Naples FL fly fishing guide service?
- Thread starter ra2bach
- Start date
brownbass
Well-known member
Wasn't Naples hit by the red tide?
Bill
Bill
I don't know. what effect will that have? (I'm really dumb about salt fishing...)
driftless22
Well-known member
The area affected by red tide extended from Tampa down to Naples. The coastline south of Naples was not affected. The red tide caused significant fish kills, but I don't know whether gamefish populations were significantly reduced, since I normally fish south of Naples in the Everglades City/Chokoloskee area. I'll send a PM regarding guide recommendations.
brownbass
Well-known member
I am not sure. I just read an article about affected seabirds on Marco Island south of Naples. I fished the area in the Everglades out of Goodland years ago. It saddens me that the Gulf region has been hit with this Red Tide.
Bill
If you can find an open day this guy is reasonably priced and knows his waters and fish.
Light Tackle and Fly Fishing the Flats of Pine Island and Matlacha, Florida with Captain and Guide Gregg McKee
Light Tackle and Fly Fishing the Flats of Pine Island and Matlacha, Florida with Captain and Guide Gregg McKee
yeah, I had no idea until you mentioned it but now I'm concerned. what is the effect on the amount/size of fish available?
I don't want to spend money for a boat ride and casting practice...
brownbass
Well-known member
I would ask around on this and other forums, maybe Facebook and contact the Florida Conservation Commision. I don't have any contacts down there anymore so I can't clue you into any dependable sources. I understand that people down there look forward to and depend on the tourist dollars but they should stand up and demand there state government take responsibility for the disaster that the Red Tide has caused on that coast.
Bill
thanks. yeah, I'd love to charter a day fishing down there but I haven't been able to find ANY info simply by googling. And I haven't called any of the guides and asked them directly because I'm not sure what kind of answer I would get.
I mean, I wouldn't blame a guide for doing everything they can to keep their bills paid but if I want them to be honest, I have to be honest too and tell them I'm not an experienced trophy salt fisherman. who knows what type of day I'll have under those conditions. I'll try Facebook...
thanks,
Ray
I mean, I wouldn't blame a guide for doing everything they can to keep their bills paid but if I want them to be honest, I have to be honest too and tell them I'm not an experienced trophy salt fisherman. who knows what type of day I'll have under those conditions. I'll try Facebook...
thanks,
Ray
The red tide is gone, the flows from lake O are down and it is now the dry season.
http://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=87162eec3eb846218cec711d16462a72
http://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=87162eec3eb846218cec711d16462a72
J
joe_strummer
Guest
I'd guess the easy majority of their clients down there are not experienced saltwater fly anglers. Many of the fly fishing guides down there guide light tackle and fly trips. The ones that mention they'll net some bait before the trip for backup, I tell them don't bother, that we'll go fishless before we use bait -- but they sometimes do it anyway, which suggests to me they have a lot of trips "saved" by bait. I'm a little bit of an almost semi-experienced saltwater fly fisherman and I go down there and blow great setups and sometimes go fishless. I've watched friends struggle through their first saltwater days. Getting humbled IS a valid and true saltwater fly fishing experience imo.
I happen to have fished with Greg McKee out of Matlacha and would book him again. He seemed to know his water well, and put us on fish (reds and trout, no snook that day) on an early November trip a few years back. I've been out with a few other captains in SW FLA. But I don't have anyone I book every time, as I do in Islamorada.
well that's good to know. are there any fish left?..
what's available to catch at the end of January and where would we be looking for that?..
Plenty of fish. If catching is your primary goal then don't be to proud to soak a shrimp. If learning to hook fish in the salt with a fly rod is the primary goal it is a bit of a curve that can be best enabled by a good guide. Guides down there know the movement patterns of the fish and where and when they might be during the periods of varying tide levels and water temperatures. Be there when it happens with Salt fish.
You can expect to go after Snook, Redfish, Spanish Mackerel, Speckled Trout and an assortment of other keen fish such as Mangrove Snapper. Sail cats, puffers and other various by-catch fish are sometimes willing to give a tug as well.
If you are just wanting to get out and toss a fly without a guide then you can go to any of the beaches from Naples to Sanibel at first light and look for shallow cruising Snook. There are many canals south of Naples that provide fun fishing as well...watch out for Bertha. Use a light colored Clouser.