Snook season reopened on the Gulf coast September 1, and the fish in the Naples and Marco passes did not get the memo that they are supposed to be hard to catch. Bait is thick, the backwater is full of redfish, and mangrove snapper are still on every dock, pass, and rock pile. September is the transition month here, and the transition is well under way.
What’s Hitting
This week snook are the headline. Gordon Pass, Capri Pass, Caxambas Pass, and the beaches on either side of them are holding fish on the outgoing tide, and the docks along the Naples Bay and Marco canals are producing at night. Redfish are working the oyster bars and mangrove points in the Ten Thousand Islands on the higher tides. Mangrove snapper are the sure thing — every pass and dock has them. Spotted seatrout are best at dawn on the deeper grass, and there are still tarpon in the backwater rivers and along the outside beaches.
Where to Find Them
Fish the pass jetties and beach edges at Gordon Pass and Capri Pass on the falling tide. The outside points of the Ten Thousand Islands from Cape Romano south, and the mouths of the rivers, are where the reds and tarpon are. The Marco River and the Naples Bay docks produce snook and snapper. Nearshore, the Five Mile Reef and the Naples artificial reefs are holding snapper and a few grouper.
Tides & Conditions
Water temps in the backwater are in the upper 80s and the fish are feeding early, late, and on moving water. The strong outgoing tides this week fish best in the passes, and the afternoon incoming brings the reds up on the bars. Storms build over the Everglades by noon and drift to the coast, so fish early. Peak hurricane season — watch the Gulf.
Tackle & Tactics
Live pilchards, threadfin, or pinfish on a 2/0 circle hook and 30-pound fluorocarbon for snook and snapper in the passes. In the backwater, a gold spoon, a weedless soft plastic, or a cut bait on the bar is the redfish play. Night snook at the docks want a white paddle-tail or a small swimming plug worked along the shadow line. Keep a heavier rod rigged for a surprise tarpon on the outside beaches.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the Naples Landing ramp on Naples Bay, the Bayview Park ramp, the Caxambas Park ramp on Marco Island, and the Goodland ramp for the Ten Thousand Islands. Fish are concentrating in the passes on the outgoing tide and on the backwater bars on the flood. Snook season is open with a slot, a one-fish bag, and a snook permit requirement — check current FWC regulations before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
The best snook in the pass are usually not in the fastest water. Look for the seam where the outgoing current meets the slack eddy behind a jetty tip or a bar, and drift your bait right down that edge.
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