# Fishing Report - Everglades City in November



## 6wt

New to fishing the islands around Everglades City down to Broad River, and fishing for shallow water species. Concentrating my efforts on fly fishing for reds and snook by targeting shorelines and mangroves on the rising and falling tides with a collection of flies including speed bugs, clousers, seaducers, and crab & shrimp patterns. At rising tide, targeting inshore mangrove shorelines, but not into any rivers, and islands away from the gulf. At falling tide, targeting the opposite areas. All areas with emphasis on current and structure.

How has the fishing been? Well, not stellar. Two weeks ago around the full moon went a few day without seeing but one fish for the day :-( let alone getting a bite or catching anything. Oh, that is not totally representative as the tripletail have been more than happy to salvage the day... This past week, I have seen lots of black drum. But only one to three redfish per day; as observed from the front casting platform sight fishing the shorelines. At first I was so excited "seeing" so many redfish; and casting to them. Nobody wanted to play. AKA, spooky skittish fish. Upon closer examination, a realization there is no spot(s) on the tail or back. Eventually I did catch "one" by changing my tactics to carp fishing techniques. BINGO! Just like carp. Fly of the day? Shrimp and crab patterns. As a side note, trout / ladyfish / jacks have come to hand during blind casting for variety.

Where are the redfish? Why am I not seeing redfish cruising the shorelines or feeding in the shallows?


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## lemaymiami

You've been seeing the same conditions that I have... All that's needed is a bit of cooler water and things will change pretty quickly... And tonight is the first temperature drop we've seen. It usually happens during the week of the World Series -but this year it just stayed warm for four additional weeks. By the way, when the outside is a desert look back inside the first inside bays and you may find a few fish. Hope this helps


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## 6wt

Unsuccessful posting a couple of pics at 700kb each. Will have to try another option


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## yobata

Post your pics to photobucket, copy and paste the link using the icon next to smiley face that looks like a mountain peak


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## 6wt

Out yesterday in the WIND... Took awhile to find a spot to fish. Finally found a lee side with water clarity and a failing tide to sight fish the shoreline. The usual black drum and a couple of small sharks. They really like the crab patterns. Two big drum appeared to be tussling in one spot so I cast my crab pattern into the middle of the muck they have stirred up. Then a new fish to the party shot out from the drop off; based on the forked tail and shape of the head appeared to be a small tarpon? Anyway, the competition caused the drum to snatch up my offering.

Thinking of going out today to try some grass flats for trout on the fly. Well, first I need to find the grass flats. Question: Am I looking for grass flats up against shoreline, ie. Rabbit Key Grasses, or flats more out towards the gulf in 3-6feet of water?


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## Backwater

6wt, today and probably for the next few days the winds will howl and I would just forget going out on the grass flats. You find grass flats between the far outer islands and heading south. Yes south side of Rabbit Key and south. Wait for a run of very calm days where the water clarity will get better and you will find them.

The cooler water will start to bring reds outside a little further. Especially on these windier days, try sight fishing on the lower side of the tides, on the east side or leeward side of the winds (when the winds are out from the west). The reds will cruise the shorelines on those lower tides when those falling tides push them out from under the trees. You have to be stealthy since they are "on edge" from not having that tree cover. I like throwing natural colored shrimp patterns, sliders, kwans, etc at them when the water is clear, but lead them a bit, don't ding them on the head. Small natural colored mullet patterns work for that as well too (like the pattern Capt Lemay just posted). I tie them about 2-3 inches using spun natural deer body hair, wider grizzly hackles out the back and over size red epoxy eyes (7mm). They work good since they push a lot of water even if the water is a little murky.

If the water is murked up, your gonna have to go with blacks, purple or chartreuse, depending how much sun is out or cloudy.

If the winds are out from the east for a few days, switch to the outside and hit the dead wood and fallen trees on the outside on higher tides. Especially if the water is a little clearer, I would throw white bait patterns, mullet patterns, sliders or gurglers.

On the inside, I would hit all the creek mouths, oyster bars and island points where water get's turbulent when it passes by. Most of these fish love areas where they can stage up and camp out in one place for a while and where the moving water brings bait to them (especially snook). So try to find those spots and work them, throwing up stream and working your fly down stream near the structure and cuts where they are laying and waiting for something to pass by.


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## lemaymiami

Very good advice!


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## Backwater

lemaymiami said:


> Very good advice!


Thanks Capt.!


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## 6wt

Finally a series of calm days. Tides are in my favor for departing and returning to port; as well as fishing the areas we have been discussing. Added a couple of flies to my arsenal as well. Thank you so much for the info. I have been reading and re-reading with charts in hand to plan my strategy prior to leaving port. Two days ago I did go out to explore at dawn. Found an outside island point with numerous participants wanting some exercise; jacks, trout, etc. Late that day just before returning late in the afternoon, I was fishing a narrow channel entrance/exit between two islands at a mid-high rising tide... a HUGE boil/splash occurred right beside the boat behind me. Scared the #%[email protected] out of me. I just knew it was in the boat with me. The boil was a good six feet across. Thanks again for the info. More updates to come.


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## Backwater

6wt said:


> Finally a series of calm days. Tides are in my favor for departing and returning to port; as well as fishing the areas we have been discussing. Added a couple of flies to my arsenal as well. Thank you so much for the info. I have been reading and re-reading with charts in hand to plan my strategy prior to leaving port. Two days ago I did go out to explore at dawn. Found an outside island point with numerous participants wanting some exercise; jacks, trout, etc. Late that day just before returning late in the afternoon, I was fishing a narrow channel entrance/exit between two islands at a mid-high rising tide... a HUGE boil/splash occurred right beside the boat behind me. Scared the #%[email protected] out of me. I just knew it was in the boat with me. The boil was a good six feet across. Thanks again for the info. More updates to come.


How long are you staying there? Or do you live close by?


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## Foreverglades93

6wt said:


> New to fishing the islands around Everglades City down to Broad River, and fishing for shallow water species. Concentrating my efforts on fly fishing for reds and snook by targeting shorelines and mangroves on the rising and falling tides with a collection of flies including speed bugs, clousers, seaducers, and crab & shrimp patterns. At rising tide, targeting inshore mangrove shorelines, but not into any rivers, and islands away from the gulf. At falling tide, targeting the opposite areas. All areas with emphasis on current and structure.
> 
> How has the fishing been? Well, not stellar. Two weeks ago around the full moon went a few day without seeing but one fish for the day :-( let alone getting a bite or catching anything. Oh, that is not totally representative as the tripletail have been more than happy to salvage the day... This past week, I have seen lots of black drum. But only one to three redfish per day; as observed from the front casting platform sight fishing the shorelines. At first I was so excited "seeing" so many redfish; and casting to them. Nobody wanted to play. AKA, spooky skittish fish. Upon closer examination, a realization there is no spot(s) on the tail or back. Eventually I did catch "one" by changing my tactics to carp fishing techniques. BINGO! Just like carp. Fly of the day? Shrimp and crab patterns. As a side note, trout / ladyfish / jacks have come to hand during blind casting for variety.
> 
> Where are the redfish? Why am I not seeing redfish cruising the shorelines or feeding in the shallows?


Well it's depends on how skinny you can get. I use google earth to find spots. The 2015 version of google earth was taken at high tide and you can utilize this to find high tide spots. If you want low tide spots, switch the year to 2013, and you can see the mud banks on the outskirts of the glades. At low tide, the reds seem to be out near the mud Banks away from the river mouths. I was there on 12/12 and 12/14 and there were tailing red everywhere. Got 6 on fly and even doubled up with my buddy on fly at the same time. Needless to say it was a great birthday. The fish are there, the key is to go from mud bank to mud bank at low tide until you find fish. Don't waste too much time at the same spot, if you pole a line for 15 minutes and don't see a fish, pick up and move 300 yards north or south until you find them. As for high tide, it seems to be similar. On an incoming tide, I notice the reds migrate towards the the shallows and mangrove islands of the river mouths. This is also beneficial because it's out of the wind And the visibility gets better. As for flies, think about what YOU have CAUGHT reds on previously. ( I always tie these new fly patterns expecting them to work and completely forget about the flies I've tied that actually catch fish on) Use what has worked for you In the past. Then tie 6 of those flies with bead eyes and then tie 6 of the same fly with lead eyes. I will try to attach a couple pictures of flies into this thread. Sounds like you're doing everything right as terms as shrimp and crab flies. The 3 main fish I see out there are black drum, reds, and fatazz sheepshead. Think what those fish eat, shrimp and crabs. Tight lines!


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## Foreverglades93

The top two are bead eye versions for reds. Idk what it is about the stripes, but it drives them crazy and they eat it 90%of the time. I think it's because it resembles a mud minnow and that is a snickers bar for a redfish. The bottom fly is for sheepshead and black drum (black drum use bigger hook). Anyway, I hope this helps. good luck out there


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## lemaymiami

Things are still a bit unusual along the Everglades coast.... with all the warm weather this season. Last Sunday out of Everglades City we made a point of hitting a grouper spot near a river mouth with perfect small ladyfish... Instead of grouper we jumped off two big snook - right where you'd find them in summer... the little one was around ten pounds -the big one was around 40 inches....


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