lane snapper action Walton Reef and Five Mile working weighted jigs to bottom under strong chum effort.

OFFSHORE

Good conditions for long run. Lane and mangrove snapper on 8-12 mile reefs working tipped weighted jigs under chum. Tripletail reported on deep water crab trap markers. Surface sight and work with dark color tipped jig on surface. Red grouper: 55-65’ hard bottom working live pinfish and cut ladyfish tight to structure, either tide.