I fish out of Naples/Everglades City all the time. In fact I am headed there in about three days. Bring both the three and the six weight. You will get plenty of use out of both.
If you drive East out of Naples on 41, the Tamiami Trail, once you hit Collier Seminole State Park and on East to Everglades city, the canals are a paradise for baby tarpon, snook, bass and sundry exotic panfish. Throw clousers and micro poppers in chartreuse and white and brown and orange on the three. Don't skimp on the flash. I spent today tying up some size ten mini clousers to fish my three weight there. You will lose fish, particularly if you snag a big bass or snook, but on Oscars and 12"-18" tarpon the three is a blast.
As for the six weight I use it three times as much as my ten weight. This time of year the big tarpon are gone. Its about jacks, ladyfish, seatrout, some snook, reds and mangrove snappers. You might hit blues or mackeral outside.The wind and the size of the fly determine which rod I use, much more than the size of the fish. Again clousers, shrimp patterns, decievers, seaducers etc are your go to flies. You want a moving tide over a hard bottom, flats edge, creek mouth or against the mangroves. Transition points are key. Drop offs, funnel points, a rising or falling tide where shallow water transitions into deeper water and carries bait with it or on the rise allow the reds into the shallows are what you want. Basically anywhere a fish can be and have the food come to it, just like trout. As a general rule reds and snook eat early on the rise and late on the fall, seatrout and lady fish more toward the mid point when the water is deeper. But this varies. The most critical thing is that the water needs to be moving. Slack tides are a dead time.
Also, bring two spinning rods. An ultralight for the canals and creeks where there is no room for a back cast and the fish are small, but load it with ten pound braid. But most importantly bring a medium weight 10-12# rig. In the winter we get frequent fronts. The temperature doesn't drop much, but the wind kicks up. Plus, even a five degree dip will have the fish holding deep. Here you want a 1/8 th oz. jig head with a two or so inch GULP curly or pogie tailed minnow in white. Let it sink and retrieve it slow to medium with a jigging action. The fish often bite on the fall. Good luck, and feel free to PM me.
PS Contact Mangrove Outfitters in Naples. They are a top notch fly shop and will hook you up.
