Everglades Fishing

[Andres]

For those of you that fish the Everglades, what is your biggest bass? What baits have worked for you? I have recently had success with a black and blue jig with a blue laminate rage craw.

[geo g]

There are certainly big bass in the everglades.  My personal best was an 11.4 over 20 years ago.  One thing to consider when taking about the everglades is the million of acres goes through flood to drought periods.  The bass love to go into the thick flats that are full of frogs, bugs, snakes, little gators, nesting birds with young to eat.  During drought periods some don't get out of the shallows and become gator and turtle food.  This culls the size of some big ones that don't make it to pools, and canals with deep water. 

 

This also sets up a bonanza of fishing where 200-300 bass a day is clearly possible over a wide range of deep water pools, and canals.  We haven't had a real drought period for several years because of winter rains, and the draining of Lake Okeechobee by the Corp.  Catching can be beyond belief, during low water levels.

[gnappi]

The closest I get to the glades nowadays is the Sawgrass / West Boca, West Delray delineation of the glades. For me there's just no reason to travel so far any more as the bass where I fish are just as plentiful. Sure I know of guys that get REALLY big fish there, but they're far fewer than my 5 pounders :-) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[soflabasser]

The Everglades does have plenty of quality sized bass but it is more well known as a numbers fishery and might be the best place in the nation to catch +100 bass in 1 day. Hollow belly frogs, spinnerbaits, and various soft plastics are some of the lures I do well with.

[frogflogger]

Caught a 4# on a frog on christmas day one year.

[frogflogger]

Saw some dd's - clients and friends - myself 8 1/2 lbs

Best day, 3 over 7 on consecutive casts on a frog -