2022 has brought in the winter bite. Offshore big King Mackerel, Cobia, Sharks and Sheephead have started to move into the local reefs. Backwater we have been getting a consistent bite with nice Snook, Redfish and Trout as well as other species. Due to red tide over the past few years departure location is key since some areas of Naples and surrounding waters have recovered better than others. We suggest to be flexible with the departure location so you get the best trip possible. Having the ability to move boats gives you the best chance of having an amazing trip. We always suggest the best departure location based on what we have seen over the last few days prior to your trip. Offshore water temps have cooled bringing the big King Mackerel and Sheephead into the local reefs which Cobia and Sharks follow. No need to run 20 miles offshore, right now we have been fishing the natural and artificial reefs between 5 and 9 miles out with lots of action. When booking any charter tide is key to your success. We see people typically book a morning spot the majority of the time but if the tide isn't moving the bite can be very poor. We suggest when booking offshore, you want to start at the end of an incoming tide so you can fish the start of the outgoing tide. Backwater is best to fish the last few hours of the incoming tide through the first few hours of the outgoing tide. We have a large fleet of boats and Captains which work together relaying information as well as we have dive boats giving us a huge advantage since we know where the most productive reefs are. We also have helicopter tours which fly over the coastal areas we fish relaying information of fish migrations they see from the air. I hope this information helps you when booking your trip. At CruiseFishDive we put alot of work into making sure you have a successful day. Capt. Mark Garcy