Flamingo report, 16 October 2016
Capt. Bob LeMay
October 16, 2016
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Been quite a while since my last report - but things in the 'Glades have not gone according to schedule (nature's schedule, of course -we're just along for the ride...). Finally things are moving the way they should have been all along so this will be some good news... My usual routine this time of year is to stick to summer rules (on the water well before daylight, then run through the interior out to the west and work a lot of different areas). This photo captures the time of year, we were on the water running in the dark and almost across Whitewater for this view...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/water/Whitewater%20dawn%20fall%202016_zpsafntdo1s.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/water/Whitewater%20dawn%20fall%202016_zpsafntdo1s.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Both Whitewater and the coast are producing some quality fish now, so here's the view from this week's two days on the water... On Wednesday I had Jesse Pate and his partner Eric aboard and we found a few fish along the coast but nothing to brag about so it was back inside into Whitewater Bay in the afternoon now that water temps have begun to moderate a bit. That day it was all on Eric. His first hookup was on the lightest rod on the skiff with only ten lb. braid and a small 1/8oz leadhead with a Gulp tail - a really nice snook that just tore him up, screaming back into the tangles along a shoreline.... Fish one, angler zero, but it was a start... His next fish was a small redfish on the same gear...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Pate%20Jesse%20Eric%20small%20red_zpswxdietcq.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Pate%20Jesse%20Eric%20small%20red_zpswxdietcq.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
His next fish was up inside a tiny bay over near the Hell's Bay area, still using the lightest rod we had. As we poled along we began seeing a few reds and snook along a very shallow shoreline - Eric pitched his jig ahead of us and hooked up a big redfish and we were off to the races. It took us almost 15 minutes to beat the fish to where I could get a Boga Grip on it. I guess this one is in the big, big redfish category....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Pate%20Jesse%20Eric%20big%20big%20redfish_zpsta7hpgag.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Pate%20Jesse%20Eric%20big%20big%20redfish_zpsta7hpgag.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
It weighed at 14lbs on the Boga and that bay we were in was only two feet deep anywhere.... I think Jesse and Eric will have a story to tell back in Houston...
On Friday it was Kevin Preuss and his son Eric aboard with tarpon on their minds... We went most of the day only seeing just a few tarpon but still catching a bit of everything - with nothing to brag about.... that changed as the tide hit high and began to fall. Where we'd seen nothing - now there were big tarpon everywhere working a variety of small mullet and other baits up and down the coast. Along with the tarpon were a few hints of approaching colder weather -the mackeral were in and feeding as well...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Preuss%20KevinElijah%20fall%20mack_zps0vygmoiq.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Preuss%20KevinElijah%20fall%20mack_zps0vygmoiq.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Note the lure - everything's eating them wherever we go in a variety of colors...
Finally it was Elijah's turn with a big tarpon, estimated at 80 to 90lbs on a small ladyfish with 20lb gear....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/Preuss%20Kevin%20Elijah%20big%20tarpon%20-%20Harney%20River_zpsqa2vsnau.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/Preuss%20Kevin%20Elijah%20big%20tarpon%20-%20Harney%20River_zpsqa2vsnau.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/loftontarp1.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/loftontarp1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
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The best part is that we had the entire coast to ourselves - not another boat in sight north or south...
It was a long fight but well worth it... Our next big tarpon hookup broke off on the first run. We were at the end of our day then but took a moment to toss a lure or two at a nearby shoreline where we'd been watching snook just tearing into small bait. Elijah quickly caught and released a small one then it was a long run home....
This past week is just a hint of what's going on now both along the coast (north and south of the Shark river) and in the interior. With a bit of good weather and no cold nights in sight the tarpon action along the coast should stay strong. Most days it will be snook, trout, redfish, snapper, an occasional tripletail, sharks everywere (and really hungry) and now you can add big tarpon to the mix... Flamingo is the place to be (and I know one other guide who's mostly been fly fishing this week inside and doing very well....).
Be a hero.... take a kid fishing!
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
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