Miami’s Urban River Monsters

Miami’s exotic freshwater fishery is one of the best kept angling secrets in the U.S. Until recently few people here even knew this resource existed in their own backyard. Thanks to shows like Chasing Monsters on Discovery Channel, and River Monsters on Animal Planet, there is a new awareness of the many exotic fish South Florida has to offer. Peacock bass, clown knife, snake heads, arowana, pacu, jaguar cichlids and red tail catfish are just a few of the unusual fish you can target here on one of our adventure charters. Sought after for their highly aggressive behavior, unmatched strength and bright colors, these fish have really made a name for themselves.  They have proven to be formidable opponents and a delight to chase by anglers not just here but worldwide.  If you have the opportunity to target them here in the United States, you should take a shot and knock some of these great fish off your bucket list.

You may save thousands of dollars by planning your fishing trip in Miami, rather than flying halfway around the world to target the same fish species.  You are probably wondering how freshwater fish have earned such a legendary reputation among die hard anglers.  All of these exotic fish have evolved from a less forgiving part of the world known as the Amazon Rainforest, thus giving them an attitude and ferociousness needed to survive in such a fierce environment. When you compare them to local fish, such as the largemouth bass, there is little comparison in terms of aggressiveness, coloration, and acrobatics.

The Peacock Bass was the trend setter and it all started back in the early 80’s.  Biologists with the help of other community leaders brought peacocks into Miami Dade to control the population of undesirable fish in our waters. Quickly they became top of the food chain and very desirable to locals. The word spread quickly and according to local anglers the Hilton Resort located on Blue Lagoon next to the Miami International Airport hosted the first ever fishing tournaments exclusively targeting peacock bass.  Their original plan was to make the area a fishing destination and offer tournaments to attract more guests to stay at their Miami Resort. This was a great success for not only the resort but also the local fishing charter community bringing in millions of dollars in revenue annually.

The Achilles heel that keeps this all a South Florida secret, is the fact that these fish have no tolerance for cold weather.  They are limited to South Florida’s warmer regions due to their inability to survive temperatures cooler than sixty degrees for any prolonged period of time. This limits how far north they can migrate without being killed off each winter by the cooler waters of our bordering counties. South Florida’s year-round tropical conditions and water temps best matched those seen in their natural habitats, making Miami the Mecca in the United States for targeting these exotics.

This trend would lead to many more exotics being released into our waters over the years not by Biologists but by locals discarding pets or trying to add another new fish into the system.

Anglers travel here from far and wide to test their skills on one of these spectacular Urban-River-Monsters. Urban Legends Fishing Charters truly does our part to put our clients on a prized fish and have proven ourselves among one of the best fishing guide outfitters South Florida has to offer. With over 30 years of local fishing knowledge, we have the skill you are looking for to put you on several fish of a lifetime. If you are planning to bring the entire family, Miami has something to offer them as well including our world-famous South Beach, world class museums, historic attractions and year-round amazing weather. Let us turn your dream of catching one of these legendary exotics into reality.  Give us a call and become part of the Urban Legends Family today.

Website:  WWW.ULFISH.COM
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Call/ Text: (305) 998-3375