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Everglades National Park - Flamingo
Capt. Bob LeMay
November 1, 2006
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
This report will cover the last ten days, fishing out of Flamingo and one day out of Everglades City. It's a time of transition now, we've had our first cold front, and the fish are beginning to make the move from outside along the coast back into the interior of the 'Glades. On the 20th water temps at dawn were in the mid-seventies. Yesterday my machine recorded 67 at the surface and only a few degrees warmer when we dropped off of plane. By the end of the day water temps were almost at 72 degrees... The fishing has been great, even in some fairly bad weather.
Reuben Garcia and his son fished with me on the 20th. Although we caught a variety of fish, things were a bit slow until late in the day when he caught and released his best redfish. It was way over the slot limit and weighed 13lbs on my Boga-Grip... A great catch on light line along an old oyster bar. The fish was carefully released after a few photos. A few days later two anglers from Titusville came down to for two days right when that first cold front came through. On Monday before last we recorded two backcountry slams while the weather slowly deteriorated. By Tuesday, the winds were just howling with 20 to 25mph predicted and actual coming dead out of the north. The fishing that day was very good although we had to pick and choose our spots (usually behind an island or up inside a sheltered bay). We never caught a trout or redfish that day, but did catch and release over 20 snook - all on artificials. Most were on the small side but several were keepers - all released to fight again. The strong winds and cooling waters really had those fish on the feed....
The next day I fished a father and son (both doctors) out of Everglades City. In the morning we fished the interior and were darned nearly skunked with only one tarpon jumped. We did find some very large inside snook, but only scared them. Changing tactics we made the run down the Chatham River to set up outside for the first of the incoming. Along the way I found a brand new way to run aground coming down the Chatham (there are so many opportunities along that river...). A quick look showed the tide still dropping and us in danger of a long stay so all jumped out and with a bit of muscle we were up and running again. Thank heavens it wasn't an oyster bar.... Outside we found a perfect creek and a good push of snook and reds that saved the day. That's one of the great things about the 10,000 Islands-- even a busted day can be saved with a change in location...
A few days later it was back to Flamingo for another day in bad weather. Although the weather last Saturday was just plain miserable, with heavy clouds, wind, and rain we still managed to catch backcountry slams for both Walter Bussele and his wife Marci. All were caught on artificials, particularly the Berkley Gulp shrimp. We never left Whitewater Bay that day and found steady action prowling sheltered bays and small islands with light spinning gear. This was on a Saturday when the boat ramp parking lot was mostly empty.....
Yesterday was my last day at Flamingo, fishing with Bob Minke and his brother Chris out of Palm Beach and Texas. Although Bob is a skilled fly caster, it was light spinning gear yesterday since his brother is mostly a bass fisherman. Each caught and released snook, trout and redfish during the day for a backcountry slam. The day's highlight, though, was Bob's biggest snook to date. Using only 10lb spin and a small lure he hooked a big snook under an overhanging tree along a sheltered shoreline in shallow water. That fish really took him to school getting back under several trees repeatedly during the fight, while I worked the boat away from shore to assist. A few minutes later, Bob had caught a snook that weighed between 12 and 13lbs on the Boga. It was so clearly over the slot that we didn't bother to measure it, but took a photo or two then carefully released that big old girl (most big snook aren't males....). That was a great catch on light line and always a possibility in Whitewater. Can't claim we do that every day, but every now and then....
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
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