Tamiami Trail...

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Sooo I recently started reading a bunch on the trail. Ive driven by it but never occurred to me that there was tarpon and snook among others roaming those waters. Does anybody have any experiences here? I don't want to spend a whole day not knowing what I'm doing or what the heck I'm going after...

 

Much help appreciated

Tight lines

[mikechell 0]

I don't know about the canals along the Tamiami ... but a couple few decades ago, I spent several weeks on a base near Homestead. There were 6 or so tarpon swimming in that canal. They were a good 4 feet long, at least. I tried to get them to take a Rapala (largest lure I had with me in my military kit). They'd swim up to it, then continue swimming down the canal. I guess the "range" was about a 10 minute glide, because where ever saw them, about 10 minutes later they'd come swimming back through.

 

Everywhere I've been, canals are like that.

The smaller prey and predators tend to find places to hide or ambush. The larger predators tend to cruise up and down the length looking for the smaller fish. Just about anywhere you try, be sure to stay at that spot long enough to get a shot at the cruisers as they go by one way or the other.

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Yeah I am tying a bunch of gurgles in hopes of getting some topwater eats, that would be pretty cool. Maybe I can go this week, but does the cold weather drop turn down the bite or is it worth trying?

[mikechell 0]

It sure did today ... I only caught a few small bass and one good Bluegill. The past couple of days (before the cold front) there was activity everywhere. You could see fish chasing small minnows on every weed line.

Today, there was almost nothing. A splash here and there, but few and far between.

 

The only difference I know of, is that cold front Friday.

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Went out and checked out a couple canals and saw a little activity, not nearly as much as usual...

 

If no one has any experiences about the Trail I think I am just going to email Bob

 

Flats

[DavidR 0]

http://www.landcaptain.com

 

Check out his book ...might have answers to questions you haven't even thought of yet

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I'd really listen to anything that Steve Kantner has to say about that area (since he worked charters there for many years - without a boat -similar to the way western trout guys operate out of their vehicles....). I can't think of anyone more knowledgable about that area... His book is literally the only modern info about fishing those spots on foot that I know of (there were a few around forty years ago but most are well out of date...).

 

That said winter is the dry season down here and towards the end of it lots and lots of bait (and fish) are forced by the drought down into the canals that border the Trail - add to that a brisk wind out of the north and things get interesting... The "salt side" is the south side of the road the "fresh side is the northern side canal system (but both are pretty much the same salt content (roughly zero...). The points to fish are all the small bridges that allow water to flow from north to south (and most of the ones I used to target are west of State Road 29 (the turn-off for Everglades City/Chokoloskee...). Small flies - mostly in darker colors for me - think Gurglers, Muddlers, maribou minnows - and if you can locate moving water - all the better... Near the waters look out for 'gators and snakes - near the roadway, look out for passing trucks (no one has heavy enough gear for a passing truck, hooked on the backcast....).

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Ive been tying gurglers, schminnow variations, Congo fiber baitfish, and sand craft fur baitfish flies, which I'm in love with how they move in the water...

 

I honestly don't have any dark flies except those black bear ones in 1/0, is it worth tying some smaller ones Bob? And do you by chance have a picture of that maribou minnow?

 

Thanks and tight lines

 

And btw when I have been looking on google earth all I see is one canal with a white dirt road next to it, am I doing something wrong or?

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

"Maribou minnows" is a generic term for any small baitfish fly that has a maribou tail... and is usually under a size #1 hook.. The Crystal Schminnow is a maribou minnow... I'll try to round up a few different examples photo them and post up here.... Although darker colors work well - lighter colors work almost as well. Remember most of the forage for fish in that canal system are small bait (we used to use #4 and #2 hooks for our bugs....). We're talking minnows well under 2" total length. If you're there at dawn you'll probably see "glass minnows" (another generic term) showering here or there if fish are feeding. While there are some real monster snook way up inside (particularly once it gets colder...) most of the fish up inside (including tarpon) are five pounds or less. Those really big snook probably aren't there to feed at all - just to stay warm...

 

The first thing I look for after noting whether any small bait is being worked is for some current as water flows north to south, draining down towards the salt... Find the current and you should find the fish (whether it's way back up under one little bridge or other or downstream of the bridge). Like I said before Kantner's book would be my starting point (and I'm pretty sure he has a website as well).

[agn54 0]

It's been years since I have fished the trail, but back in those days I found mostly bass on the Miami side, especially as you go further west towards the L28, which has some of the best bass fishing I have ever seen. The area is also loaded with big oscars which should be a blast on the fly. No doubt there are snook to be found all along it, especially as you get closer to the old Beer Worms lady (sadly a landmark no longer there but the old timers will remember her) and the turnoff to Marco Island

 

Here is a great pice by Kantner to get started: http://midcurrent.com/books/alligator-alley-and-tamiami-trail/

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Thanks for posting Steve's info - as anyone can see -he's probably forgotten more about that area than I'll ever learn.... Once again the areas me and my buddies fished years ago began to the west of S.R. 29 (the turn-off for EC/ Chokoloskee, marked by a big flashing orange light). We weren't particularly targeting bass, instead it was snook and tarps that fired our interest....

 

Say it again, Steve Kantner was the man for years if you were on foot in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale - all the way nearly to Naples...

[Bimini15 0]

Landcaptain.com is his website. Although the articles are not super recent, I am sure the info is still priceless.

[saltydancindave 0]

Memories from 15 years ago of very few places large enough to park a truck on the south side shoulder of the Trail from Naples to Miami along with 18 wheelers cruising by at 80 with cars trying to pass made backcasts quite a matter of timing so as not to have a fly line take off to unknown places. Standing & looking down at gators while mosquitos swarmed lead to adventures of landing anything at all after roll casting with out sliding down into snake filled waters with day dream wondering if Florida cracker meant that's what they fed crappies to get those bigger appetites out of the way...............