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Flamingo - Everglades National Park
Capt. Ariel Cabrera
December 13, 2006
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Flamingo Winter Fishery at Peak
Winter fishing has been strong despite the windy weather experienced. This is the season for snook, redfish, drum, sheepshead, mackerel, and more. The area is finding fish concentrated in sheltered coves and back bays from around the marina to the distant rivers like the Lostman’s.
Take out the troll-rite jigs, bucktails, and plugs and work them slow when temperatures dip below 65 Fahrenheit. Use of trailers like plastic worms and the synthetics will be added appeal. Of course, tipping with shrimp will naturally get the well-deserved bites. Expect cool weather to bring some pelagic like cobia nearshore. Flounder will also begin to show and are a welcomed treat, tasty too! Night fishing is also ideal during Flamingo’s winter. I personally like to use the HYDROGLOW submersible lights. They work better than dynamite on snook and tarpon. And that’s no joke. Try it and see for yourself.
Recent catches have been outstanding considering very tough conditions. That includes Allen Castellon’s trip, which scored 10 snook, 5 redfish, sheepshead, drum, trout. We released a 15-pound fish and had hooked tarpon and several other snook. Many of these fish were taken with jigs and shrimp for bait. Winds were well over twenty knots on this day and gusts estimated at 26-30 knots. If a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work then a great day fishing…Can you finish that?
This month’s backcountry secret is the great grouper fishing in the waters off Whitewater Bay and to the north. Gags and Goliath take plugs and obviously, fresh baits. Use stout gear and be prepared to tussle them out of the rocky holes. If you don’t catch a keeper gag you will have fun releasing plenty of fish.
Fishing is my passion and ministry. Get out and live it. Life is too short! This column is dedicated to all of my readers. My prayers go to Jerry Stone, who passed recently. I had the opportunity to fish with him and he left a special spot in my heart. Jerry drove many hours to fish just a little while with me one spring afternoon. He was blind in one eye; however he still managed to see with the other and caught fish with a flyrod using his handtied flies. I won’t forget Jerry, his wonderful attitude and character changed many. Go fish.
Capt. Ariel Cabrera is available for fishing charters, instruction, and boating advice. Contact him at (305) 431-6936 or online www.captainariel.com
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