Fishing Report: Spring 2010 Backcountry Report

As we get closer to summer our temperatures slowly creep into the 80’s, the fishing only gets better in the upper keys. Come enjoy the great fishing and the beautiful weather this time of year.

Its all about the bonefish, permit, and tarpon! The elusive flats slam! Oceanside the flats are teaming with life, boxfish can be seen feeding on Sargasso crabs near the surface, stingrays are followed by hungry permit, and migratory tarpon are followed by big sharks and can be seen from very far away. Sight fishing paradise is what some call it. Whether you are looking to sling some bait or throw a fly, opportunities for catching fish are around every corner.

In the backcountry the bite only improves. Redfish tailing in some of the biggest schools of the year will be abundant on the shallow water flats surrounding Flamingo. Snook are not as common as previous years but are still around the creek mouths feeding on anything that happens by. Otherwise the black drum, sea trout, and sheep head fill in the time between schools of redfish. Now if sight fishing is not your forte, pitching shrimp tipped jigs under overhanging mangrove trees will produce a healthy bite of redfish, snook, black drum, and the occasional hungry shark. Don’t forget about the tarpon ready to take a live crab thrown in front of them or soft plastic jerk bait.

On the shallow wrecks stacks of permit will be gathering in large schools in preparation to spawn during the full moon. Early starts will be required in order to have the best possible chance to land several permit. Grouper are in season and ready to make an appearance in the cooler.