House rental in Marco Island, Florida - Luxury Home With The Ultimate in Decor! - Property 102123

Extra photos (see all photos)

Marco Island: Nestled in the mangrove islands of southwest Florida's coast, Marco Island is indeed a world-class resort destination surrounded by miles and miles of pristine, uninhabited islands, bays, creeks, and the Gulf of Mexico. To the north is the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and its Briggs Memorial Nature Center. To the south lies the sprawling 10,000 Islands with over 70 coastal miles of fly fishing heaven, inhabited only by the tiny fishing villages of Goodland, Everglades City, Chokoloskee and eventually Flamingo. Included in this southerly stretch is Collier-Seminole State Park, the 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Big Cypress National Preserve and the 5000 square mile Everglades National Park, ensuring continued protection against coastal development.

Marco Island: Gulf water temperatures range from the low 60's in the winter to the high 80's in the summer and fall, providing good fly fishing during the winter and outstanding fly fishing during the spring summer and fall. The principal species available to the backwater fly fisher are snook, redfish, tarpon, jack crevalle, seatrout, ladyfish, spanish mackerel, pompano and mangrove snapper. If you don't mind going a bit offshore and using different fishing techniques, there are also opportunities for cobia, tripletail, king mackerel, barracuda, grouper, snapper, amberjack, drum, shark, permit and many other species. Fortunately, most anglers do go offshore and so the backwaters are usually free from crowding, even during the busy winter season.

Marco Island Fishing: 'Baby tarpon, weighing from 2 to 20 pounds, can be found around the island throughout the year. Pound for pound, they are just as feisty as their larger cousins. Fishing is usually best in the summer. They are most often found in the major canals, deepwater bays and the remote inland creeks in the mangrove forest. I recommend the safe release of all tarpon; they have little food value and an artificial replica can be provided by most local taxidermists.' Fishing in the late summer and fall is best in early morning and at dusk, when water surface temperatures are at their lowest. September and October can produce some outstanding fly fishing for redfish. This is the time when the larger ones will come out of the Gulf of Mexico and invade the inshore passes and estuaries. A 10-20 pound redfish will put some serious stress on your fly tackle.

Golf: For 12 months of the year, the golfing enthusiast will find the golf courses in South Florida open and challenging. And from May through October our golf courses are never crowded, you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round. Also, many of our private courses are open to the public during these months. Throughout Florida there are more than 1,000 courses available catering to every level of player. Currently, there are over 40 golf courses in the Marco Island - Naples area, with more being constructed each year. The Southeast coast offers more than 100 courses.

• Extra photos