November 2025 — Naples / Marco Island: Seatrout Building, Redfish, Grouper Nearshore as Water Cools. November is a late fall month with water in the 66–74°F range — flounder peak; seatrout in deeper holes; first cold fronts. Here’s the full breakdown of what’s biting, where to fish, and the most productive tactics for this month.
What’s Biting — November 2025
Primary targets this month: Redfish, Seatrout, Snook.
Redfish
Peak fall redfish action — schools push the flats and oyster bars. Target the back bays of the Ten Thousand Islands, Rookery Bay, Coon Key, Goodland flats, and the shorelines south of Marco Island. Bull reds (28+ inches) often show in the passes and inlets during the fall mullet run. Cut mullet, live finger mullet, and topwater plugs at dawn all produce. Slot reds (18–27″) chew weedless gold spoons (Johnson) and soft plastics on jigheads in pothole-rich grass.
Seatrout
Seatrout are gathering in the grass flats of Estero Bay (north end), Rookery Bay, and Capri Pass; the Marco River mouth in deeper potholes. Larger fish (gator trout 20″+) hold in deeper potholes in 4–6 feet. Soft plastic paddletails (DOA CAL, MirrOlure Lil John) on 1/4 oz jigheads, MirrOdine suspending baits, and live shrimp under popping corks are the standard producers. Slow your retrieve as water cools.
Snook
Snook are in the mangrove shorelines of the Ten Thousand Islands, Marco River, Rookery Bay, Naples Bay docks, Gordon Pass jetties, and Doctor’s Pass. Live pilchards, scaled sardines, and finger mullet are top live baits. Artificial: white DOA Bait Buster, MirrOdine, and walking topwaters at first and last light. Always check current FWC snook season dates — slot is 28–33″ Atlantic, 28–33″ Gulf, with seasonal closures.
Water Conditions & Patterns
Water temperatures are running 66–74°F. Flounder peak; seatrout in deeper holes; first cold fronts. Ten Thousand Islands fishing is heavily tide-driven — the backcountry rivers fish best on the first two hours of outgoing tide as bait flushes out. Beach tarpon are typically most active two hours either side of high tide.
Check the NOAA marine forecast and tide charts before launching. Wind direction matters more than wind speed for inshore fishing — east winds tend to push clean water in, while strong westerlies can muddy the bays.
Tactics & Tackle for This Month
- Mullet run. Massive bait migrations south along the coast trigger feeding frenzies — every predator follows. Target inlets, passes, and beach troughs.
- Topwater dawn. The fall coolness extends the topwater window — walk-the-dog baits (Heddon Spook, MirrOlure Top Dog) produce explosive strikes.
- Front timing. The 24 hours before a cold front pushes through are typically lights-out; the day after is often slow as fish reset.
November Outlook
Flounder peak as fish migrate to spawn. Seatrout move into deeper holes. The first significant cold fronts arrive.
Regulations Reminder
Snook: 28–33″ slot (Atlantic), 28–33″ slot (Gulf), one fish per angler per day; seasonal closures apply (typically Dec 15–Jan 31 and Jun 1–Aug 31 on Gulf; Dec 15–Jan 31 and Jun 1–Aug 31 on Atlantic — verify current FWC dates). Snook stamp required. Redfish: 18–27″ slot, one per angler per day (verify current FWC zone-specific rules). Seatrout: 15–19″ slot, three per day in most zones (verify current FWC zone rules). Always verify the current FWC regulations at myfwc.com before your trip — sizes, bag limits, and season dates change.
Local Resources
Bait & Tackle: Mangrove Outfitters (Naples, 239-793-3370); Sunshine Ace Hardware (Bonita Springs); Walker’s Coon Key (Goodland, 239-642-2400).
Public Boat Ramps: Caxambas Pass (south Marco), Goodland (Coon Key Pass), Bayview Park (Naples Bay), Cocohatchee River (Vanderbilt), Port of the Islands (Faka Union).
Charter Fishing: $500–$800 inshore (Ten Thousand Islands, Naples Bay); $700–$1,200 beach tarpon; $1,000–$1,800 nearshore/offshore. Book ahead during cobia migration (March–April), red snapper opener (June), and the fall run (October–November).
More Naples / Marco Island Resources
Naples / Marco Island Fishing Guide · Naples / Marco Island Seasonal Calendar · All Naples / Marco Island reports →
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