Anyone in the South Florida Area?

Tried to see if anyone was on the map that Jim used to have up but the link appears to be broken. Wanting to know if anyone in the membership is from my neck of the woods and if so, have you seen any good fishing since the freeze-off this winter. We lost a lot of fish down here in the Everglades, and canal fishing isn't what it was last season. Not trying to bust anyone's secret honey holes, just trying to connect with people in my area. I'm currently in Boca Raton (east coast), but I fish everywhere from Snapper Creek (Miami/Kendall) all the way up to the Lake (Okeechobee).

PS - I know this is a saltwater region too, but I'm originally from Ohio and would just rather stick to what I know... The smell of that freshwater!

Thanks!

I live in Delray Beach, and do the majority of my freshwater fishing in Lake Ida and its nearby canals as well as some inshore fishing throughout Palm Beach.

As for this years fish kill I have definitely noticed it in our local freshwater fisheries, specifically the peacock bass, which I have yet to catch since the cold snap. I have heard that although their numbers have been depleted they are still catchable and in somewhat decent numbers in the Miami area (although I have not been down there to see for myself). On the positive side it has also helped get rid of some of the invasive non-native species like the Mayan chichlid and the knife fish. The snook and tarpon kills reported in Everglades National Park and surrounding areas was much more severe than what affected our area. I have caught snook in good numbers and seen more tarpon off the beach this summer than last.

Its nice to know someone else is fishing the same area as I am.

Look forward to hearing from you, maybe we can throw some fishing spots back and forth at one another.

PS- I know you said you are a freshwater guy, but how can you resist a 150 pound tarpon off the beach?

lakeida said:

PS- I know you said you are a freshwater guy, but how can you resist a 150 pound tarpon off the beach?

Click to expand...

I've always wanted to catch a tarpon since moving here 5 years ago from Ohio. On one of my first trips to the keys, I stopped off at Robbie's (where you can hand feed them) and thought they were such beautiful and monsterous fish. To be honest, I have wanted to catch them. I just didn't know that you could do so off the beach?!?!? I thought the prime spot was after the run, when they are coming back out of the brackish water down in southern Miami. A lot of the videos I see are all down there.

I do love to freshwater fish. It's what I know. Growing up in Ohio with stocked farm ponds, beautiful lakes, and muddy rivers, its prime for a lot of good looking species - Saugeye, Sauger, Walleye, Large and Smallmouth bass, Crappie, great catfish, etc. Love the freshwater gig. I would probably be more tuned into saltwater if I had the chance, but I really don't have a group of guys that I know that go too often. So I've just stuck to the freshwater.

Speaking of that, I've had some luck out off of Lox Road, north of Hillsboro Blvd and all the way west to the glades. Even after the winter kill we had (which you are right - wiped out the mayan cichlids, oscars, brown hoplo etc.) I've still had success catching Bowfin (and large ones too), Florida Gar, Largemouth, and every once in a while a Peacock or two. Also had success in brackish water catching Channel Cats and Sheepshead (mostly at night in the canals behind my house). Trips up to the Lake (Okeechobee) have been decent. I'm not too familiar with it right now, but everytime I go I try somewhere else and get more aquainted.

I can't say that I've made it to Lake Ida yet. I'm always up for new spots though. I have no problem putting you onto my fishing spots. I would say the best fishing I've seen has been out in the glades, or at least in the arterial canals coming east from the glades like the C-14. But spots like Quiet Waters Park are pretty decent too, especially if you can get out on the water. I've been wanting to make it down to Snapper Creek in Miami because I hear the Peacocks are still good down there, but I'm in the middle of a Jon modification and so my boat is dry docked at the moment so I can install decking and electrical. Looking to have it done so that when it cools off I am ready to go again.

The closest beach to me is the Deerfield Pier, which is only about 5 minutes from my house in East Boca. I've been down there a few times without a lot of success. But like I said, I really don't know what I am doing when it comes to saltwater.

You can PM me anytime if you want to know what works best or freshwater spots to go in the area.