I guess you could say that May started out as a bust, due to a late cold front that mother nature decided to spring on us; however once the waters began to clear, the fishing really started to ramp up!
Although the bite had really been charged up post front, it inevitably slacked off once the water temps dropped. Water clarity became a real issue because of the west / northwest blow that preceded the front; which made for some tough days. The good news is that conditions changed considerably once the winds switched back around from the east, allowing the waters to warm and clear to more normal conditions for this time of year.
Fast forward to the middle of May… things are really popping off! Tons of small pilchard fry and glass minnows have started to show up in areas with structure along the beaches as well as in the passes. This has done wonders for the trout fishing. On a few of my most recent trips, we have gotten in to some great action, catching as many as 40 – 50 trout on a 4 hour trip. Additionally, we have been seeing good numbers of tarpon rolling around the same areas that the trout have been hanging on and have even been tying in to a few larger sharks on those spots.
The end of May through July affords us some of the best tarpon, snook and shark fishing of the year here in Naples. It is that time of year when bait is plentiful and everything is on the feed. It also happens to be the time when we see some of the largest fish of the year show up in ever increasing numbers. If it’s your goal to check any of the above species off of your bucket list, now is the time to get out there and do it!
Capt. Geoff is the owner/operator of Chasin’ Tales Fishing Charters and can be contacted at 239-216-0378, or by visiting him at The Naples City Docks, slip #1. You can also check him out here on Facebook. This fishing report will appear in the June 2016 issue of Coastal Angler.
