By:Â Capt Roan zumFelde
Summer has been thrust upon us. Water levels in the canals off 75 have been rising and the fishing slowing down a bit. Warm water and slow-moving fish will necessitate you slowing down your presentations a bit. Smaller poppers and wiggle minnows should still work but you might have to start targeting deeper fish off the drop-offs or deeper waters of the lakes and canals and creeks in South Florida. Dust off the weighted flies and go a little deeper for the larger fish.
The Everglades Canals are starting to slow down on the catch rates. May was still good but now that the heat and rains of June are here things might start getting a little tougher to find 100 fish days. When the water levels rise, I like to target the canals that are less affected by higher water like Interceptor and the Miami. The Golden Gate System can be pretty good as the waters rise and water is pushed over the damns. Another great canal that has a lot of fish in it and can be very good this time of the year is the Faka Union Canal out of Port of The Islands. When the waters start to run over the damn from the freshwater or north side, the small tarpon and Snook really gang up early in the morning and late in the evening on the south Side. Boaters can put in on either side of the dam and fish south in the salt water of go up to the gun range Ramp and fish the Big T on the north side, don’t forget the bug spray!
Snook will be on most of our beaches this month and with some delicate presentations and light leaders and stealthy approaches you just my get one to eat. This scenario has gotten a lot tougher these days with the added pressure of more people throwing more stuff at these critters. My tips are to downsize go lighter on your leaders and for fly fisherman you might have to go to a longer leader like a 12-footer and some smaller flies even as small as crazy charlies and gotcha type bonefish flies. Smaller clousers and baitfish patterns should work also if you create a stealthy approach and try not to let them see you. Any beach structure is also a good bet, like rock jetties, pilings, trees or stumps, and down and rock edges.
Come visit Mike and I at Mike’s Bait house and Indian Pass Outfitters on Danford Street, next to Bayview Park in Naples and let’s talk fishing. We carry a full line of tackle including fly fishing and both saltwater and freshwater gear, food, drink, and bait.