Everglades days, Biscayne nights, 26 October 2019
Capt. Bob LeMay
October 26, 2019
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Moved around a bit this past week with three days in the Everglades out of Flamingo and one night locally in Biscayne Bay.... Still lots of fish out of Flamingo -and we're still waiting for that first cold night that will make all of the big tarpon simply disappear back out into Gulf waters... Most years this is that time - but apparently no one told the weather folks... Still pretty hot weather now - and no forecast in sight for that first cold night of the year.. As a result local water temperatures are actually still in the lower eighties each day (if you can believe it...). The big tarpon are still being found in the usual spots north and south of the Shark River drainage areas along the west coast - and they're still behaving like tarpon - one moment attacking anything they find - the next day not one of them is in a biting mood (at least that's been our daily experience..). Andy Strawbridge, a visiting angler from out of state, did manage to hook up and bring to the skiff a nice 60lb fish on relatively light spinning gear and a slow worked small lure.... Here's Andy, about 20 minutes into the fight...
Along with tarpon our daily fare has included snook, redfish, and speckled trout caught on both spinning and fly gear each day.... Another specie we're finding more and more are small goliath grouper... All the rivers spots we've fished seem to be holding them now and as usual they give a strong fight whenever you hook one. Here's Andy again with one of the usual size we're encountering...
I'm expecting the 'glades not to change much until the weather breaks... This time of year during the week we can run sixty to seventy miles round trip into the interior and rarely see even one other boat... Yep, we're spoiled...
A few nights ago I had Rob Henry join me for a night-time tarpon trip using lightweight fly rods locally in Biscayne Bay -and it was a great success.... He jumped six fish that he was looking at with only an 8wt rod - his first tarpon ever... After jumping or breaking off a few he finally scored with this fish....
A 25lb tarpon on an 8wt rod is just about too much tarpon...
at my skiff - it's still a handful - but a great first tarpon on fly
Rob got two to the boat that night and it was great fun. Biscayne Bay has its troubles these days (seagrass die-offs, water quality problems...) but there are still a few fish around at night. I'm hoping that all the studies now underway will point us to the things needed to bring it back to what it's always been - just a great place to fish at night - right next ot Miami Beach or Miami...
Be a hero - take a kid fishing!
Tight lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
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