# Flamingo Trip



## ek02 (May 8, 2012)

The road to Flamingo opened Saturday, Oct. 7th. My son and I fished Flamingo today, Monday Oct. 9th. The damage from Irma is evident when you get past West Lake. Lots of trees down and a lot of salt water from Florida Bay on the south side of the road. We launched on the Buttonwood canal ramp and ran all the way to the Shark River, passing the recycling bin from the marina store a few miles up the canal. A lot of markers are down in Whitewater Bay. The Snook fishing was very good at the mouths of the rivers. We caught 15 slot size fish and another 5 smaller fish. Snook fishing is always good for several weeks after a hurricane. We did not find one Redfish anywhere. We fished south down the coast and then went through Lake Ingram. The markers are almost all there. Then we ran east to Snake Bight. The back of Snake Bight channel is no longer a channel. The storm dumped a ton of mud in there. There was not a lot of debris in the water in our 70 mile trip. The Marina store and rest rooms are pretty much trashed, but the ramps are fine. Lots of mud everywhere around the parking and ramp areas. It will take months to get Flamingo back in shape, but in the meantime, the ramps are all usable.


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## manny2376 (Mar 15, 2007)

ek02 said:


> The road to Flamingo opened Saturday, Oct. 7th. My son and I fished Flamingo today, Monday Oct. 9th. The damage from Irma is evident when you get past West Lake. Lots of trees down and a lot of salt water from Florida Bay on the south side of the road. We launched on the Buttonwood canal ramp and ran all the way to the Shark River, passing the recycling bin from the marina store a few miles up the canal. A lot of markers are down in Whitewater Bay. The Snook fishing was very good at the mouths of the rivers. We caught 15 slot size fish and another 5 smaller fish. Snook fishing is always good for several weeks after a hurricane. We did not find one Redfish anywhere. We fished south down the coast and then went through Lake Ingram. The markers are almost all there. Then we ran east to Snake Bight. The back of Snake Bight channel is no longer a channel. The storm dumped a ton of mud in there. There was not a lot of debris in the water in our 70 mile trip. The Marina store and rest rooms are pretty much trashed, but the ramps are fine. Lots of mud everywhere around the parking and ramp areas. It will take months to get Flamingo back in shape, but in the meantime, the ramps are all usable.


 Curious as to what you said about snake bight channel. How far back were able to go? I’m headed out Wednesday morning.


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## ek02 (May 8, 2012)

The channel is filled in at the very back about even with the point on the left side of the bite. There is a pole and troll sign there. The last two runoffs were on the right of the sign.


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## mwong61 (Jul 28, 2013)

ek02 said:


> The road to Flamingo opened Saturday, Oct. 7th. My son and I fished Flamingo today, Monday Oct. 9th. The damage from Irma is evident when you get past West Lake. Lots of trees down and a lot of salt water from Florida Bay on the south side of the road. We launched on the Buttonwood canal ramp and ran all the way to the Shark River, passing the recycling bin from the marina store a few miles up the canal. A lot of markers are down in Whitewater Bay. The Snook fishing was very good at the mouths of the rivers. We caught 15 slot size fish and another 5 smaller fish. Snook fishing is always good for several weeks after a hurricane. We did not find one Redfish anywhere. We fished south down the coast and then went through Lake Ingram. The markers are almost all there. Then we ran east to Snake Bight. The back of Snake Bight channel is no longer a channel. The storm dumped a ton of mud in there. There was not a lot of debris in the water in our 70 mile trip. The Marina store and rest rooms are pretty much trashed, but the ramps are fine. Lots of mud everywhere around the parking and ramp areas. It will take months to get Flamingo back in shape, but in the meantime, the ramps are all usable.


What were you fishing in? We probably saw you at the ramp. We were fishing with Capt. Bob Lemay on Monday. Our experience was similar. Lots of markers down, very high water, ran over 70 miles, good snook action but did not find any tarpon.


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## ek02 (May 8, 2012)

Bob was already gone when we arrived at the ramp. We were in a Super Skiff. We saw you guys at the mouth of the Shark River at Ponce Bay. The Snook were stacked up everywhere we fished in that area. Almost looks like the same fish, doesn't it?


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

I ran the inside on Sunday and found the same thing- lots of hungry snook but no redfish. Looked for tarpon at first light with perfect conditions and nada!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Mike, great report - and I'll let your report (and photo) stand. Of course the very next day a buddy of mine found big tarpon south of the Shark (which figures...). I'll be down that way again..... For those that missed it, every chickee we looked at in the interior was in good shape - the only exception was the Oyster Bay chickee which needs new roof panels. I have no idea when the Park will get around to doing anything about the campsites (I figure they've got enough to do around Flamingo first...). It's just plain nice to have both Flamingo and Chokoloskee open and in good shape (as far as the waters go...). For those not finding any reds out of Flamingo -there were a bunch of them out of Chokoloskee around outside islands and points after the storm.... I actually left them biting (tossing leadheads with Gulp tails) on my last scouting trip to the south out of Rabbit Key Pass...


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

Funny you mention that about reds Bob, I spent all day on Monday between rabbit key pass and Chatham on the outside and zero reds. WAter was nasty and very high with some weird surge in the water. Of course we were throwing flies tho so not as effective as gulps. But still, didn't even see any. Lots of snook though.


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## ek02 (May 8, 2012)

Fished Chokoloskee Saturday. Lots of Red Fish. Got 10 in the mid 20" range and 20 or so rats. Only one Snook, 32". The Reds were schooled only in one spot. Not many fish anywhere else.


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