Naples Pier Fishing

congoman775

Anyone have any good tips for fishing naples pier? I'm new to the game and so far have picked up a couple things, but haven't had the success I was hoping for.


So far what I've collected from observing the locals...

- Pink banana jigs
- Sabiki rigs -> then split shot w/ circle hook for resulting bait (although this just seems to kill catfish)
- Get out early or late


Anyone have good success on the pier? I like the social and laid back feel of it, but so far haven't caught anything but catfish.

Supafly-snooker

Depends on what you are targeting.
Something for the cooler:
Mangrove snapper will be close to the structure and respond well to chumming. Use small hooks and live bait (shrimp or small whitebait) dead bait sometimes works well too. Fish em at night, ideal around full moons
Flounder and Pompano: "goofy: or the pink banana jigs you referenced tipped with shrimp and bounced along the bottom. should get em in shallower water sometimes.
Spanish Mack: Fish deeper with scaled sardine or small pinfish under a cork use light wire or long shank hooks

Something that pulls:
(Tarpon, Cobia, Kingfish, Shark)
Fish in the deeper areas with big baits 60 lb leader minimum and 4/0 plus hooks. Use Lady fish, Shad, threadfin herring, bigger sardines, hand size pinfish, or smaller spanish mackeral as bait. Fish Top (corked) middle (freelined) bottom (wieghted) with live and dead bait.

The giant snook under the lights can be tricked with a fly rod too.

Good luck let us know your results
(not too much experience with that pier but this is what works at all the others)