12-05-08 Naples, Marco Fishing Report

Cold Weather has really been the norm here in sunny Southwest FL. We have been getting a few fronts a week. This has changed the fishing but the fishing has been great. Snook have been on the back burner but we have been catching a few. I have been throwing jigs for Jacks, Trout, Pompano, Bluefish, Black Drum, Bonita, and Spanish Macks. I did have some solid Redfish get caught as well. I have been sight fishing them on the higher tides on the gulf side islands. They have been mixed in with the Mullet schools. When the tide drops out I have been moving farther back into the islands fishing the darker bottom for Reds and some of the deeper holes catching a mixed bag. The action has been great but the Big Snook and Tarpon are scarce. The water Temps are in the low sixties and the winter fishing is in full swing. I enjoy the cooler weather. It has made for some fantastic fishing weather, not so many monsters but plenty of bites.

Captain Aron

11-04-2008 Naples Florida Fishing Report

Last week we had record cold mornings for this time of year.It was 40's in the mornings with 15-25 mph winds, add in the negative low tides and tough fishing. So what did me and a couple buddies Dave Teper and Captain Jeff Legutki on one of those miserable days last week? We went fishing. We had the idea to go target tailing Redfish on the Fly in Pine Island Sound. The Tides were nice and low for sightfishing and Jeff's Hells Bay Whipray poled easily over the skinniest of flats. Without his skiff it would have been tough to get near these fish. There was nobody at the ramp and it was very cold. Were we the fools? No way. It was incredible. We had crystal clear water and lots of shots at tailer's and cruisers. We ended up five for six all in the mid to upper slot(18-27). This was a day no one in their right mind would attempt to fish with fly rods on a day like this. We took the chance, had the water to ourselves and Redfish Heaven.

The Weather has stabilized and we are having some beautiful days. Fishing is getting back to normal. I fished the last few days and had some luck with a bunch of mid size Snook, Fat Speckled Trout and even a few small Reds. The water temps where in the low 60's back up into the low 70's mid afternoons. The warmer water has triggered the Snook bite. There still are some tarpon of all sizes around . If you work hard at it you could get on a few.

It looks like the forecast calls for more of the same great weather. I hope it stays that way. I have a a bunch of trips coming up with some great regular clients.

Captain Aron Blaisdell

10-06-08

The RedSnook- 1st Place

I fished the premier Redsnook tournament out of Naples Fl, this past weekend. This is made up of some of the best guides and anglers in the area. The tournament has been going on since I can remember. I fished this a few times a few years back and made the top ten in the guided bait division but never came home with a trophy. This year was different. I guided anglers Dan Summers and Mike Watkins in the guided bait division and came in first place. This is a Tournament I have always wanted to win and my team were very happy. The format is your best 3 Snook and best 3 Redfish a day.10 Points per inch on Saturday and 15 per inch on Sunday. The fishing overall was tough especially on the Redfish. We had strong mid outgoing tide first thing each morning and dropped to a very low tide the rest of the day. luckily we had a spot that was on fire. We had our score card filled in the first hour each morning except for one Redfish on Saturday. The Redfish were tough for everyone. Dan and Mike were a pleasure to fish with and I think we are lined up for this event next year. We have to defend the title. Also some of my buddies won the fly division. Dave Teper and his buddy Brian from Colorado fished with Bill Faulkner taking home first. Congratulations guys and to all the other division winners

The fishing is getting good on the higher tides. The low outgoing is slow and dirty. the higher tides have been bringing in acres of bait fish and the fish are getting fat for the cooler water temps of the Winter. There is nobody on the water lately. if you fish a weekday you will have the water to yourself.

Captain Aron

There is some great fishing for Tarpon on the beaches and in the islands. Some of these fish are small but a few giants have showed back up. Crack of dawn is a must because the bite is over early.

Captain Aron

6-14-08

I want to thank all my clients and new anglers that fished with me this season. Without you I could not keep doing what I love. Times have been tough with gas prices and economy, but I still managed another great season thanks to you. I am sorry my reports have been lacking but so has my energy. I have finally slowed down enough to catch up on stuff that has been taking a back seat to the fishing.

This past season had many slow days of catching. We had one of the windiest springs I have seen in a long time. Everyone wanted to catch a Tarpon and when the wind blows like it did the Tarpon fishing was terrible. I did have some great days when the wind laid down. One memorable weekend was spent with David Brown and his buddy Brock. We had a killer two days of hooking Tarpon offshore in the famous "Sludge hole". We even lost a big fish to a Shark. The fights, jumps and fish lost was a weekend I will never forget.

The latest trip I had was with my 10yr old niece Michelle. She just finished school and was of for the summer so I rewarded her with a trip with her Uncle. We spent the morning chasing Snook up and down the beach and she had a blast. She caught Snook up to 32 inches and she said her favorite fish of the day was a Flounder. Kids are great they enjoy the little things and usually remember something other than the big fish. Many of my trips I see adults bring their young kids and want to fly fish for laid up tarpon or only want to catch big Snook. It's almost like they forgot the kid is on the boat. Kids get bored fly fishing. Action is what kids need and when you bring a kid fishing it should be about what is best for them and have a memorable experience they will remember forever instead of watching you fish all day. This trip with my Niece was all about her and she will probably never for get it. Actually I can confirm this because she has already booked another trip with me.

Captain Aron

11-17-07

Fishing has been up and down. With the first cold fronts of the year the water temp went from 80 to the mid 60's. That thinned the Snook in the shallows out quick. The good news when the water gets cold it clears just nicely exposing fish in the shallow water for sight fishing. I have been getting decent shots at Redfish cruising and tailing on crabs on the low tide. They have been in supper skinny water in the back of the coves. The fly of choice is the popular EP minnow in Black and Purple. I have not hooked a tarpon in a few weeks. I hope they come back for one last showing before the winter. This week we have a warm up and this should put the fish back in the fall feed mode. Speaking off feeding, just a stones throw from the beach have been massive school's of bait getting blitzed by Mackeral and Bonita. I had the Kellogg brothers out for a Bonita blitz this week. We kept running and gunning to the schools and chased them over 7 miles in just 2 hours. We had a bunch of great runs on these fish. They preferred a small white fly or jig worked very fast.

This is the time of year when everything is in transition. So every day may find you fishing for something else. I like change. It keeps me on my toes.

Captain Aron Blaisdell

8-14-06
Well the phone started ringing again and I fished 5 days this week.
The fishing was decent. The Snook seem to be everywhere there is current and food. I have been finding them around the Mullet and glass minnows. I fished a couple fly trips and scored @ 10 fish a morning using gurglers and poppers at first light. As the morning heats up from the ball of fire in the sky I switch to and E.P minnow pattern in black and purple and also white depending on the water color. We sightfished some Redfish in super shallow water. I was practically poling my boat through mud. The Reds were even tailing. I just fished a 2 boat tourney this weekend. We each had 2 anglers competing for the biggest Red and Snook. The guys even made trophys for the event. We won biggest Red at 31 inches and the other boat had the biggest snook at 33 inches. Very few Reds where caught but the snook fishing was amazing. The next 2 months are my favorite time of year to fish. September and October. The water starts to cool from the shorter days and the baitfish migration starts wich brings all the game fish to the buffet to fatten up for the winter months.

Get some!
Captain Aron

7-28-06
Well my busy "season" has officially ended. The phone stopped ringing and after my last trip having a hook buried deep in my hand trying to release a fish, I am enjoying a break. The fishing has been excellent on live bait. There are schools of perfect finger mullet throughout the islands and the whitebait have moved offshore. I had fun last week with some 40-80lb Tarpon in the Deep passes to the south of Goodland. For several days we had great outgoing tides and glass calm conditions. The fish where rolling in pods all around the boat. A couple days in a row the action was almost instant. The Snook fishing has been excellent as well with many smaller fish and a few slot size mixed in. It's not uncommon to catch a dozen a one spot. I have not caught any monsters in the last few weeks. Redfish are slow for me right know but I am averaging 2-3 per day. This is the time of year to fish early. Full days are long and hot and the fishing seems to die off after the cooler morning temps. If you can get out after the pm rains and fish the last few hours of light you will enjoy some incredible fishing and probably all to yourself. The fish love eating after the afternoon downpours.

Thanks again to all who fished with me this season.
I hope to see you all soon.
Captain Aron