Post by lemaymiami on Jun 27, 2024 21:12:42 GMT -5
Earlier this week I did a bit of exploring into the backcountry out of Flamingo (that's what I call it when shopwork begins to get a bit much...). I specifically wanted to run a route between Whitewater Bay and the upper Shark river that I'd always speculated about, but had never run - thank you FMT... Along the way I planned to hit a mix of regular spots, trying new strategies and new places aiming for a fish or two for the table as well as adding a bit here or there to my daily routine with anglers aboard.
My usual routine when fishing new water is to start out tossing topwater plugs to see what action they bring - then follow up with a bucktail jig or leadhead with plastic tail to see whether the spot is worth a second trip... That day, all I ever needed was a beaten up topwater plug - and it drew continuous action wherever I tossed it. By the first hour I had speckled trout, snook, and redfish biting. The trout were on the small side - the biggest only 15", the snook came in several sizes - but only the small ones stayed hooked. The redfish was a surprise - a solid 21" fish that I kept for the table.
All of the small snook and trout were carefully released - some of them were hungry enough to strike that topwater plug all the way back to my skiff... it was that kind of day...
After making that new inside run, by-passing Oyster Bay, I moved out into the "rivers" (what I call all the tributaries that move into and out of the Shark river system), still trying a few different tactics - this time with a solid leadhead tipped with a generous Mr. Wiffle plastic tail. In short order found some much bigger speckled trout - up to around 20" right on the bottom of a feeding lane in about eight feet of water, and solidly striking my lure every time I put it in the right place... I stayed only long enough to keep a pair of solid, fat 18" fish to go with that redfish and moved out to a few places along the coast looking for some slot sized snook to catch and release. My second spot not only held snook - they were acting like they were starved from my first cast with that beaten up topwater plug. Once or twice I could clearly see four or five of them at a time racing up after that plug then competing to see who would grab it first... Great fun -except for the fact that every one I hooked - never stayed hooked long enough for a photo.... My first chore the following day was a bit of rehab work for that old plug (it now sports new hooks, hand sharpened along with the barbs mashed down... ready to go back into service..). The last fish that struck it was a small tarpon that hit it twice and never managed to grab anything with a hook... and so it goes. A bit later threatening weather moving in had me scooting back towards Flamingo. An early early start in the backcountry during summer usually pays off...
This time of year the backcountry is a treat since you'll have nearly everywhere you go - to your self... The downside are clouds of mosquitoes at the boat ramp before dawn - but once I was out in the backcountry mosquitoes were never a problem as long as you remembered to stay away from any trees - if the wind was from the wrong direction...
The other downside is simply our tropical weather during the wet season... and that day, storms did chase me all the way back to Coot Bay, just after noon.. Just nothing like the 'glades for day trips (my night trips are urban affairs near Miami Beach or up at Jupiter where most docklights are holding snook for sight-fishing each night..). Night trips during summer are probably the best bet for most visitors (and locals...) .
"Be a hero...take a kid fishing . "
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
My usual routine when fishing new water is to start out tossing topwater plugs to see what action they bring - then follow up with a bucktail jig or leadhead with plastic tail to see whether the spot is worth a second trip... That day, all I ever needed was a beaten up topwater plug - and it drew continuous action wherever I tossed it. By the first hour I had speckled trout, snook, and redfish biting. The trout were on the small side - the biggest only 15", the snook came in several sizes - but only the small ones stayed hooked. The redfish was a surprise - a solid 21" fish that I kept for the table.
All of the small snook and trout were carefully released - some of them were hungry enough to strike that topwater plug all the way back to my skiff... it was that kind of day...
After making that new inside run, by-passing Oyster Bay, I moved out into the "rivers" (what I call all the tributaries that move into and out of the Shark river system), still trying a few different tactics - this time with a solid leadhead tipped with a generous Mr. Wiffle plastic tail. In short order found some much bigger speckled trout - up to around 20" right on the bottom of a feeding lane in about eight feet of water, and solidly striking my lure every time I put it in the right place... I stayed only long enough to keep a pair of solid, fat 18" fish to go with that redfish and moved out to a few places along the coast looking for some slot sized snook to catch and release. My second spot not only held snook - they were acting like they were starved from my first cast with that beaten up topwater plug. Once or twice I could clearly see four or five of them at a time racing up after that plug then competing to see who would grab it first... Great fun -except for the fact that every one I hooked - never stayed hooked long enough for a photo.... My first chore the following day was a bit of rehab work for that old plug (it now sports new hooks, hand sharpened along with the barbs mashed down... ready to go back into service..). The last fish that struck it was a small tarpon that hit it twice and never managed to grab anything with a hook... and so it goes. A bit later threatening weather moving in had me scooting back towards Flamingo. An early early start in the backcountry during summer usually pays off...
This time of year the backcountry is a treat since you'll have nearly everywhere you go - to your self... The downside are clouds of mosquitoes at the boat ramp before dawn - but once I was out in the backcountry mosquitoes were never a problem as long as you remembered to stay away from any trees - if the wind was from the wrong direction...
The other downside is simply our tropical weather during the wet season... and that day, storms did chase me all the way back to Coot Bay, just after noon.. Just nothing like the 'glades for day trips (my night trips are urban affairs near Miami Beach or up at Jupiter where most docklights are holding snook for sight-fishing each night..). Night trips during summer are probably the best bet for most visitors (and locals...) .
"Be a hero...take a kid fishing . "
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
