Our wintertime fishery here in Naples, FL is shaping up exactly how it should, with a few added bonuses showing up early. We’ve been following our typical winter pattern of capitalizing on the windows in between passing cold fronts, and it has been paying off in a big way. Offshore action has been excellent with a wide variety of species in the cooler water. We’ve been blessed with some of the best King Mackerel fishing we’ve seen in years. Chumming them up and throwing artificials has been an absolute blast. These fish are a riot on light tackle, and watching them sky out of the water on topwater plugs truly never gets old. The deeper wrecks have been holding their usual winter residents as well, with plenty of Amberjacks to pull on and some Cobia mixed in. On top of that, the snapper bite has been outstanding for those looking to bring home dinner. Big Mangroves, Lane Snapper, and Yellowtails have been common on our offshore trips. Nearshore, we’ve been treated to an unexpected bonus for January — giant free-swimming Permit. We’ve had shots at some true giants recently, fish we typically don’t see until summertime. This is just the beginning, as the Permit fishery is set to explode over the next month, and we’re anticipating an epic spring and summer with these fish. There’s also been no shortage of jacks on the nearshore wrecks, providing plenty of hard-pulling action. The nearshore meat bite has been strong as well, with quality Sheepshead fired up in the cooler temps — some of the best table fare around. Inshore, we’re in full winter mode with cooler water temps. It’s more of a quantity-over-quality style of fishing, but the payoff comes in the form of great eating fish. We’ve been catching plenty of Sheepshead, Black Drum, Mangrove Snapper, and Trout back in the bays. We’ll start to see a noticeable shift as February rolls on. Longer warm-ups between cold fronts and rising water temperatures will bring fast changes, and the early signs of spring will show themselves quickly. Some of the best fishing of the entire year is right around the corner. We’re filling trips daily from now through April and are looking forward to a busy spring full of stellar fishing. We can’t wait to spend time on the water with all of you this season. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about a potential charter. Happy fishing, – Captain Perry

Mid-Winter Fishing Update | Naples, FL We closed out 2025 strong and have started 2026 even stronger. The winter bite has been outstanding down here in Naples, and we’re looking forward to another couple of months of this phenomenal action before gearing up for spring. The offshore bite between passing cold fronts has been epic. With Cobia, Amberjacks, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Kingfish, and plenty of other species in the mix, it’s safe to say our hands have been full. This is hands-down the best time of year for putting quality fish in the box offshore. On our six-hour and full-day trips, you can expect a great mix of delicious table fare along with hard-fighting sportfish. Timing the cold fronts is the name of the game, and when the weather lines up, the action is lights out. The inshore and nearshore bite has been solid as well. During warm-ups, we’ve had some fun sport action nearshore with plenty of Jacks, Barracudas, and Sharks to pull on. The big Sheepshead have also started to show up, giving our clients another excellent dinner option. Inshore fishing during winter is more of a quantity-over-quality game, and it’s perfect for families and kids. Cold-water shrimp fishing produces steady action with Sheepshead, Trout, Mangrove Snapper, Jacks, and the occasional Snook or Redfish mixed in. The temperatures may be cold, but the bite is hot down here in Naples. If you have any questions or are looking to book a charter, please reach out to any of our captains—we’re happy to help. Happy fishing, – Captain Perry

November wrapped up on a high note, capped off by a busy holiday week and some incredible catches for our clients. As we transition toward winter and the water continues to cool, our offshore fishery shifts into an entirely different gear. This time of year, you truly never know what you might run into offshore—and that unpredictability is part of the fun. Just this week, we ran across a school of massive Blackfin Tuna surprisingly close to land. Encounters like these are exactly the kind of bonus opportunities winter can bring. Along with the occasional surprises, all of our reliable staples have been showing nicely too. Cobia schools have been consistent from the nearshore wrecks out to the offshore structures, and they’ll remain one of our primary targets throughout the winter season. With the cooler temperatures, big Amberjacks are also pushing in closer. These fish provide an absolute blast on rod and reel—we'll chum them up and throw artificials or flies right at them on the surface. Winter also brings some of the best bottom fishing of the entire year, and it’s prime time for serious meat runs. Grouper and Snapper will continue to be major players offshore through the coming months. On the inshore side, we’re right on the edge of switching fully into our winter pattern, transitioning from live pilchards to shrimp and jigs once the backcountry water temps reach that key threshold. Live bait is still producing well with Snook, Redfish, and plenty of Jack Crevalles. As things cool a bit more, shrimp fishing will light up with Trout, Sheepshead, Pompano, Redfish, and the occasional winter Snook. We’re also heading into the busiest two weeks of the entire year, and our books are filling up rapidly. Christmas through New Year’s is always packed, and daily slots are disappearing fast. Come celebrate the holidays and close out the year with the On a Mission team. Feel free to reach out with any questions—happy fishing, and we hope to see you soon!