Everglades Fishing
Fishing the Everglades is truly a unique experience that very few anglers will get to enjoy. If you are heading to Naples, Marco Island or even Miami, you are not too far from the Everglades and you may want to consider hiring a guide to take you out for a memorable fishing trip. The Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the entire United States and it boasts rare and endangered species.
The fishing in the Everglades can be very fast-paced for a number of species. With the brackish, shallow backcountry bays and rivers, outside islands, oyster bars and miles of canals, there are plenty of places to fish for largemouth bass, snook, redfish, trout and tarpon.
Most people have heard of the Everglades for the largemouth bass fishing, but there is a tremendous saltwater fishery in the Everglades as well, which gives you a couple of different options when you plan a trip down here. Most of the fishing guides and charters will take you saltwater fishing for snook, tarpon, redfish or trout or bass fishing in the canals, so you need to know what type of trip you’d like to go on before hiring a guide.
The saltwater fishing consists of Florida Bay, Ten Thousand Islands and elsewhere in the National Park’s coastal zone. While most of the anglers target snook, tarpon, redfish or trout in the Everglades, there are plenty of other saltwater fish to catch while you’re here. Some of the other fish that are available are black drum, bluefish, bonefish, cobia, flounder, grouper, spanish mackerel, pompano, shark, sheepshead and snapper.
For the freshwater angler, the bass fishing can be amazing in the canals. More largemouth bass are caught here per hour than any other place in the entire state of Florida. That says a lot knowing how many excellent bass fishing lakes that are available to Florida anglers. Most guides have no problem getting their clients to catch plenty of bass using artificials, so expect to use a lot of topwater lures, plastic snakes, plastic frogs, big spoons, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. Just try not to get too distracted with all of the alligators that you may see while you are fishing.
Summer months are going to be hot and humid with temperatures in the 90s, while the winter months will cool off a little bit with temperatures in the high 70s most of the time. Fishing can be good in the Everglades in the spring, summer, fall or winter.
For more information on the Everglades, take a look at our tourism links below.
Daytona Beach Fishing
Daytona Beach attracts tons of tourists here every year for a variety of reasons. From racing to college spring break to bike week, there are many events going on here to draw a crowd. While you are in the Daytona Beach area, you may want to experience some of the fishing.
Fishing can be very good here depending on the time of year that you decide to visit. The colder months are mid to late October through early March will offer much better offshore fishing than inshore fishing. There are plenty of offshore fishing charters in the Daytona Beach area to put you on some fish if you are in the Daytona area during the colder months. Some of the fish that you can catch offshore during these months are dolphin, king mackerel, little tunny, sailfish, wahoo, grouper, snapper, tuna, barracuda and a variety of other bottom species.
If you can get here during the warmer months of the year from late March through September, you can experience some excellent fishing inshore and/or offshore. Once the water starts to warm up at the end of March and into April, the fishing starts to heat up as well. Inshore and offshore anglers will have a variety of fish to catch such as redfish, bluefish, jack crevalle, spanish mackerel, cobia, little tunny, barracuda, amberjack, snapper, grouper and many of the bigger sportfish as well such as marlin, sailfish, dolphin and king mackerel.
If you are planning a trip to Daytona Beach, late spring through early fall would be the best time to find a hot bite for a variety of species. If you’re going to be here during the colder months, just plan on getting an offshore fishing charter if you really want to do well here.
For more information, take a look at our tourism links.
- Daytona Beach
- Daytona Beach Bait Shops
- Daytona Beach Boat Rentals
- Daytona Beach Fishing Charters
- Daytona Beach Fishing Piers
- Daytona Beach Lodging
- Daytona Beach Marinas
Citrus County Fishing
Citrus County, Florida is home to both the Homosassa River and Crystal River, which are spring fed and they both flow into the Gulf of Mexico. With the rivers, estuaries, grassy flats and the gulf, there are plenty of places to fish in Citrus County.
The Crystal River gets overshadowed by the Homosassa River, but there plenty of fishing opportunities here. For the inshore fisherman, the Crystal River offers excellent fishing for speckled trout, redfish, pompano, cobia and spanish mackerel. There are fishing charters that guide this river in case you needed a little help on your vacation.
The Homosassa River is loaded with speckled trout and redfish and they can be caught year-round. July through September are the times to visit if you want to find the largest schools of redfish. If you are looking for a trophy redfish, October and November give you the best chances. The speckled trout won’t be here in huge numbers from the fall through spring, but as the water warms up in the summer, trout can be caught in bunches. Bluefish, mackerel and cobia are also popular species of fish among anglers that fish the Homosassa River. The cobia action heats up at the end of March and continues through April. Find the sting rays during this time of year and there is a good chance that you will find some cobia right behind them feeding heavily. Other species to catch in the river are jacks, snapper and ladyfish. The winter months provide some hot action for these types of fish and they can be a lot of fun to catch on lighter tackle.
Other fish that common in the area rivers and the Gulf of Mexico are grouper, tarpon, cobia, spanish mackerel, snook and jack crevalle.
For more information on the Citrus County area, take a look at our tourism links.
- Citrus County, Florida
- Citrus County Bait Shops
- Citrus County Boat Rentals
- Citrus County Fishing Charters
- Citrus County Fishing Piers
- Citrus County Lodging
- Citrus County Marinas
Charlotte County Fishing
The Charlotte Harbor - Charlotte County area offers anglers so many excellent fishing options. You can find some of the best tarpon fishing in the world in Boca Grande Pass, where tarpon fishing tournaments are very popular. Deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico can be outstanding for a variety of offshore species such as grouper, tarpon, cobia, barracuda, amberjack, kingfish, mackerel, snapper, shark and more.
For the inshore angler, you can experience some excellent flats fishing in Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound. There are many places to fish with all of the bays, mangrove islands, canals, tributaries, salt water, fresh water and brackish water. The opportunities are endless in the Charlotte County area. Some of the other fish you can catch here are flounder, pompano, bluefish, sheepshead, trout, snook, redfish and bass.
For more information on the Charlotte Harbor area, take a look at our tourism links.
- Charlotte County, Florida
- Charlotte County Bait Shops
- Charlotte County Boat Rentals
- Charlotte County Fishing Piers
- Charlotte County Fishing Charters
- Charlotte County Lodging
- Charlotte County Marinas
Marco Island Fishing
Photo Provided By: Sea Gone Fishing Team
What can people expect on a fishing trip to Marco Island?
Marco Island is a gorgeous area and very popular vacation destination. For anglers, the fishing can be awesome as there are a variety of fish to be caught year round in the Marco Island area. Whether you plan on fishing the deep water wrecks, the numerous backwaters, the beaches or canals, there is something here for every fishermen.
The inshore fishermen have a blast catching snook, tarpon, redfish, sea trout, jacks, snapper, grouper, barracuda, black drum, bluefish, cobia, flounder, mackerel, king mackerel, permit, pompano, sheepshead, triggerfish, whiting and others.
Spring through fall is the best time to catch snook. Tarpon fishing can be excellent from early March through June, but the juvenile tarpon (up to 50 pounds) can be caught year round. Redfish are available year round, but you can find them in larger schools the summer and early fall. Trout, whiting and pompano are caught in the backwaters almost year round. Some of the other species may be hit or miss throughout the year, so make sure to check with local bait and tackle shops as well as fishing charters to see what will be biting on your trip to Marco Island.
The offshore fishing can be very exciting. There are huge goliath grouper, sharks, permit, barracuda, red grouper, gag grouper, king mackerel, spanish mackerel and others. You will probably find a lot more inshore fishing charters than offshore charters, but there are quite a few offshore fishing charters in the Marco Island area and they can help you figure out what will be biting when you plan your fishing trip.
For more information on Marco Island, take a look at our tourism links.
- Marco Island, Florida
- Marco Island Fishing Charters
- Marco Island Lodging
- Marco Island Bait and Tackle Shops
- Marco Island Marinas
- Marco Island Boat Rentals
Amelia Island, Florida Fishing
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What can people expect on a fishing trip in the Amelia Island / Fernandina Beach area?
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There are a variety of inshore and offshire saltwater fishing trips available in the Fernandina Beach / Amelia Island area. Deep sea trolling can be excellent for a variety of fish throughout the seasons. Cobia, spanish mackerel, tuna and king mackerel are available in the spring. Sailfish, cobia, kingfish, amberjack, wahoo and barracuda are going strong during the summer months. The fall brings some consistent action for kingfish, amberjack, barracuda, cobia and bonito. Deep Sea Bottom Fishing is usually better during the cooler months of fall through spring with some excellent fishing opportunities for snapper, grouper, cobia and black sea bass.
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Amelia Island has 2 large inlets that offer some excellent bay, jetty and beach fishing. St. Mary’s and the Nassau provide some protected waters that anglers can take advantage of without worrying about getting sea sickness. The calmer waters offer tarpon, redfish, black drum, sharks, cobia, kingfish, jack crevalle, whiting, bluefish and more. Anglers can fish the backwaters if they are more interested in the light tackle options that the flats, inlets and estuaries provide. Redfish, flounder, tarpon, jack crevalle, spanish mackerel and bluefish are common in the backwaters of Amelia Island. The backwaters are where many of the saltwater fly fishermen spend their time.
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Bass fishing is also an option with the St. Mary’s and Nassau rivers. Late January through May provides some of the best bass fishing with the spawn starting in January. Plastic worms, spinnerbaits, topwater plugs and most other common bass fishing lures will work well in the rivers.
For more information on visiting the Amelia Island area, take a look at our tourism links below.
An Introduction to Surf Fishing
- With a minimum of effort and expense, anyone can catch a fish from the beach. Start with a few rigs, some bait and a rod and reel. If you do not have the necessary items, start with a visit to your favorite tackle shop. Most tackle shops on the Outer Banks sell balanced rod and reel combinations in a variety of lengths and weights. There’s no single rod and reel that will be perfect for spring, summer, and fall fishing, but eight to nine feet is a versatile rod length, and a good starter outfit. Look for a rod that is not too soft, with too much flex in the tip, one that will handle up to four ounces of weight to hold a rig on the bottom.
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Most of the time you will be fishing with pieces of natural bait such as bloodworms, squid, shrimp, or mullet and two hook bottom rigs. They are versatile and good for several species of small fish, and afford the opportunity to change hook sizes, styles and sinkers easily, to suit the species of fish, and conditions of the ocean. Some shops sell them with the hooks and sinkers already attached.
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“Fireball rigs” are specialized bottom rigs. They may have one or two hooks, with a brightly colored float fixed just in front of the hook. They’re good for bluefish, but anything will bite them.
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Baits are very seasonal, and I strongly suggest that you ask the local tackle shop people for a recommendation. Keep your bait fresh and out of the sun, in a cooler or refrigerator. Like their human counterparts, fish like to eat things that look good and smell fresh.
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Each bait has a special method of preparation. Bloodworms are cut into small pieces. Mullet can be filleted and cut into chunks or strips. Squid works best when cut into thin, wedge shaped pieces that imitate a swimming bait fish in the current. Mole crabs, or sand fleas, are small crustaceans that burrow into the sand between the low tide and high tide marks, and are an effective, low budget bait for several species. Hook them from their underside up through the top shell.
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It’s also a good idea to take a few artificial lures to the beach. Occasionally fish will school up and feed very actively right in the surf. This is especially true of bluefish, striped bass, or Spanish mackerel, particularly early and late in the day. Lures need to be cast out and retrieved, and when retrieved, look like a harried bait fish swimming away from the predator. If you have to pick one or two lures, choose something that is shiny and heavy enough to cast.
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When you buy one, buy a spare. The worst thing imaginable is to have fish all around you in a feeding frenzy, and hear the line break with a sickening “POW!”, as you watch your only lure sail off on a world record cast. Some handy accessories are a knife, a pair of pliers, and a rag. If I am walking over to the beach and not driving, I carry a five gallon plastic bucket. Hook your rigs and lures around the top, put your knife, bait, a few pieces of ice and a cold drink or two in the bottom, and use it to carry off your fish.
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One other item you don’t want to be without is a sand spike, a piece of PVC pipe that is shoved down into the sand. The butt of your fishing rod is inserted into the pipe. Never lay the rod and reel down in the sand. Sand gravitates to every crack and crevice of a fishing reel like steel to a magnet, and can wreck a reel in a heartbeat.
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After a day’s fishing, a gentle freshwater wash down of the rod and reel will minimize salt corrosion. Spray the reel and rod guides with a moisture displacer, and wipe off the excess with a rag.
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Some folks may miss out on the fun of surf fishing because they don’t know where or how to begin, and may be slightly intimidated by the salty looking veterans that can cast a country mile. Those folks have honed their skills through years of practice and catch fish from the beach when rookies come up empty. Don’t crowd them, they have paid their dues, and earn what they catch, but don’t be afraid to get out there and give it a try.
Article By:
Joe Malat’s Outer Banks Surf Fishing Adventures
Summer Surf Fishing Strategies
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Traditionally, summer surf fishing has taken a back seat to the cooler months of spring and fall. Those are better seasons to fish from the beach, both in quantity and quality of fish. But there are fish to be caught during the dog days, but success in the summer surf requires a different strategy. I rarely compare fish to people, but sometimes the two are amazingly alike, especially when it comes to feeding habits of both creatures. When the thermometer brushes the ninety-degree mark and the wind has been blowing warm and thick from the southwest for a few days I feel lethargic, lose my appetite and don’t care to spend much time out in the mid-day sun. I think my slippery, scaly cousins are similar.
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Fish may bite during all hours of the day, but many species prefer to feed more actively very early in the morning and again at then end of the day. This is especially true for bluefish and Spanish mackerel. On many a summer morning surf and pier anglers will enjoy some red-hot action for small blues and Spanish macks for about an hour, from first light until the sun is full in the sky. Then, as though a magic switch was thrown, the bite stops, and the fish move further offshore to the cool retreat of deeper water.
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Probably the most important summer strategy you can adopt is to fish early in the morning, and I’m not talking about catching the first hour of the Today Show on TV while sipping coffee, then easing over to the beach. Grab that first cup on the run, and be standing in the surf before first light, rod at the ready.
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As the sun starts to lighten the eastern sky, look for signs of feeding fish: swirls on top of the water, showering baitfish, and fish that are jumping completely out of the water. When the fish are feeding, a small artificial lure such as a 1/2 or 3/4-ounce Hopkins Shorty jig or small Stingsilver, on a light weight 7-foot rod and 10-pound test line will provide some thrills. Avoid heavy wire leaders; use a short piece of 20-pound monofilament, and you will get more bites. If the fish staged an early morning foray, I suggest returning to the same place at sunset to catch the encore.
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Take advantage of the calm summer surf and lighten up on your tackle. Light winds and small waves provide a perfect opportunity to break out the small stuff, like the outfit I just described. If fishing with bait is your forte, scale down your bottom rigs with light wire hooks in the #4 to #6 size range. Even with small hooks, I prefer those with a long shank to make it easier to unhook the fish. Instead of using the typical pyramid surf weight, try a round or flat “pancake” weight, to allow your rig to move slightly with the current and cover more territory.
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Small bits of bloodworm, shrimp, or squid are good summer baits. Use small hooks and fish those baits in the holes and sloughs that can be reached with a short cast.. Be sure to explore the “drop,” right at the edge of the sand where waves break on the beach. Sea mullet, spot, pompano, and flounder frequently prowl this zone, looking for an easy meal.
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During the summer, the night can be just right. The beach is a quieter place without swimmers and several species of fish may come in close to shore to feed, especially if the water is very clear. Bait is probably your best bet and the same selection of rigs and bait that work during the day will produce after the sun sets.
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One final suggestion involves networking with your favorite local tackle shop. If you’re visiting for a short time, pay a visit to that shop when you arrive, and get the latest fishing scoop. These folks know what’s hot, and will point you in the right direction. Fish where they suggest, with the baits or lures they recommend, adopt a few of the above summer surf strategies and your chances for hot weather success will increase.
Article By:
Joe Malat’s Outer Banks Surf Fishing Adventures
