The tarpon migration is the headline around Naples and Marco this week. Silver kings are rolling along the beaches and stacking in the passes — Gordon Pass, Big Marco, and Capri Pass have all held fish on the strong tides. Pass crabs and threadfins drifted in the current have been the most consistent baits, with the early morning and evening tides producing best.
Snook are thick along the beaches and around the passes and provide outstanding catch-and-release action — the Gulf snook season is closed through August 31. Whitebait and small swimbaits worked along the troughs at first light draw aggressive strikes.
Back in the Ten Thousand Islands and the backcountry creeks, redfish are working the mangrove shorelines and oyster bars, and spotted seatrout are holding on the grass flats and deeper potholes. Live shrimp under a cork and gold spoons are dependable choices for the inshore mix.
Nearshore, the structure and artificial reefs are giving up mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, and the occasional cobia trailing rays and turtles. Goliath grouper around the passes and wrecks provide brute-force fun on heavy tackle for catch-and-release.
With summer heat and afternoon storms the norm, early starts are the move. The tarpon and beach snook action should stay strong through June — focus on the moving tides in the passes and the calm-water beaches at dawn.