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Everglades report -just north of ENP, 18 October
Capt. Bob LeMay
October 18, 2013
Everglades City - Saltwater Fishing Report
As the title indicates I had to make a few adjustments during the recent political stuff. All of us were locked out of Everglades National Park -but fortunately it's northern boundary lies in the EC/ Chokoloskee area so I shifted my anglers up there. This report covers four days on the water this past week, ending yesterday...
Mornings now are a bit cooler than a few weeks ago, and every day the water temps have dropped a degree or two. We're still a few days from that first cold front that will chase off the big tarpon so next week should be interesting.... White bait and mullet of every size are in great numbers now around every outside island and back up inside nearby coves. I haven't needed a jacket yet for those pre-dawn runs but that day is coming.
My first day I had local anglers Charlie Jones and Dr. Charles Shenker aboard and stopped to work our first spot just before dawn. The Doc scored first with a nice redfish and both anglers had hits from several more. Here's our first pic....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/DocandCharliewithred_zpsfbd92a3f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/DocandCharliewithred_zpsfbd92a3f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
We went on to catch and release a variety of small fish - missing a few big ones, when Doc hooked up on a big fish using very light gear (8lb line and a small jig). Minutes later he had an outstanding catch on light tackle - an 8lb gag grouper on only 8lb line and a brand new very light rod...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/DocShenkersgrouper_zps6093edcf.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/DocShenkersgrouper_zps6093edcf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Any grouper up inside a small river can give you fits with gear twice as heavy as what Doc was using....
A few days later I had Doug Menne and his partner Ernie from the Atlanta area aboard. Doug has fished with me many times but it was Ernie's first trip into the backcountry. We started out well before sunup to work a spot that was holding tarpon at first light. Ernie hooked up on a 70 - 80 lb fish and we were off to the races. Here's a few pics from that morning..
[img][img]
At this point t[URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Ernieandrunningtarpon_zpsd1a2185b.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Ernieandrunningtarpon_zpsd1a2185b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]he fish was trying to spool him..
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/MenneErnietarp_zps9a05d53f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/MenneErnietarp_zps9a05d53f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Here's his fish at the boat, it slipped the hook right at the release (and just before that final photo....).
That first day we caught and released a variety of fish - many on topwater plugs that Doug loves to work. He lost a big snook on one that day and seriously depleted his supply of spooks... The very next day he made up for it hooking a sixty pound fish on another spook right at dawn...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Mennetarponatdawn_zpsff0d102c.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Mennetarponatdawn_zpsff0d102c.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
That fish jumped many times and I never managed to get a picture ( I was busy trying to turn that first fish into a double...). Like the day before we caught and released small snook, redfish, large trout, along with flounder, and even a mackeral on a topwater....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/MenneErniemackontopwater_zpsabc6b907.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/MenneErniemackontopwater_zpsabc6b907.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
As good as the fishing was just north of the Park this past week I can't wait to be back down at Flamingo tomorrow.... This next week or so should be as good as it gets...
Tight lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
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