FLA ????'S

OK let say after a trip to Cancun in May you decided to drag your boat down to Fla some time between say June and August, trying not to go all the way down to the keys because will only have about 5 days, where do you go? and why? I have never fished there and am looking for ideas, reds, trout, snook, whatever? Thanks
Barry

Biscayne bay/miami.
Bonefish during the day and tarpon at night. You can stay in Miami in the off season pretty cheap. Look for deals in Coral Gables. Very nice area and the night life is second to none.
I have fished mosquito lagoon probably 10 times and the reds are as tough as bonefishing.
Chris.

Is the summer the off season in Miami? I have never been that far south in Fla. I am not afraid of tough fish but i will be a Fla fishing newbie so if it is worth driving a few more hours then hell yea! I am probably gonna be fishing pretty hard, a little nitelife is fine but i am kinda done with da clubz I bartended in Myrtle Beach’s larger clubs for a long time and really would prefer a case of naty Light on my boat to the latest club scene. This is kinda a in fish like hell and out kinda mission! Thanks i figured it would be mosquito lagoon/banana lagoon/indian river etc?

If it swims throw a fly at it!

id hit the keys (1st choice)
the goon is 5ish hrs and killer fishing. the trout there are the biggest anywhere. take it slow with the area at first, it can be tricky.
Tampa area has some good snook fishing and worth a look too (6hr)

www.flyfishingsc.com

OK so if ya wanted to stay in the 5-6 hour ride from Charleston do we think Tampa or the atlantic side? I will be in the keyes at some point I just wanna get a little Fla action next summer, kinda want to pole around and sight fish, totally wanna dock fish snook!

If it swims throw a fly at it!

Tampa would be closer to a 9 hour ride.(unless you drive like Mario Andretti). I used to live in Sarasota, and it’s a 10 hr. drive to Columbia.(that’s going 5mph over the speed limit)
Daytona-Titusville, 5 1/2-6 hrs. Great snook and redfishing.

Good luck where ever you go.

Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069

Thanks you happy Bob, I would like to chat with you about a removeable bow platform too! my email is bmurphy055@gmail.com
Thanks for the help!

If it swims throw a fly at it!

Thanks you happy Bob, I would like to chat with you about a removeable bow platform too! my email is bmurphy055@gmail.com
Thanks for the help!

If it swims throw a fly at it!

mountain guy, You have e-mail

Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069

Sight fishing reds in the IRL/ML is good but they can get real spooky depending on the fishing pressure. Snook are on down in the Banana River if you want some night dock fishing for them. I can give you a couple of spots to get started with if you end up fishing there. Stop in at The Fly Fisherman in Titusville if you need stuff.

“The good fisherman is surprised when he doesn’t catch fish: I am just the other way around.”
Gene Hill, Passing a Good Time.

get on the turnpike, and dont exit until homestead. keys/south biscayne just 4 more hrs south of titusville (mosquito lagoon/ indian river) and worth every extra second spent on road!!! will be off season down there, not many tourists, cheap lodging, plenty of hungry sportfish, its not called the sportfishing capital of the world by mistake!!

Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com

Well I realize it is only 4 hours to the keys but we will be travweling from up here in the mts of NC so I may have to put the keys off till the following year, the guy i bought my boat from lives in Orlamndo and recommended this sweet rental cottage that has a free slip/dock so you just walk out of the room and onto your boat it is located on mosquito lagoon, the dude that owns it is a guide and said July is a great month to fish there? Any of y’all fish that area before?

If it swims throw a fly at it!

I fished the central to south lagoon. The cottage is probably up north towards the back country.
If you go up that way, bring a gps. They say you can get lost up there quick.
Pay attention to the your maps. It is pretty difficult to navigate around all the flats your first time up there.
Oh yea, they don’t call it “mosquito” lagoon for nothing.
Chris.

Yea I figured that, I just got a new GPS on the boat and i love it, how was the fishing when you were there?

If it swims throw a fly at it!

You will see alot of fish. 100-200/ day. The vast majority are cruising or just laid up. They are the wisest fish out there. They get so much pressure, they will see your fly line in the air.
It is a beautiful place though.
The last time I was there, August, we had a school of about 100 reds but we could not get within 200’ of them. They would break apart and then come back together.
I think the south and north lagoon are the best. The central gets beat up pretty bad. The south has closures due to the shuttles and etc.
Chris.

quote:
Originally posted by nbk65bo

Biscayne bay/miami.
Bonefish during the day and tarpon at night. You can stay in Miami in the off season pretty cheap. Look for deals in Coral Gables. Very nice area and the night life is second to none.
I have fished mosquito lagoon probably 10 times and the reds are as tough as bonefishing.
Chris.


you can have a blast with this… pilchards on bikis before sunset, tarpon candy

I agree with Newman, go big or stay home. I know the reds are bigger in the Lagoon, but if I’m trailering to FLA I’m going way south. I like to stay in Homestead/FL City and fish Flamingo inside or outside, anything and everything can happen down there.

www.jasonstemple.com
www.charlestonstockphotography.com

OK so does anybody know some good places for inexpensive lodgin? we usually like to stay where there is a kitchen so we can cook and save $ on meals. I would love to be able to stay where we can leave the boat in the water but I know that may not be an option. I love the idea of the keyes but have never been and know nothing about it down there. Thanks

If it swims throw a fly at it!

the bluefin or key lantern in islamorada, both cheap (@$50/nite offseason), right “downtown”. cant leave boat in h2o, but there is a small unmarked ramp on bayside across street from green turtle rest. and sandy morets flyshop, and a larger ramp on indian key fill… take your beer and food down with you and save big… get a sunpass for turnpike, will save @$20 and an hour each way on turnpike, as you wont need to stop at each toll (saving tons of fuel in towing vehicle)

Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com

Capt Newman, I sent you an email, thanks for your help with this!

If it swims throw a fly at it!