Naples to Flamingo
Includes Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City and Chokoloskee

Oct. 10-12

TT

Fall Tarpon run Begins

This area’s spring tarpon run is world famous, as the tarpon move in along the coast and up to Boca Grande Pass for the yearly spawn. What many people don’t realize is that there is also a fall migration, and that seems to have started this past week.

Every fall, balls of glass minnows gather along the beaches, and the tarpon move in under them for an easy meal. These fall tarpon an not typically as large as the spring fish, but many are in the 100-pound range, and they are more aggressive. These fish are here to feed and get fat before the winter, and, consequently, they are much more likely to take a bait or lure.

Right now, there are schools of fish in the north Naples area from Wiggins Pass to Sanibel Island, and more tarpon schooled south of Marco Island from Round Key all the way to Flamingo. These Ten Thousand Island tarpon are congregating in the river and creek mouths on the outgoing tide, and it seems that the further south that you go, the more and the bigger the fish. This weekend, the area form Lostmans River to the Broad River should be very productive.

How long these tarpon will remain in the area is uncertain. Tarpon are an unpredictable species, but most likely, there will be good tarpon fishing right up until the first strong cold front pushes them offshore.

Places to fish this weekend should include Estero Bay and Everglades City. The bait is everywhere around Estero Bay, and the snook and redfish are biting in the back, while cobia and tarpon can be caught within five miles of the beaches. I already mentioned the tarpon south of Everglades City, but there also quite a few snook on the outside and schools of redfish on the points on the incoming tide. For those anglers who enjoy a fish dinner, the trout fishing has greatly improved over the grass beds. Look for schools of bait or birds.

By Capt. John Preeg | Captjohnpreeg@aol.com

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