Fishing Report – 9/17/2010
We could feel the effects of Hurricane Karl this week as it passed far to our south with a couple days of dry and windy weather. On Wednesday I fished with Dr. Carl Angstrom here in the 10,000 Islands. The east wind was relentless and had us looking for lees protected by the mangroves. We found a few tarpon in the first bay we fished but the fish were spread out and sporadic in revealing themselves.
Our second stop was a small bay down towards Everglades City on the outgoing tide. We poled the lee edges and spotted a few small snook in very shallow water and had a great redfish follow the fly but would not eat. On our way out we found about twenty tarpon at the mouth of a small creek in the fifteen to twenty pound range rolling and feeding. On the third cast one of these fish ate and the fun began as it headed up the creek jumping and crashing through the mangroves on the side of the creek. No way were we going to land this fish with the current ripping and snags all over. Through teamwork and sheer luck we brought a fifteen pound fish to the boat and to top it off, on a size 2 fly and 7 weight rod.
We are seeing more snook and redfish along with good numbers of baitfish on the shores and in the gulf. Keep an eye out for birds and bait and you will find schools of mackerel crashing in the passes and out in the Gulf. These are great fun on a fly when the backcountry slows down.
We will keep you posted,
Capt. Bill Baldus
