Alligator Alley (MM 35) 11/17 - Loxahatchee Preserve 11/18

[Turf]

11/17 - Alligator Alley MM35 (Miami Canal)

Got out to the alley again for the first time in a while and the weather couldn't have been more beautiful.  Only had a couple of hours to fish (6:30 - 8:30) and the temp started and stayed around the mid 60's.  Wind was blowing more than I wouldve liked (10 mph NNW) fishing from my kayak but it was just in the right direction to push me straight down the Miami Canal with little to no paddling.  The bite was steady from the beginning.  Started with a hb frog, then grass pig, then anything soft plastic.  All were effective with the exception of the grass pig.  Caught a couple early on the frog, and had several other blow ups that I missed. The grass pig was getting lightnight strikes (seemingly cichlids, Oscar's or other exotics) however nothing stuck.  Despite being pushed down the canal quicker than I would typically fish the soft plastics were the keys.  I fished everything from senkos, flukes, trick worms, rage crass, to some older worms I had laying around that I wasn't even sure what they are anymore.  It didn't seem to matter much honestly as long as I was casting to either bank and letting it drop, I would get hit more often than not.  There were lots of exotics that trashed a lot of plastics and toothy critters that cut me off a couple of times but in terms of boated fish I only caught nice Oscar.  On the day caught 15 LM all two pounds or smaller.  Nothing of size but a fun day nonetheless considering I was only able to fish for a couple of hours.  

 

11/18 - Lox Preserve

Fished Lox Sunday morning first light until 9am amd while the wind was very calm (<5mph) the bite was not nearly as consistent as the alley. Temp were in the high 60's lower 70's.  I fished the flats just north of the lox road boat ramps from the kayak.  Started with a hb frog and had a big blow up on the second cast.  But no reward. Continued with the hb frog for a while and no luck.  Switched to the grass pig swim bait also with no takers.  I switched fairly quickly to soft plastics (senkos and flukes) and fished much slower for the next hour or so and only had one bite which resulted in a 1 lber if that.  After switching back through the frog and swimbait again I decided to change it up and fish a ribbit frog with a quicker presentation on top. That seemed to do the trick, in the next 30-45 mins I caught 4 LM (all around 2 lbs) , 1 pickerel, and one big ole mudfish that jump up into my kayak and somehow released himself (so technically not caught, although he was in the kayak). At the end of the day not what I was hoping for in terms of size or number of fish but turned out to be a fun a day. Always fun trying to figure out what these guys want and how they want it each time out.   We will see what next weekend brings.  

[TnRiver46]

Sounds fun 

[soflabasser]

Must of been fun catching the chain pickerel and it is always a nice surprise for me when I catch them. The Everglades is the best place to catch them in South Florida. They remind me of the muskies I have caught up north and the barracudas I have caught in the ocean.

[Turf]

On 11/23/2018 at 7:45 PM, soflabasser said:

Must of been fun catching the chain pickerel and it is always a nice surprise for me when I catch them. The Everglades is the best place to catch them in South Florida. They remind me of the muskies I have caught up north and the barracudas I have caught in the ocean.

Yes sir.  I stumble on chains every now and again and it’s always a pleasant surprise.  I grew up fishing in eastern PA so I’m quite fond on pike/musky fishing as well.  All good in my book!