by Capt Roan zumFelde
I cannot say much bad about October in South West Florida; one of the greatest months for fishing both in the saltwater and the freshwater.
We all dodged a big bad storm in September my heart goes out to the northern Bahamas-had many great experiences fishing there. They are a resilient bunch and I am sure they will rebuild better than before. Hopefully the rest of our hurricane season will be quiet and we can just think about our next fishing adventure.
Lake Trafford fishing has been pretty decent for bass, mostly flipping and pitching. I would expect that to continue and if we get some cooler nights and days, the bite should be pretty good on top water also.
Lake Okeechobee Dodged a huge bullet with Dorian last month; that was a close call. It could of went really bad and dikes could have breached. There would have been no way to stop the water and the lake would have turned into one big marsh, along with a humanitarian and ecological disaster to the south. Anyhow, fishing has been pretty good out there- water levels have been kept in a good range and lots of bass being caught with this month’s cooling temperatures and as long as there are no storms, it should be an epic October on the Big O.
The Everglades Canals are still going to be having issues with high water, but some canals like The Miami and L28 (access point Hwy 41) should start picking up this month. You will always catch some bass and cichlids using small plastic worms rigged Texas style, so you can cast or pitch them into the deeper cover. Fly fishing these canals should get a little better, especially if our night time temps start to decrease. I would still suggest early or late afternoons. If there is a good amount of water flowing over the earthen dams on L28, then the peacocks should gang up at the mouths of each. Small jigs and Clouser Minnow type flies, cast up close to the water runoff and worked into the deeper water should catch them pretty well.
Come visit Mike and me at Mike’s Bait House and Indian Pass Outfitters on Danford Street, next to Bayview Park in Naples and we can talk fishing. We carry a full line of tackle including: fly fishing needs and both saltwater and freshwater gear, food, drink, and bait. Thanks and good fishing. Roan z If you want to contact Capt. Roan z for a freshwater fishing trip or ask any fishing questions he can be contacted at the Shop 239-775-2248 or cell number 239-269-4426. Check the Web Site www.indianpassoutfitters.com and www.mikesbaithouse.com