Fishing report, Everglades interior and Gulf coast (Flamingo)
Capt. Bob LeMay
August 11, 2008
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
This time of year we're doing lots of really early mornings in the 'Glades, this week out of Flamingo ...
It was a long run to our first spot in the interior just before dawn. On arriving we found tarpon all around us, rolling quietly. We had to run for some miles in darkness to get there at first light. With visiting angler Doug Jeffries from California aboard it was all fly fishing for a few days. The tarpon were there and hungry but it took a bit of work before that first one bit right at the boat. That first day the fish were tough to figure out. We had a few bites but didn't score until we went out to the coast where we found lots of small snook that liked flies.
We were able to target, catch and release snook on small flies along the coast every day that we went after them along with mangrove snapper, speckled trout, and lots of other incidentals.
The second day on the water the tarpon were right where we expected them to be and it wasn't long after first light that Doug was on solid with a 10wt rod to a fish that went between 50 and 60lbs. After a great fight we had the fish next to the skiff to be revived and released. After a few more fish on but jumped off, it was out to the coast again for more snook action.
The last day it was more of the same with a bit larger fish to the boat (a 60 to 70lber), followed by several hours of smaller tarpon at another interior spot. That last spot had tarpon in one area, about 200 X 300 yds, as long as we were there. These fish ranged from 10lbs all the way up to about 60lbs but we struggled at first to find what they would eat. When we finally found the right pattern, a small experimental pattern in green and black, it was off to the races. We even had fish bite while Doug was just reeling in the fly line and in one case had a bite while the fly was just laying in the water next to the boat.... Since Doug had a plane to catch we didn't get to stay with the fish but had to cut the day short right after noon time.
This kind of action should be a hallmark of the next two months until that first cold day in October. The big changes during that time will be the tarpon getting larger and the white bait growing in size and quantity everywhere. If a hurricane doesn't interrupt things it's my favorite time of year.
I almost forgot to mention that earlier in the week I had local angler Mark Trezona aboard along with Marc Carletti from Switzerland. It was spinning gear that day and we caught and released snook, trout, redfish, black drum, and a variety of other species. Marc's best fish was an 8lb snook, something just not available in Switzerland...
Tight lines
Bob LeMay
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