Last report 2018, Christmas week Flamingo, ENP
Capt. Bob LeMay
January 1, 2019
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Last report for year 2018... We spent three days down at Flamingo this past week and the fishing was typical for this time of year. The early part of the week (just before Christmas) had winter water temps (64 degrees at dawn) and lots of small fish biting inside Whitewater Bay. It was snook, speckled trout and redfish - with both of my anglers Dale Ludwig and his son from Virginia getting backcountry slams on small lures. They went on to keep a few specks for the table (16 - 18") and had a pretty good time. We did hit a few grouper spots out near the coast - but none found... The next booking was the day after Christmas with the weather in a warming trend (and lots of visitors to the Park -it's a very popular spot in winter - and all of the boat rentals, gas pumps, tour boats, and the marina store were doing a brisk business...). That day I fished with another father and son team - the Wittenauers, David and Andrew -this time on their boat, a pretty Shearwater 22.... We found fish that day both inside and along the coast, once again - snook, redfish and speckled trout. Here's two pics of reds that were invited home for the table....
[img]https://i.imgur.com/7P9XdMN.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/xhAjc4c.jpg[/img]
At a glance you can see that Andrew's fish was from the interior while David's fish was out on the coast... All taken on small leadheads with Gulp tails... This was their first time at Flamingo - I think they'll be back...
Our last day was Saturday with local angler Tony Phillips and visiting UK angler Will on board. By the end of the week water temps had warmed up dramatically (warm enough to bring in the giant tarpon - although none were seen...) and the fish were biting. Will got a backcountry slam of snook, redfish, and speckled trout. Here's a close-up of Will's keeper sized redfish, showing what we were using...
[img]https://i.imgur.com/UQHxUBx.jpg[/img]
Not long before, Tony got a nice snook , which stuck around just long enough for a photo - then was carefully released...
[img]https://i.imgur.com/lkpsST3.jpg[/img]
just a glance at the fish's dark colors and you know it was way up in Whitewater Bay - a few miles inland from the coast... We also found other snook even bigger up inside but they were very difficult to approach... (I have a fly angler tomorrow and we'll see what we can do about that... ). Also that day in another very shallow cove we poled up on something you don't see very often - not one sawfish - but nearly a dozen between five and seven feet long.. We were able to get close enough to touch but let them be (they're on the endangered specie list -but the Everglades has a lot of them - if you know where to look...
All week long we've been in a warming trend - and it should continue into this coming weekend (5 & 6 January) so I'm hoping we might find a big tarpon or two in coming days. Just nothing like Flamingo (and every other part of Everglades National Park). Although there's a government closure going on now -the Park is still open each day and all of the concessionaire's services are up and running... Great news for anyone wanting some outstanding fishing...
As the old year goes into the books I look back and consider myself fortunate to be able fish each day as it comes - with great anglers that range from very young to older than me (if that's possible). This past year I even had country rocker Steve Earle aboard when his tour visited the Keys last spring. I never know from year to year who I'll be fishing - but just about every one of my anglers has been a treat...
Be a hero - take a kid fishing...
Tight lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
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