Over the weekend more than 30 kids, mostly from the  Boys and Girls Club of Collier County, took over our docks on a mission to hook the biggest fish.  The free fishing clinic was Hamilton Harbor’s way of celebrating National Marina Day.  We provided the bait and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Collier County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol provided the instruction, including how to bait and remove hooks and cast.  The officers also taught the young fishermen about conservation, identifying which types of fish are in season and OK to keep.  

For many of the kids, this was their first experience with a rod and reel, but patience and persistance paid off with a few big catches, including Snook and Sheapshead.  ”It’s so important that young people have something productive and positive to do with their time,” said Todd Byrns of the Collier County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol.”The fishing clinic helped them learn about conservation and the environment while having a great time.”  It will now be an annual event at the Harbor.

Click here for local news coverage of the event!

Enjoy independence from soaring fuel prices this Fourth of July!  Just stop by the Hamilton Harbor Fuel Dock on Saturday, July 4th and we’ll give you a 10% discount on your marine fuel purchase!  From 11:00 until 2:00 p.m. we’ll also be giving away complimentary hot dogs and ice cream…no purchase necessary.  So come join us for a little patriotic food and fun!

The Hamilton Harbor Fuel Dock is located less than a mile from Gordon Pass, across from Bayview Park, at Channel Marker Red #20.  We’re open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Call 417-6717 for more information about live bait, sandwiches and more.

Here, in the waters around Hamilton Harbor, the spring fishing bite is in full swing!  Despite what has seemed like months of relentless winds, severe hard charging gamefish species are now staged in their traditional May haunts testing the tackle, skills and wills of anglers.

Aboard the Grand Slam, our efforts have been focused on the “big three”, snook, tarpon and permit.  While each species habituates diverse locations throughout our coastal ecostystem, all posses’ incredible prowess and power make them great light tackle targets.

Along the beaches from points south of Marco Island northward to Bonita Beach, the tarpon have poured into the region in big numbers and they are hungry!  Tarpon, often referred to as the “silver king,” are eagerly snapping up a variety of natural and artificial baits both early and late in the fishing day.  While the results of each tarpon trip can vary, anglers can expect to tangle with behemoths in the 80 to 150-pound class.  Truly an incredible thrill!

Snook, a popular light tackle target, can now be found prowling area beaches, middle bays and passes.  Tide will be cruicial to your snook success as these feisty gamefish aggressively feed during times of swift water movement.  My favorite tide phase to prospect for snook is the last half of the falling tide when the water becomes slightly turbid, as snook can often be hook and leader shy.

On the offshore, the permit bite is beginning to hit full stride.  Here for their annual spring/summer spawning cycle, permit in the twenty to forty pound class are taking live silver dollar sized pass crabs and well presented Merken style crab fly patterns over several of the larger artificial wrecks and reefs that dot our coastline.  Revered for their keen instincts and drag screaming runs, catching a permit on light tackle should be on every anglers “bucket list!”

Till next tide… hook up, hold on and have fun!

Captain Will Geraghty, The Grand Slam, grandslmcharter@aol.com

The Hamilton Harbor boathouse is designed to withstand hurricane force winds!

Those dreaded months are quickly approaching…hurricane season.  But there’s no need to fear for the protection of your boat.  Instead, store it with peace of mind in the Hamilton Harbor boathouse.  It’s made of steel reinforced concrete and designed to withstand hurricane force winds up to 150 mph.  Plus, storage comes with the privileges of Naples’ finest yacht club!

In preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, Hamilton Harbor is offering a Summer Storage Program.  You can store your boat from May through October and enjoy unlimited boat launches.  A social membership is required and monthly payments are based on the length of your boat starting at $17 a linear foot.

For more information, call Trish Soars at 775-0506.

Today more than a dozen rowdy boaters…er…pirates sailed into Hamilton Harbor aboard the Black Pearl. But they didn’t do any plundering.  The festive crew, members of the South Florida Cruising Club, made HHYC a destination stop on their way to a housewarming party in Port Royal.  If you’re headed to the Keys or up the Gulf Coast, make Hamilton Harbor your next stopover.  Our Fuel Dock offers premium and mid-grade non-ethanol fuel along with sandwiches, drinks, sundries and live bait.  We also offer overnight docking.  Call Amy at 239-417-6717 for more information.

Today Hamilton Harbor introduced some attractive new options for boaters - slip leasing, smaller slip sizes and reduced membership pricing. The best value in boat storage now comes with the privileges of Naples’ finest yacht club! 

Slip leasing requires a social membership.  Lease payments are based on boat length.  Annual lease rates are $15 a linear foot for boats 30′ or smaller and $17 a linear foot for boats larger than 30′.  There is a $2 premium per linear foot for boats larger than 14′ wide or 14′ high.

Our reduced slip membership pricing lets you enjoy the advantage of locking in a great new price on your slip size and lower monthly costs compared to leasing.  Smaller dry slips for boats 20′-30′ are now available.

Give Trish a call at 775-0506 for more information and to take advantage of these great new opportunities.  Hurricane season is coming, so call today!

One week from tomorrow, March 28th and 29th, sailboats of every description will gather together for two solid days of racing just off Naples beach and Keewaydin Island.  HHYC is hosting this 33rd Annual Gulf Coast Sailing Club Regatta which includes three major sailing events - the Porsche of Naples Cup Competition,the 2nd Annual Melges 24 Regatta and the Mount Gay Rum Speaker Series Event featuring World Champion Sailor Dawn Riley.  More than 35 sailboats and 300 sailors are expected to participate.  There is still time to enter the race and purchase tickets to hear Dawn Riley talk about her exciting sailing adventures.  Just visit www.gulfcoastsailingclub.org or call Lisa Brice at 860-3253 for more information.

Today the Hamilton Harbor kayak fleet was taken out for its maiden voyage.  The fleet includes six kayaks that cater to various skill levels.  We’ve also purchased a new launch that will attach to one of our fixed docks that makes boarding and disembarking easy.  Members of Hamilton Harbor can enjoy these kayaks for just $15 per day!

The Hamilton Harbor Fuel Dock, open to the public, is now ethanol free!  The dock offers 89 and 93 octane fuel with Valvtech additive and diesel fuel along with live shrimp, frozen bait, drinks, ice, snacks and sundries.  Click here to download your coupon for $10 off your next marine fuel purchase!