Flamingo has now re-opened both ramps meaning great news for boaters interested in fishing and exploring Whitewater and Florida Bay. Now there is no excuse for not going fishing; well other than Mr. Rainmaker, who has been putting folks on hold for some time now. The large amount of rain has actually kept water temperature quite cooler and will continue to improve the already good fishing. Fishermen that are very early risers have been beating the storms and rain and having a tremendous snook bite.
With snook season open this added incentive to bag a linesider will lure more fishermen out of bed. The pattern is still like most of the summer tricks. Gold-colored plugs and topwater are really working fine. This is usually what we start throwing unless we get short strikes, then we'll put on plastic lures and the venerable bucktail jig. Remember to release snook in a "safe" zone away from sharks. We have been having issues with these large predators chopping snook in half or whole. Don't stick your hands in the water, use a net!
Baby tarpon have also been responding well to skimmer jigs and flies. These fish will be around in good numbers until we get the first strong cold front. The moats around islands are a great place to start looking and are creeks mouths on the high outgoing tide. A good strategy would be to stake out using a pushpole and cast at rolling fish. Begin with soft landing plastic lures and flies and then go to live shrimp or pinfish on a jig head or float. The fall season is probably the best time to catch a grand slam of snook, redfish, tarpon, and seatrout.
Recent highlights include tarpon on fly caught by angler Guy Vellacot. Lots of big snook as well. Those interested in booking trips this season please call ahead as I am already setting aside prime dates. And my kids want to fish too! They are getting prime time this year.
Capt. Ariel Cabrera is a permitted Everglades National Park fishing guide and active F.O.W.A. (Florida Outdoor Writers Association) member. He can be reached online at www.captainariel.com.