# Winter Trip To South Florida



## Charlie Pfefferle (1 mo ago)

Wondering if I could get some advice about winter fishing in Southern Florida. Planning a trip down there around late December to early January. Specifically looking for information about the Flamingo area during this time. Wanting to fish Whitewater for big tarpon and hoping the weather will be good enough (I hear water temps above 70 they’ll be there). If the weather does not corporate, will there be snook and redfish available? Also, very flexible so if Flamingo is not ideal the Keys is also an option. Would the keys be a better option during this time? Any info/thoughts would help, thanks.


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

Reach out to Capt. @lemaymiami. He’s got a pretty good idea what goes down..


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

It’s all really weather dependent. At the moment the long term forecast is showing cold during then. 

70 degrees is cold for tarpon. Closer to 80 if you want them functioning


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## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

I believe Capt Lemay favors the tarpon “second season” which usually occurs in October. The magic water temp in Whitewater Bay is around 75-degrees. The big girls come inside and are happy. I agree with the previous comment, 70-degreewater temps and the tarpon aren’t happy.

As far as a January trip….I’ve had great trips at that time….and struck out on other January trips. It’s a crapshoot. Watch the weather and avoid the cold fronts.

PS….I don’t particularly like winter in the Keys….I think you have more options in ENP (snook, juvie tarpon, redfish).

Your mileage may vary.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

You have to fish around the fronts that time of year. The most tarpon I have ever seen around Flamingo was in January.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If you're flexible that time of year can be great... Here's what you're looking at. Just after Christmas our usual weather is cold... and you can expect a cold front every seven to ten days pushing down this way. Bad weather as each front approaches then clear skies - and wind... The interior of the 'glades offers lots of opportunities then - but I've rarely found water warm enough for the big tarpon in January (and if water temps are cold you just won't see any big tarpon). A mild spell for a week or so and they'll come back inside like magic but in January I'd be surprised... That cold weather though can provide some great sight fishing for reds and snook up inside (places that are shallow with dark mud bottom, that are also sheltered from the wind -just warn up quicker than anywhere else and between 9 and 10 Am each morning fish are drawn up into those shallows..). Lots of speckled trout around then as well. Rivers will hold both gag and goliath grouper (but it's closed season then for gags and the goliaths are still protected..). Offshore a bit, shallow wrecks and boundary markers will hold cobia (if the wind is down and you can venture out a bit..). It's also this time of year that crab trap floats hold lots of triple tail...This month might be the best month for cobia in the Park -and the spanish mackeral fishing west of Florida Bay should still be going strong then as well. I haven't mentioned Florida Bay but January can be outstanding up on top of very shallow flats (like the interior as the shallows warm up fish flood up into those areas to feed.... reds, snook, trout, etc.

On the freshwater side of things the peacocks have been solid day after day in many of our local canals... They are a great bet on days when the weather isn't very good since the canals aren't nearly as bothered by wind as other places...

I've just provided a sketch of what's happening inshore that time of year - but offshore in January can be as good as it gets for sailfish, king mackeral, and fishing wrecks up and down the coast all the way down to Key West.. Wherever you are down here in January there are great opportunities for any visiting angler - but be flexible - trying to fish for big tarpon in cold weather will be nothing but frustration... unless.. there's some shrimp moving and you fish around ocean inlets, docklights or bridge shadows at night - but that's just one more possibility... The night scene... will have us fishing within sight of downtown Miami and all of Miami Beach. Nothing to brag about during the day - at night though it's a different story on a falling tide. I was first introduced to it... in 1972..

For anyone wanting a brochure about what I offer... an email request to [email protected] will get you one by return mail...

ps... there have been lots of big tarpon in the interior right now... but a cold night or two and they'll be gone again... If we have a mile winter the big fish will flood up inside - for the big fish it's all about water temperature...


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## Charlie Pfefferle (1 mo ago)

Thanks, looks like big tarpon won’t be an option. However, sounds like the time in Flamingo will still pay off with the snook and redfish. Also, curious if anybody knows about the bonefish and permit fishing during this time? Would love to try, if I end up with some time to do it.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Bonefish don't like dark waters - so you'll hardly ever find one near Flamingo... However down toward Islamorada and along all the Keys (both oceanside and bayside) as well as the big banks along the western edges of Florida Bay (Nine Mile Bank, and all the Keys down that way you can find bonefish. For a first timer, though.. your best bet is a guide in the Keys that specializes in bones, permit, etc.... Good luck - I quit bonefishing entirely more than ten or twelve years ago and retreated back into the Everglades -- -and haven't regretted it one bit...


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## Charlie Pfefferle (1 mo ago)

Okay thanks should have been more clear, definitely not expecting to see bonefish in the backcountry 😂. Do you think the upper, mid, or lower keys would be the best during this time?


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