Winter is here and with it clean, cold water. This is alowing for some great sight fishing when the fish sun themselves on the flats.
Local Weather
Captain Eric Hart moved to Naples Fl in 2003 from the mountains of Colorado, where he guided Fly Fishing on some of the countries most pristine gold medal streams. It was here that he developed a passion for teaching and sharing his knowledge with clients both beginner and expert. Always looking for a new challenge and in search of bigger and stronger fish, Capt. Eric packed up and moved to South West Florida. Now with the salt water back in his blood he has made shallow water sight fishing his greatest passion. Fly or light tackle, artificial or bait, if sight fishing the flats for big fish is your game, Capt. Eric is the guide for you.
The Grateful Red is Capt. Eric's 17 ft Mitzi Skiff ST powered by a Yamaha 60. This technical poling skiff floats in less then 6 inches of water allowing you to get into spots that other anglers only dreamed of. It has a comfortable ride with plenty of room for two anglers to fish. A casting platform will get you almost 2 ft higher then the deck for a better view while sight fishing. There is plenty of storage, but please pack lite, all the fishing gear you will need is already in the boat. A cooler with ice and water will be provided but feel free to bring any other food or drink that you would like.
Fishing Locations:
Estero Bay is a body of water that offers all the greatest aspects of what South West Florida's back country fishing is all about without the hour long runs. Estero Bay's crystal clear water, with its grass flats, mangrove shorelines, rivers and beaches, is home to all of Florida's most sought after game fish. Redfish and Snook in the 6-15 pound class are readily caught on flies, artificial lures and live bait every day. Winter months are a sight fishermans dream due to low tides and clear water allowing anglers to see their fish from a long way away. In the spring the big Snook start to show up, 5-20 pounders are found cruising shorelines and busting bait on the beaches. Late March thru June is a magical time in Estero Bay and nearby Ft. Myers Beach , Tarpon season!! There are true monsters 150 plus pounds that start to inhabit this area every spring. After their long run up from the Everglades and offshore they tend to be hungry and a little more receptive to a well presented fly or plug. Sight fishing laid up fish or finding schools of giant Tarpon rolling by the hundreds is the perfect way to spend a early Spring day. The rest of the summer is a great time for the juvenile and baby Tarpon. Throw in some Snook and Redfish which and the summer is a great time to catch a slam! The fall months are by far the most exciting for catching Redfish, they school up pre spawn cruzing the flats by the hundreds and the Bulls hang in the passes. Any time of the year, if you are in South West Florida, Estero Bay will have plenty of fishing opportunities to offer you!!
Ten Thousand Islands, this section of Florida's Everglades is like no other, with its countless shorelines, bays, rivers and barrier islands a day in 10k is always an adventure. 10k Islands starts near the small fishing town of Goodland and goes south to Chokoloskee Bay bordering the north end of Everglades National Park. This is a big area and worth fishing several days in a row to get all the islands have to offer. The area accounts for some of the Largest Tarpon caught in the backcountry anywhere, period! The largest fish start to enter the bays in late winter and can hang around until sometime in late May to June. When the summer rains start the area fills with an impressive population of resident Tarpon which weight anywhere from 5-70lbs. The Snook and Redfish in 10k Islands are nothing to laugh at either. The largest fly caught Snook came from this area and there is likely to be one bigger ready to be weighed in any day. Big fish that like to eat and a maze of mangrove shorelines unlike anywhere on the planet is what makes Ten Thousand Islands so amazing.
