Fishing report, Everglades 10K & Gulf coast
Capt. Bob LeMay
October 21, 2008
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
It's been more than a few weeks since my last fishing report.... but that doesn't mean I haven't spent a lot of time with anglers on the water. I'm finally coming up for air after about eight days (two four day bookings with fly anglers) out of Everglades City and the remainder of my time either out of Flamingo or at night, fishing Biscayne Bay. This time of year the fishing can be very good but the anglers can be a little scarce. Most of my time not on the water I've been filling fly orders for my local shop the Fly Shop of Ft. Lauderdale.
Enough of recent history, let's get on with what's actually happening.... Right now we're working the last bit of an extended summer season. We had a cold front a day or two ago that didn't make it all the way here - that's supposed to change sometime this next weekend. When it occurs it will truly mark the end of the big tarpon season here. Until then, it's as good as it gets and I'm lucky enough to have a few bookings right up to the bitter end. As of two days ago spots along the Gulf coast of the 'Glades were loaded with tarpon of every size from little babies all the way up to 100lbs. Some days the little ones and the big ones are right in the same small creek mouths. The fish are gorging on every size of small bait all the way up to ladyfish in the one to two pound range. When that first cold front hits the big tarpon will move out into warmer Gulf waters offshore while the babies stick around, but until then.... Along nearby points there are large snook and lots of other species. It's possible for an angler to catch and release as many as ten different species of fish with a light fly rod in just a few hours. The list includes snook, redfish, trout, ladyfish, jacks, bluefish, spanish mackeral, snapper, and even a small gag grouper or jewfish (now called goliath grouper), and of course tarpon of every size.... The main reason it's all happening is that there's huge quantities of bait in dense schools up and down the coast. The baitfish, pilchards, herring, bay anchovies (locally called glass minnows or 'rain baits') will be around for the rest of this month and most of November. Most local anglers know that this is the best time of the year while the weather holds.
For those wanting to fish with conventional gear (either spin or plug) the available fish will be large, aggressive, and very hungry. A large live bait now won't live very long on a hook. Here's a sample of what we've been finding...
Visiting angler Dave Schilling got his first snook, weighing right at 8lbs.
Local father and son team Ken and Daniel Carusello had another great day on the water. Ken's biggest snook was almost 14lbs, well over the slot limit at 37.5"... His son Daniel caught and released one that was just a quarter inch under the slot limit at 7.5lbs...
Visiting angler Mike Scott, caught and released his first Everglades slam on a light fly rod with snook, redfish, and speckled trout. The tarpon had lockjaw that day or he'd have had a grand slam..
This past week out of Everglades City, I forgot to bring my camera so the pics never were taken... That will change the next time on the water.
Like I said, it's as good as it gets right now....
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
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