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Everglades National Park - Flamingo
Capt. Bob LeMay
September 14, 2007
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
These past two weeks have meant bettter and better fishing out of Flamingo... It seems that almost every creek mouth from Lostman's River south to Cape Sable is holding snook, reds, and a variety of other species - either resident or just visiting. More than a few fish exhibit signs that some hungry shark paid a visit as well. We're finding snook, reds, and even one cobia that have already been chewed on... The ones we're seeing are the survivors, I can only guess how many were actually eaten by the ever present sharks this time of year. The best news is that the fall tarpon are along the coast now in good numbers as well, with many in the giant category. Although I've seen a fair amount of boat traffic on weekends, the weekdays are better with never another boat in sight all day long... It's nice to be the only rig in the parking lot at the end of the day.
Now for some specifics, most days we're fishing lures on light line while also keeping an eye out for the opportunities that a live (or dead) bait provides. If we're fly fishing, then it's sinking patterns worked right up in the mangroves at creek mouths. The tarpon have been a bit picky about flies, but we did have one big fish (at least 100lbs) on fly that did its best to jump into the boat with us after eating less than 15' away... at the last possible moment it went under the boat instead of up into it. My angler got a bath anyway.
Our biggest redfish was measured at 31", caught and released by local angler Gary Pont on very light line and a small lure. A few days later, local attorney Ken Carusello brought his young son Daniel out for his first backcountry trip. Daniel, age 9, just had a great trip. He managed a backcountry slam of trout, redfish, and snook, then helped his dad land a 20lb cobia.... Young Daniel caught fish on lures, bait,
and even fought and landed a 31" snook without assistance! Not bad for his first backcountry adventure...
Earlier this week we were back to fly fishing for tarpon, with large numbers of fish that were very picky about eating flies, after many refusals, and only one big fish hooked we went to plan B, finding snook, reds and other fish willing to bite flies and lures right up in the mangroves around creek mouths...
One 27" snook ate a small woolhead pattern way back in the tangles... it was a major battle to get him out for a photo and release. We went on to go 2 for 8 on the big tarpon using bait. The big fish are still there....
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
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