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Post by navygmc on Mar 2, 2024 21:23:53 GMT -5
Got to the South side around 315pm....fished till 6pm.
They first half the pier was loaded with bait. Didn't see much action happening with the bait.
For some reason today...with my Costa sunglasses and being overcast.... I could see every single ...rockpile/structure clear as day. The fish I caught were casting spoons over the rockpiles.... ended up with 3 legal Spanish Mackerel. Saw a few others that had caught some using bait.
One of my casts...I was slow rolling the spoon deep...and a big grouper absolutely crushed me. Hit spoon...turned and ran 10-15 ft and cut me off. I've hooked and landed quite a few legal grouper on my light spinning rods....there was no way of stopping/slowing thus one down. Ok...just to the left of 101. Now you know where he is. I was using 10 braid. I've landed a handful of 30" red grouper on same setup.
The bait is small in top....seems a little bigger bait deeper. I got cut off twice on 1/2 Cotton Cordell cc spoon.... the 3.. I got were on the 3/4 cc spoon.
Meant to get out there earlier...but it's a long drive from Naples.
Was driving to a fishing location....drove past it to think about hitting up another spot...drove past that...said...screw it...lol.
It's around 135 miles each way.
My guess... the Mack's will light off in about a week....as the water temp comes up about 3 more degrees.
Saw some sheephead landed.....and a grouper (didn't stop to see how big)
Get out there...catch some fish. P.S.... only saw one dolphin
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Post by conureman on Mar 2, 2024 21:56:10 GMT -5
Got to the South side around 315pm....fished till 6pm. They first half the pier was loaded with bait. Didn't see much action happening with the bait. For some reason today...with my Costa sunglasses and being overcast.... I could see every single ...rockpile/structure clear as day. The fish I caught were casting spoons over the rockpiles.... ended up with 3 legal Spanish Mackerel. Saw a few others that had caught some using bait. One of my casts...I was slow rolling the spoon deep...and a big grouper absolutely crushed me. Hit spoon...turned and ran 10-15 ft and cut me off. I've hooked and landed quite a few legal grouper on my light spinning rods....there was no way of stopping/slowing thus one down. Ok...just to the left of 101. Now you know where he is. I was using 10 braid. I've landed a handful of 30" red grouper on same setup. The bait is small in top....seems a little bigger bait deeper. I got cut off twice on 1/2 Cotton Cordell cc spoon.... the 3.. I got were on the 3/4 cc spoon. Meant to get out there earlier...but it's a long drive from Naples. Was driving to a fishing location....drove past it to think about hitting up another spot...drove past that...said...screw it...lol. It's around 135 miles each way. My guess... the Mack's will light off in about a week....as the water temp comes up about 3 more degrees. Saw some sheephead landed.....and a grouper (didn't stop to see how big) Get out there...catch some fish. P.S.... only saw one dolphin Thanks for the report. The macks out there are a decent size but like you said just a few more degrees and we'll see some bigger ones come in. 👍 |
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Post by stuckintherocks on Mar 3, 2024 0:10:52 GMT -5
The report we’ve all been waitin for !
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Post by inoeatfish on Mar 3, 2024 0:27:29 GMT -5
Do you ever fish the Venice Jetty Northside? I wonder if the macs migrate through there before hitting north to the skyway?
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Post by navygmc on Mar 3, 2024 1:08:19 GMT -5
Do you ever fish the Venice Jetty Northside? I wonder if the macs migrate through there before hitting north to the skyway? I normally would fish the Naples pier....as I live there...buuuuut....the pier is closed due to hurricane taking out the last hundred yards. They are in process of plans for new pier....hopefully sometime in 2025. I catch way more Mack's off Naples pier than Skyway. I've had days of 80-100 Mack's from skyway. My personal record off Naples pier in a day is... 278. |
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Post by inoeatfish on Mar 3, 2024 2:13:40 GMT -5
Wow! That is insane. I’ve heard of some guys catching about 100 macs in a day off the Skywaybut I always thought was just inflated fish tales. But the Naples pier sounds phenomenal! I’m going to have to make a trip in 2025. Is the season the same as the skyway? March to late April?
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Post by Captain John on Mar 3, 2024 14:32:52 GMT -5
  This was a slow day a few years back. Catching 100 a day was not a problem. Those were the days. In the early 2000's Not as many people too. Now, soo many Yankees. . 🤕 lol |
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Post by justfishin on Mar 3, 2024 21:42:54 GMT -5
Got a dumb question: Looking at tides for the next 4-5 days at the piers, they suck, very little water movement, etc....does fishing for macs depend on the tides/water movement? I have a kayak and generally fish inshore for snook/reds & trout and the tides mean everything on how to fish for those inshore fish, but don't know much about pier fishing & tides. I've read some on fishing for macs, but still trying to learn more.. Thanks
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Post by stuckintherocks on Mar 4, 2024 1:02:58 GMT -5
Got a dumb question: Looking at tides for the next 4-5 days at the piers, they suck, very little water movement, etc....does fishing for macs depend on the tides/water movement? I have a kayak and generally fish inshore for snook/reds & trout and the tides mean everything on how to fish for those inshore fish, but don't know much about pier fishing & tides. I've read some on fishing for macs, but still trying to learn more.. Thanks I prefer strong tides for mackerel fishing from the pier. |
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Post by Captain John on Mar 4, 2024 16:36:12 GMT -5
Yes, on the stronger tides.
During the winter or cooler tides.
The tidal flow is very important.
Also of note, I change from deeper tactics and try higher in the water column were the water is a few degrees warmer 🔥.
The float techniques with varying artificials can be very effective 👌
We call it the Flash and Grab.
One second everyone is bit, then gone for hours, lmao 🤣
Thursdays 4 tide day is peeking my interest for that day. But as traffic increases on the pier you will be fighting for space from other fisherman and Yahoo's and of course Flipper 🐬.
So try to be clam, and polite.
If that doesn't work beware of Gremilns 👹
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Post by carlf on Mar 5, 2024 7:31:20 GMT -5
Nice to see some good mac reports!
Anyone hear any reports from Venice Pier? I'll be down there this weekend.
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