Spring time fishing is well underway now down here in south Florida and my anglers have been having some great trips. This past week we fished at night locally for tarpon and during the daytime down in Everglades National Park out of both Flamingo and Everglades City (at each end of the Park). It was strictly spinning gear this week, the fly gear got left at home.
We started out with a night trip out of Miami Beach for small (and some not so small) tarpon around lighted docks and under the bridges. Michael Seto, a visitor from Canada, jumped eight fish and brought two to the boat for photos. They were his first tarpon and they really put on a show (being able to sight-fish at night is a hoot when you can cast to fish you're looking at). That night we also ran into every tarpon hunter's bad dream... a fish that won't jump at all. I was taught many years ago that if I hooked a tarpon that wouldn't jump to "break him off and go find one you can beat..". That fish was just amazing, we chased it for a half mile in the dark until we came to an island with docks that the fish promptly cut us off on... We were almost on plane chasing that fish... but could never turn it. I'm wanting a re-match. Now for some pics...
A day or two later the trip was out of Flamingo with local anglers John Micali and Andy DeCardenas, looking for some variety. Our first fish of the day was a slot sized redfish and the day just got better from there. We fished from inside all the way out to the Gulf coast. Using light spinning gear most of the day we caught fish with lures and bait almost everywhere we went. The catch included redfish, speckled trout, snapper, grouper, mackeral, bluefish, and a nice sized flounder. Toward the end of the day we broke out some heavier gear to work some tarpon we could see. We missed the one tarpon bite but went on to bring three sharks to the boat (and that doesn't count the ones we couldn't stop)... Here are a few pics...
The grouper was caught with a small lure on the lightest rod on my skiff, a rod designed just for tossing a live shrimp at fish in very shallow waters... an outstanding catch, then release....
I've got to say that the rivers in the 'Glades are full of really nice sized gag grouper year 'round. It's hard from my perspective to see why the fishery is closed in areas where they're as abundant as ever....
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666