So I’m an hour into the outgoing tide and I’m staring at a spot where the river current is rolling over some pebbley bar-like structure, then flowing into a shoreline hole and eddying as it fills below Mangrove roots. I cast to the bank and upcurrent. A 10-foot tapered leader carrying my little chartreuse Clouser Minnow lands 5-inches from the roots. It plops on the water and I wait untill it sinks. Strip, pause, strip, pause….Chomp! …A Trout! The Silver Vampire!When most fly fishers think of fishing South West Florida the most common images that come to their minds are likely to be of huge Tarpon leaping or fat Snook busting near the Mangroves. Maybe the thought of a fat Redfish lurking where the Oyster bars creep in. Personally, I think of Maine when I conjure up an image of “Trout Fishing”, not South West Florida.Stalking Sea Trout is definately increasing in popularity among veteran fly fishing guides and anglers here in Naples Florida. Maybe because an angler can wade fish all day for free and actually excercise some of his northern trout tactic too. When I say “stalking” I use that term in the same sense as if you were creeping along the bank of a Brook Trout stream. You have to be wary and you have to be quiet too. All kinds of fly patterns come into play. Crabs, Clousers, Shrimp flies, Rabbit Strip Mangrove Bunnies, Deceivers and a variety of other patterns. Practically the whole gamut. Long leaders on dry fly rods are popular. Short leaders on sink tips is gaining popularity. Clear sink tips are certainly a fun alternative, especially in off-color water.Spotted Sea Trout really do act like Brown Trout or Brook Trout. They like the same feeding regime and are opportunistic. If you look at a flow of salt water as if it were trout water then, chances are Sea Trout will be in the same location where you’d think a Brown Trout might be. They’ll often be right where the structures offer safe hiding places and the food flow is steadily passing by.I like to fish an estuary and inlet-outlet called, Clam Pass, here in Naples. The twists and turns of the salt “river” cut deep pockets along the bends. These pockets will hold several species of fish at any one time. It’s cool when you’re probing one of these holes with a Clouser or a Cone Head Muddler. On one cast you may hook a Snook, another cast may bring a Red and yet another cast may bring up a Sea Trout.Sea Trout are a worthy adversary, they hit hard, fight hard, and they’ll leap and pull. And they can get big. A large 25″ Sea Trout will give a good account of himself. Plus, they are fine table fare. I rarely take one, however they are excellent eating. One of the main keys to successful wade fly fishing for Sea Trout is to be thorough and cover all the nooks and crannies. But concentrate on getting your fly down, because Trout are often in the lower part of the holes. If there is a sand bar visible, fish where the current washes food to deeper water. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s true. Just like Northern Trout fishing, fishing for Sea Trout makes you think…..slow and low.So if your vacation budget only has room for one boat-guided trip, or none at all, don’t think that’ll be the end of your casting! Plan on wade-fishing for Sea Trout. January and February are good months to fish for Sea Trout here in the Naples area.
Hey Marsh! Good to hear from you – we were all kinda worried about you up here in Maine when the hurricane blew threw down there. I heard through the grapevine that you, headrush and marcel were all buckled down at headrush’s place. Well, glad you made it through safely and your back in the waters fly fishing. I hope to make it down there in the near future and take a few casts. I like the way you describe the Sea Trout and you are right — I do associate the everglades with huge tarpon and rod breaking snook…however – i also have had just as much fun trying to trick those sea trout in the passes and on the beaches. they are a cool fish for sure. they just look cool and you are right —- the hunt is certainly similar to their Northern trout relatives.
Anyway, good to hear from you. I appreciate the good read – lots of good information in there and the pictures alone took me away, for a brief moment, from the arctic temps and snow up here in Maine.
PS – Hey if anyone out there is interested – Marshall spends his winters in Naples Florida and offers very affordable wade fly fishing trips. So, if you are thinking about going to Naples area – give him a shout – he can show you where to go on foot and how to trick some foot accessible fish. Believe it or not – you can and marshall does get into some nice Baby Tarpon, decent snook and Reds…Keep in mind a baby Tarpon is anything under 100 pounds. So, a baby is still a huge fish in my book. Anyway – if you are considering naples as a winter destination or ever find yourself in the south west florida region—- give marshall a shout — here is is web site.
http://www.flyanglersguide.com [www.flyanglersguide.com]
Marsh, Good read and very informational. Sounds like a lot of fun. Very appealing when the mercury here in upsate NY has been strugling to get out of the teens for a couple of weeks now. I’m not really sure what that orange ball in the sky is, in that top photo, but it looks very plesent.
Great read and pics. Only fished once in Florida for reds in the Indian on the opposite shore but had one shot at a trout on the flats. After that story I wish I had caught that fish. Keep ’em coming. Baby it’s COLD outside.
interesting article. nice to know there is still fishing available for the budget minded.
the weather associated with naples fishing sure sounds nice on the first day of winter in maine…..
Great Read Marshall. You got me pumped up too! I’m off to the Gulf Coast of AL tomorrow, can’t say I’ll miss ME. I’ve had good luck fishing the grass flats for “Specks” in the winter before. I hope they are there and willing to eat, a nice red wouldn’t be bad either. They are a great little fish, and those fangs, man they look mean!!
Wish me luck and Happy Holidays
Hi Marsh and I see in your story and on your hook the holiday has started well for you. Merry Christmas Marshall and to that nice specled trout.
keith,
yeah, the fangs are something to avoid alright. One time I was removing a hook…taken deep and the fang got me on a finger. I think there’s some kind of toxin in the fang! My finger swelled up for 24 hrs and hurt like a bitc#. I am more careful now.
tight lines…
marshalld