Spring conditions are settling in nicely offshore out of Naples and the fishing has been as good as it gets for this time of year. The variety of species and overall activity has been excellent. We’ve been consistently sight fishing large Permit, along with steady action on kingfish throwing plugs and flies.

There have also been cobia, amberjacks, and a mix of other offshore species showing up, making for a very dynamic fishery right now. This time of year always brings the unexpected—we were fortunate enough to encounter a Gulf sailfish a couple weeks back and watch it eat a bait, which was a highlight.
Offshore has been the main focus, but the inshore bite continues to improve as water temperatures rise. Snook are becoming more active, with some quality redfish and good numbers of jacks in the backcountry.

Tarpon should begin to show any day now, and we expect to start seeing more consistent opportunities over the next week or so.

Overall, the transition into spring is well underway and the fishery is shaping up for a strong season across the board.

March is the true transition from winter into spring, and with it our fishery begins to come alive. What makes this time of year so special is the sheer range of species you can encounter. As water temperatures rise, opportunities expand both inshore and offshore, and the next few weeks are where things really start to happen.

Our inshore fishery will change dramatically by the end of this week. With a steady warming trend, we’ll shift from shrimp to live pilchards, opening the door to some of the best backcountry fishing of the year. Snook, Redfish, and juvenile Tarpon become increasingly active as they push back into the shallows after winter, making for exciting, visual fishing in calm conditions.

Offshore has already been stellar and is only getting better. Hundreds of Permit have shown up early this season, along with plenty of barracudas and amberjacks to pull on. We’ve been feeding the AJs flies and artificials, creating some epic topwater eats. Cobia should begin to show soon, another strong kingfish run is upon us, and the snapper bite has been phenomenal. This time of year we can chum them up near the surface—an added bonus when we’re already surrounded by action and they make for incredible table fare.

As we move into April, all eyes turn toward the arrival of the silver king. Tarpon and Permit will be our primary targets throughout the spring and into early summer.

March is already nearly full and April isn’t far behind. We’re looking forward to an epic spring with our clients—feel free to reach out with any questions about upcoming trips.

Happy fishing
-Captain Perry