Hurricane Ike's recent sweep underneath the State has really hindered the fishing grounds of Everglades National Park. This is mainly due to the rough and windy conditions South Floridians have been facing over the past few weeks. Florida Bay's water has turned into a mocha cappuccino colored soup bowl. Anglers competing in last weekend's Herman Lucerne Backcountry Tournament found fishing conditions not very favorable, but certainly possible. After talking with fellow guides, the common strategy among competitors seemed to be finding clear water. Over the past weekend, the cleanest water seemed to be in the middle-upper section of Florida Bay, fishing the leeward side of the islands to get away from heavy winds. I suggest try throwing a Rapala Skitterwalk early in the morning to wake up the fish. Snook and Redfish will lay in sandy pot-holes on grass flats to ambush mullet that pass above them. As the sun gets higher, anglers can switch to more of a typical sight fishing scenario. A sure way to entice these fish to strike is by using shrimp tipped jigs, Bass Assassin Eels, and even flies. The end of the summer is also a great time to hone your skills on catching Tarpon. Schools of juvenile Silver Kings have been flushed out into the bay by the massive amounts of fresh water run off. Fly gear from 5 to 8 weight is perfect for practicing bowing and fighting skills on these acrobatic jumpers. These fish do all of the same aggressive moves, only faster and a little less predictable than larger fish. Once an angler has mastered these techniques on smaller fish, he/she will be ready to begin targeting larger Tarpon in the spring using 12 weight fly gear. Over the next month anglers can expect to experience a slow transition into fall weather patterns and fishing scenarios. As the rains subside and the temperatures begin to fall, Snook and Redfish will start to return to the more remote backcountry areas and estuaries. This can be a very exciting time to fish areas like Whitewater Bay and even back into Hells Bay. These fish have already begun to line up on the Eastern Wall of Whitewater Bay, waiting to follow the bait up into these remote estuaries. The most productive way to target these fish over the next month is using shrimp tipped jigs working the deeper points and hollow mangrove edges. If you prefer to use artificial baits the Rapala X-Rap XR8 is a deadly lure that can be used in a spastic twitching action to mimic a wounded baitfish. The Rapala Lure Company has recently launched a new underwater video section demonstrating how to work each of their lures correctly. www.Rapala.com/products/luresdetail.cfm. If you are fortunate to have a swimming pool in the back yard, this is an excellent place to practice your retrieving action in controlled clear water environment before your next trip on the water.
Tight Lines and Get Out There and Fish!
Captain Rich Smith is a Native South Florida Full Time Fishing Guide based out of Homestead, Florida. He fishes Biscayne Bay, Everglades National Park and the Upper Florida Keys. If you would like to get in touch with the captain you can reach him at www.CaptainRichSmith.com or (786) 299 - 4813