Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Fine Freshwater Fishing in Southwest Florida

By Jony Mozen


Naples on the Paradise Coast of Florida is one of the most beautiful places in America to fish. People come to this Southwest Florida region for its favorable climate, vast natural areas for wildlife watching, and wonderful lifestyle. But anglers come here for the region's legendary fishing.


Redfish are one of SW Florida's primary game fish. More correctly called the Red Drum, the Redfish or "Red" is one of our most popular game fish for fly fishing. You find them in greatest number in September and October (although they are available all year in smaller numbers) and can be found mostly in the shallow grass flats, oyster bars and along the mangrove shorelines, passes and the everglades backcountry including Naples, Marco Island, Rookery Bay, Ten Thousand Islands and The Everglades National Park.

Tarpon are found in the largest numbers between March and June, in the shallow bays and flats and put up an incredible fight when hooked. Also called the "Silver King" fly fishing for tarpon is considered by many to be the ultimate experience. Note: don't go after tarpon unless you have a good guide, heavy-duty equipment and are generally ready for a physical challenge.

Some of the best freshwater fishing spots around Naples are Lake Trafford, the 70-mile Golden Gate Canal System, and the Florida Everglades. Lake Trafford is a 1,500-acre lake located just outside Naples in Immokalee. Its largemouth bass are popular with local fisherman and tourists. Bass fishing here is strong now that the restoration project is complete. Stop by the Lake Trafford Marina to get the best advice on what and where to cast. The 70-mile Golden Gate Canal System offers drive-up access with several boat ramps in the area so you can close to a variety of freshwater species. This is an excellent system to fish in the winter months when temperatures are cooler and the fish are actively feeding. Several bass species are prevalent here including peacock bass, which are often found in the freshwater canals as they work their way up from southwest Florida. The Florida Everglades can only be accessed with a bass boat or airboat, but out there you're sure to find largemouth and peacock bass, so the effort is well worth it. Experienced Everglades anglers report 50 to 100 catches per day, but unless you're willing to spend a great deal of time out here, your best bet for a successful trip is to go with an local guide. They know the meandering waterways and are familiar with the schedule used by South Florida Water Management officials to maintain the Everglades.

Catch and Release. The growth of sport bass fishing and professional tournaments has led to the practice of "catch and release" in an effort to conserve bass resources. A successful catch-and-release fisherman uses tackle heavy enough to quickly land the fish, thus reducing its level of exhaustion. A weakened fish is an easy target for predators. When handling a catch-and-release fish, never touch the fish with a towel. Use your wet hands to prevent the removal of protective slime coatings on the fish. Do not remove fish from the water by its jaw - support the fish's body weight in a horizontal manner with both hands. Do not touch its gills. To remove the hook, put your thumb from your non-dominant hand in the mouth and grasp the lower jaw. With pliers, remove the hook by twisting. Then return the fish to the water, use horizontal support again and release the fish headfirst so that it can back to fight another day.

What angler wouldn't want to live here - or at least visit as often as possible! So, come to Naples to apply your skills and catch some thrills. Naples, Florida is a wonderful place to live, work, play, retire and fish. Come join the year-round fun.




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