By: Capt. Greg Poland
The fishing both in the Backcountry and around Everglades City has been on fire lately and my clients have been catching everything from bonefish to sailfish. The live bait has been plentiful, now is the time to get out on the water, load up your live well, grab a fly rod, and have some fun!  I have been finding a lot of finger mullet and pilchards in and around the Flamingo areas. If you don’t find them close to your home, cruise on out a little further into the Backcountry, and just to be safe, carry various soft plastics which will work almost as good as the live bait if you are in the right spot. My personal preference is to use a 2-4ft piece of fluorocarbon just above the hook, fishing a 12-15lb spinning outfit on a 7ft rod in the Backcountry. if you are looking for any of this type of gear, check out your local bait and tackle shops as they have a great selection.
As the cold fronts start coming through one of my favorite species will start showing up and it will be game on for action packed fishing out on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, here are some tricks on how to fish out that way for spanish mackerel. You will need some light wire for your leader and either a 2/0 circle hook or a jig head on a light spin rod, the lighter the better so you will have more fun. Buy a few blocks of chum in case you need to move spots and load up on pilchards or live shrimp. I like to drag the chum in a circle to get the spot worked up then put down your trolling motor or anchor up current of your chum slick and start fishing. If you are a fly fisherman or always wanted to give it a try, this is a great time to do so, and after you catch a few on bait give the fly a try and use a fly with a bit of flash to it or a popper.
Wishing you all a prosperous and Happy New Year!