Fishing Blog

May is a fantastic month to fish in Naples. My primary focus is on Tarpon during this month but there’s also many other game fish to pursue. There are Snook on the beaches and sea trout and mangrove snapper on almost every piece of structure both inshore and offshore. I’ve had some great Charters lately finding lots of opportunities fishing with both live and artificial baits. I’ve been staying flexible as far as what fish we target during the day. Some Naples fishing charters start out trying to catch Tarpon and then switch gears to Snook or Snapper. Some days the conditions allow tarpon fishing all day, other the clouds and wind make other species a better option. On a trip last week we found productive tarpon fishing first thing in the morning. We were sight casting to large schools of fish in the early Dawn hours. After finding early success we moved over to one of the flats and sight fished for Tarpon there. Cooperative fish and tired Anglers had me switch gears and we began fishing snook fishing. We found a great snook bite along the beaches. Fast action is the name of the game with snook who rarely turn down a live bait. these fish are reputed fighters and a top gamefish here in Naples. Those looking for table fare have found the  mangrove snapper bite has been fast and furious. Mangrove snapper can be found on just about every piece of structure up and down the coast both inshore and offshore. Most of the fish are one to three pounds but what they lack in size they make up for in fight. Seatrout have also been very cooperative. Summer is when we find some of the biggest sea trout of the year. The trout are very opportunistic feeders and will strike almost anything that comes buy. Icing the trout immediately is very important   This trend should continue through the next few months, making a great time to get out on a Naples fishing charter.

Call me any time with questions or to book!

Capt. Tony Fontana 239-280-6246

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Southwest Florida offers many different varieties of fishing depending on the time of year. As a local Naples Fishing Charter, it’s known at certain times we have great tarpon fishing, snook and redfish in the backcountry, grouper and snapper offshore, and a large variety of different pelagic species that inhabit the gulf.

Since Southwest Florida is located in a subtropical environment, water temperature plays a huge role in the quarry that we’re after. The popular Naples anglers fish for snook this time of the year also, for instance, they bite live pilchards quite well from mid-spring until early winter, whereas the redfish bite is best in the late fall, winter, and early spring. Tarpon also bite on certain water temperatures. Tarpon seem to prefer the warmer water with the late spring, summer and early fall.

The nearest shore reef fishing off Naples can be super productive in the winter. As the water temperature cools gag grouper move to the closest reefs and wrecks. And seem to be eager to bite most live baits offered to them. Another effective way to catch the grouper in the winter is to troll. Trolling allows you to cover lots of water and helps to land more fish due to the ability to pull them away from the structure with the boat. Mangrove Snappers seem to be year round they offer a great bite in the winter feeding mostly on shrimp and peeking around the week before the full moon. In the spring and summer our Naples fishing charters target mangrove snapper by chumming and flat lining for them. This can provide some fun action all these hard fighting good tasting fish.

Two other season of fish to catch are the kingfish and triple tail. Both of these fish seem to be really turned on October through December. Kingfish are usually found around natural reefs around Naples, FL and artificial reefs off the coast of Naples. They take mostly live baits but trolling spoons and plugs can also prove effective. Kingfish range from 10 to 40 pounds off the coast of Naples.  If you’re looking for a Naples fishing charter with some great action, they provide some Fantastic activity especially when live chummed to the surface.  Some other charters skip this, but it’s great to witness. Triple tail are probably some of the easiest fish to catch when chartering for fish. Buy cruising the beaches and looking at the Stone Crab Trap buoys that are placed off the coast each fall they are easily located. A live shrimp under a float, close to the buoy is seldom turned down. Fighting hard and tasting great they provide a unique angling experience.

Fishing in Naples has a lot to offer so don’t miss your chance for an awesome Naples fishing charter experience.
Give me a call any time of year and I’ll keep you up-to-date. Or check in on my

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Thank You!
Capt Tony

March has offered some great opportunities for snook. Snook is one of the most sought after species we target in Naples. They readily take live bait, which I catch each morning before our charter. They can be found on mangrove shorelines, docks, passes and along the beach. Snook are a blast to fish for. They run hard, jump and try whole heartedly to break your line around any structure they can find. Snook fishing will be great from now until next winter when the water cools. The average fish is 2-6lbs but some real monsters can be caught at any time. The pictures show some snook in the 20-25+lb range that week caught over the last few weeks. Give me a call for more info.

Big snook fooled by a live pilchard.

Fall is upon us in Naples, Florida. The days are shortening and the air and water temperatures are steadily dropping. The changing conditions trigger massive baitfish migrations and closely behind the baitfish is a wide variety of hungry predators.

On recent fishing charters I have easily found live pilchards for bait. Pilchards are generally easy to acquire which allows me to live chum for a large variety of gamefish. Using these great baitfish offshore and in the backcountry is a sure fire way to have a great day on the water.

Over the last week I spent several charters fishing both nearshore and the backcountry. The backcountry snook bite has been red hot. Snook are being caught around mangrove shorelines, passes and boat docks. The redfish bite has also been good. The low tides over the last few mornings have pushed the reds off the banks allowing for sight fishing opportunities. Besides the snook and reds there have been large crevelle jack and mangrove snapper rounding out the action.

The offshore fishing has also been quite productive. The bonita have been in a frenzy off the beaches with massive schools feeding on the migrating baitfish. Bonita are a great fighting fish easily caught by “running and gunning” a technique that involves running the boat near the school and casting baits in the crazed fish. A light colored D.O.A. Cal on a jig head has been most productive but they will take live baits as well. Along with the bonita the triple tail are out in full force. Running the crab trap buoys is the best way to find these tasty fish. Once spotted a well placed bait under a popping cork will entice a strike. A large hooked triple tail is a spirited fighter with jumps, runs and powerful dives they put up more of a fight than most anglers bargain for and are great on the plate.  Offshore has also been yielding snapper, grouper, mackerel and the occasional tarpon.

All in all the fishing in Naples has been fantastic lately. The fish are biting and the weather has been great. Give me a call to talk about your next charter.

Tight lines-

Capt. Tony

There are endless techniques used in fishing. Knowing just a few tips and tricks can make a frustrating day on the water into a productive one. The very first thing I suggest you learn is how to acquire live bait.

Live bait can make finicky fish bite and catching larger fish more routine on my fishing charters. In saltwater a cast net is the most effective we to catch live bait. First you must choose the right cast net for you. Here in Naples I most commonly use a heavily weighted 10 foot 3/8” mesh net. Pilchards are my primary baitfish targets and the 3/8” mesh allows the net to sink fast while not allowing baitfish to get stuck (gilled) in the holes. Once you choose the right net for you then you must learn to throw it. There are several different throwing styles you can choose from, find one that works best for your purpose and practice it.

Once you have mastered catching live bait you should learn where to fish with it. On my fishing charters I pay close attention to the tides for the day. I try to start my trips around the best parts of the tides for the day. I fish a lot and usually don’t have the luxury of fishing at the absolute best times so I focus on moving water. Current is a vital part of saltwater fishing. Weather the tide is coming in or going out as long as the water is moving the fish should be active. I like to fish submerged structure with water moving around it.

Start your day by catching live bait. Find some good structure like a mangrove point or a dock that has water moving around it. Using these tips you should find yourself catching more fish here in Naples.

Southwest Florida offers a huge variety of gamefish to pursue; from chasing grouper and snapper on the offshore wrecks and reefs, to casting for snook and redfish in the expansive backcountry waters. As the seasons change, so do the fishing opportunities in Naples. These ever changing opportunities are what make my charter service special. When you first begin your search for a Naples fishing charter, you will notice there are plenty of options. Many guides offer either offshore or backwater fishing. I, on the other hand, offer a chance at both offshore and/or inshore fishing. My boat, a new Dorado 23, is very capable of effectively fishing for many species in a variety of scenarios. I have spent a lifetime on the water and know what types of fish to pursue and when and where to pursue them.

My offshore trips are within 9 nautical miles of the coast. During the fall and winter months, the gag grouper and mangrove snapper fishing are highly productive. Cooling water temperatures and shortening days trigger the gag grouper migration. The grouper begin showing up in good numbers in early October. When targeting mangrove snapper, live bait and chum make all the difference.  This species of snapper is plentiful year round.  The use of live bait sets my charter fishing service apart from most other offshore charters. I take time each morning (typically before you arrive) to net live bait. Live bait allows us to catch more and bigger fish than possible with dead frozen bait.

Backcountry fishing is another option for your charter. Again, the use of live bait sets my service apart from the “other guys”. I also run a little larger boat than most, which makes the ride to and from the fishing areas much more comfortable. Depending on the time of year and water temperatures, we can pursue a huge variety of fish. Snook are the most popular fish to target in the backcountry, but redfish, trout, and even large sharks and tarpon are available at certain times of the year.

My expertise in both offshore and backwater fishing makes the Naples fishing charters I offer unique. My boat and gear are top quality and I take immense pride in showing you a great day on the water.

My clients and I have been finding great success on recent charters. Departing on our Naples fishing charters we have found mild winter conditions.The fall and winter here in florida are my favorite time of the year to fish in the gulf for Kingfish, grouper and snapper.

We typically start our day catching live pilchards and threadfin herring these baits are prime for reef fishing. The next step is running out in the gulf to one of the many limestone ledges or patches of hard bottom. As we reach the reef I begin to watch the fish finder to locate schools of fish holding on the bottom. I then anchor the boat up current of the structure and we begin to fish. Dropping the live baits to the bottom is the best way to get the fish to bite. On some occasions I will deploy chum to excite the fish into a frenzy. Fishing the nearshore waters of southwest Florida is the best way to bring home fish for the table. Grouper and Snapper are some of the best eating fish in gulf and are a blast to catch.

On the days that the conditions are not favorable for an offshore run, the backcountry between Naples and Marco Island are also productive. I fish a mixture of artificial and natural bait for snook, redfish, seatrout, pompano and sheepshead. The fishing in the backcountry can be lots of fun. Each day we may catch up to 10 different varieties of fish while exploring the vast mangrove jungles of Rookery, Hall and Johnson bay. Snook and redfish require my anglers to cast close to the mangrove structures that these gamefish use as ambush points. This style of fishing is challenging and fun with the best casts often rewarded with feisty fish. Seatrout and pompano are more effectively taken on artificial baits. When targeting these species I fish channel edges, cuts and passes. Hard bottom areas which are lined with shells are usually the best places to start. Once we locate an area to fish we begin jigging with gulp and a local bait called a tube jig. A swift lift on the rod tip to make the jig hop off the bottom is proper technique and should be rewarded with one of these tasty species.

Naples fishing charters are a great way to spend time on the water. My 23 Dorado is a fishing machine, both comfortable and safe and outfitted with the latest fishing electronics and gear. Book your charter today and get in on the latest action!

This September I took delivery of my new boat. I now fish Naples out of a 23 Dorado which is a great fishing platform.  The Dorado allows my anglers to stand inside the boat instead of on top of the boat. This allows for superior stability and comfort in all fishing conditions.

The backcountry waters from Naples to Marco have been highly productive lately. Each trip we have been catching great numbers of snook and redfish. Along with the snook and reds I’ve been catching nice mangrove snapper and jack crevelle. The Tarpon bite has also remained consistent. most if the tarpon are being taken in low light conditions on a large variety of live baits. This month we should experience some spectacular tarpon fishing. Mullet begin their yearly run and the large tarpon are hungrily right behind them. Unlike the summer beach bite where calm conditions are best, this style of fishing require rough muddy condition to be best. Don’t miss out on some great days on the water. Give me a call, text or email for details and to grab your date!

What a great Tarpon season this year. I have hooked we over 100 fish this year and Ethan and his family added to the count. We fished two great days together hooking 12 total fish 2 of which were simultaneous (doubled up).

The spring is a great time to fish for seatrout. Catching seatrout is most easily accomplished by using fresh live bait. I catch fresh bait every morning typically before my clients board. I like to fish deep shore lines and creeks with hard bottom for trout. Trout are usually a heavy schooling fish, once we catch a fish, I live chum to try to fire up the rest of the fish. Fun to catch and great on the table trout are a hit with many anglers. The 30 inch 7# trout above couldn’t resist a live pilchard.