Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted December 20, 2024 Last week we fished both ends of the Park out of Chokoloskee to the north and Flamingo to the south. Our first trip, exploring with another guide Dino Cardelli, we were looking for redfish mostly and found them both up inside and back out on the coast along with too many small trout to count and a few small snook along the way. Here's a pic of one I invited home for dinner.. that night it was redfish, trout, and sheepshead for the table A few days later and back at Flamingo we found, once again, lots of speckled trout everywhere we fished, mostly small - both inside Whitewater Bay and out on the coast, along with a few small snook on a day with lots of wind and extreme low tides... Ducking back inside the rivers that drain into the Gulf we hit a grouper spot to visit the "Babies" (goliath grouper under fifty pounds.... they get much, much bigger). Tony was first and soon hooked up. That fish fought him all the way to my skiff and with a quick photo was carefully released. It did bottom out my Boga Grip at the 30lb mark... Next up was Mike and his fish was a bit smaller, around 20lbs and once again, close quarters combat from the hook up all the way to the final release..... For anyone that's never enountered one - the goliath grouper is the baddest fish in the Everglades, absolutely fearless, quite aggressive, will take a variety of baits, or flies, or lures... and will fight all the way from first encounter to a boat. They're still fully protected and we release everyone we catch - but someday I'm hoping that will change since they've long since fully recovered from the years when they were really endangered and protected (my opinion). These guys laugh at light tackle... In the coming days, as our waters drop into winter temperatures the tarpon in the 'glades will be absent.. but in the meantime as our first winter shrimp runs begin at the end of this month there will some great night-time opportunities to sight fish small tarpon from 20 up to 40lbs at night in Biscayne Bay... I'm looking forward to it... In the backcountry of the Everglades each day we'll be aiming at snook, redfish, and trout - doing more and more sight-fishing as the waters cool off. The moment winter eases up and water temps rise.. that first push of giant tarpon will move up into Whitewater and other bays looking for that warm water... Just nothing like the 'glades in any kind of weather... These days I'm still fishing and working charters - but my reports will be fewer, hope to hear from all of you this coming year... and Merry Christmas to all.... Tight lines, Bob LeMay (954) 435-5666 "Be a hero... take a kid fishing " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted January 2 As usual we're fishing year 'round and I was on the water with anglers the last two days of the year - in slicked out, great water conditions - and no fly angler aboard... Tarpon were seen throughout the backcountry - but none of them eating anything we were using. The warm water condtions that brought them inside will end in a day or two and colder waters (much more typical for this time of year) will send them back out into the Gulf - but we're expecting them back toward the end of January - if the weather is mild... Here's one pic from our last day on the water with a great overslot speckled trout. Would have been perfect for a fly or popper... on a 6 to 8wt rod... "Be a hero... take a kid fishing ... " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caloosa bug 0 Report post Posted January 2 Good work captain! That’s a beautiful trout. I’ve been doing half days on the last few Sundays on Lake o. Carrying only a couple jig poles and a some of my jigs. I’ve been averaging around a dozen big keepers every trip. The weather and fishing has been great! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted January 2 Looks like dinner to me... Great catch on the big lake... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted January 19 As the reports of winter trickle down this way - we're still fishing any days we can... This past Friday and yesterday we were at two different parts of the Park (Everglades National Park). Friday it was out of Chokoloskee in bad weather conditions -winds, rain, and that special Ten Thousand Islands factor - a negative low tide mid morning, accompanied by strong winds pushing the water out... The result -lots of places to run aground even with the guy running the skiff knowing that it would be a challenge - just to get from here to there... Made it through an abbreviated day, only ran aground once (and didn't break anything but my pride) as I stepped out and pushed us off a sand bar way up inside... Run aground on a rising tide - no big deal - 30 minutes later you're floating again. Run aground on a rapidly falling tide - jump out quick and start pushing - delay a few minutes and you might be there for hours (another of those "ask me how I know deals"). We caught a few fish here and there but nothing to brag about... The next day, out of Flamingo, the weather was better - and so was the fishing - with speckled trout everywhere, along with redfish, and snook. Here's a pic of our best snook yesterday.. 30" long, a solid seven pounds. caught and released on very light spinning gear (10lb braid, 30lb fluoro leader, small jig tipped with a tiny bit of shrimp..) That fish made strong runs, ran into the roots of mangroves along the way several times, came to the boat two or three times, before finally coming to hand, for a quick photo or two... Not five minutes later along that same shallow wilderness mangrove shoreline, his partner hooked up with another snook, not fifty feet from the first - and it was definitely a bit bigger. This time the fish won - after an extended fight - finally breaking off and heading back into the tangles to sulk.. Just nothing like the 'glades - particularly in winter when most are out shoveling snow up north... On Tuesday I'll have a fly angler on board and you can bet we'll be working that same area - only two or three feet deep, thick mangrove cover - and a few fish that will take you to school given half a chance... Places like this are why - most of my fly patterns come with a wire weedguard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caloosa bug 0 Report post Posted January 21 Capt. sounds to me like your clients were left with a great story of their Glades adventure in the backcountry. The boat ride, weaving through the maze of mangroves with wildlife all around is a memorable experience for anyone fortunate enough to experience it. Good thing pride was the only scuff of the day…it’s easily repairable. It’s good to see you getting some clients. It’s been a few weeks since I was out on the lake and noticed the drop in water levels. I launched at fisheating creek Sunday morning before daylight. I planned on jigging a crappie jig and possibly begin scouting for bass. I stayed in the creek fishing trees in 4-7 ft of water and picked up a few specks. Once the sun came up, I headed north to dyess ditch and went to an area me and dad caught some at a month ago. I put the trolling motor down and eased up the vegetation and my trolling started kicking up silt and sediment. When you fish an area that averages 2.5-3.5 ft. deep, a foot and half difference changes things. I quickly left and headed east to bird island for a little deeper water and a stretch that always produces something. I knew the wind would start to pick up and my time would be limited before retreating back to the creek. Landed a dozen or more speck. By 9:30 it was blowing noticeably more and I needed to get off the open water while I could still run on plane without beating my bass tracker. Went back to the creek and fished till 1. By then it was blowing 20-30 and I had a decent mess of fish for dinner. We have our annual one fish bass tournament me and dad fish in about a month. I don’t think either one of us has even been bass fishing on the lake since snook season opened in October. Time to start bass fishing..but jigging these big specks has been too much fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Bob LeMay 0 Report post Posted January 22 Great day.... adapting each day to new circumstances -- that's how you get it done... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caloosa bug 0 Report post Posted January 27 A face only a mother could love. This pleco somehow sucked up my speck jig and put up a tough battle on my jig pole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites