[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e all have those times in our life when things just don’t go our way. Times when no matter what you do, the universe is seemingly working against you. In fishing, like life, there are highs and lows. Writers get writers block, artists lose inspiration, and fishermen get skunked.
I have just emerged from a brutal dry spell. Since I started fishing a little over a year ago, I would have an occasional day where I wouldn’t catch anything, but, I mostly fly fish and I accept that a bad day comes with the territory. However, I have just survived a six week saltwater fish void. Meaning I didn’t catch any inshore game fish for at least six weeks. And, it’s not for lack of trying. I fish at least once a week, usually two to three times a week. My fishing friends told me they were having a tough time too. The local storm water runoff and freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee can cause our inshore waters to become algae filled. A combination of excess nutrients, reduced salinity and seagrass die off has negative effects on our local fishing.
Having said that, I was at a point where I was questioning my skill, my karma, my relationship with Mother Nature. I was really fishing hard and going to my best spots, using my best flies and over and over I was rejected and sent home defeated.
Then one day when the wind was whipping and the lagoon was looking especially brown, I decided to try a little bass fishing. To my immense relief, I discovered that my skunk does not apply to freshwater fish. Halleluiah! I was back in business. Freshwater fishing is great if you don’t have a lot of time, for example, a lunch hour. The variety of fish you can find in local lakes, ponds, and canals are numerous. You still need a fishing license and its good to fish with a buddy since often these areas are somewhat secluded.
Largemouth bass are my favorite freshwater fish so far. They are explosive on top water poppers. You can also find fun little bream hanging in the same spots as bass and they put up a good fight for their size. I have also caught tilapia and mayan cichlids, both of which are non-native species. In canals throughout Dade and Broward counties I hear you can catch peacock bass, a beautiful fish I am eager to check off the list.
Freshwater fishing is a new frontier for me. There are at least 30 different species of fish in the lakes, ponds and canals in our area. It’s so much fun to see what new fish is on the end of my line. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, myfwc.com, is an excellent resource to find out what fish can be found near you and what fishing techniques are most effective.
Next time the big saltwater fish don’t show you any love remember there is a whole other freshwater world out there. Sometimes fishing success is nothing more than being in the right place at the right time.