Deep South FL fishing. Dade/ Broward County

[evrgladesbasser]

Hello to all my fellow South Florida fisherman. I am wondering how fishing has been for everybody in the deep south. For me, the bite has slowed down over the last month, however it is still there. I do 99.9% of my fishing in the everglades(Broward County area). At this point a normal day of fishing for me (6am-12noon) will produce 10-20 fish. Most range from 1lb-3lb and that seems to be the norm for me. My biggest this year was 4.5lb. I'm dying to break that 5lb mark and I know they are down here because I've seen pics posted by local members (like Capt Shane) that verify it.

I would like to know how you guys are doing, average size, biggest this year, and where you are fishing.

Peace guys and if anyone is up for some glades fishing let me know.............

[SirSnookalot]

Haven't caught a bass in 3 weeks, not really putting too much effort with the heat, gnats and slow bite.

I'm staying busy enough with my snook and tarpon, that being said the incoming tide bite has been terrible so far ( not much bait) but the outgoing tide has been satisfactory.  Just been too busy to get up to Hobe Sound, fish are on fire up there.

[Catching]

Might want to change your tactics and fish the evenings instead of the morning's, did some bank fishing with my daughter yesterday evening and from 7-8 we caught three nice fish 2-3 pounds and I missed a hog 7+ around 7:45. We were using big worms, she was letting it sink and I was working the deep edge of the weeds on the surface. She was killing me and just about every cast she had a bite but she is still learning how to set the hook. I missed six but I think they were smaller fish. With the full moon the big girls have been feeding at night and are full by morning

[I.rar]

the bite has slowed down for me as well (check my other thread in this section). i was killin em on trick sticks and other plastics up untill recently.

average for the lake i frequent the most is around 1-2 lbs. not big by any means but there are some 2-3's in there. the peacocks have gotten bigger though.

biggest of the year and my PB was a few months ago in plantation at tree tops park. the park is strictly catch and release as far as i know. there are some pretty healthy fish in there. caught em on fluke jr's , taper tails and trick sticks.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Went out earlier this morning and had two dinks on a new frog.  That was it.

[Shane Procell]

In the summer I like to find areas that have little to no pressure on them. I know thats hard to due for most of us in south Florida, but very doable.

Some folks say scale down on the size of the bait, work slower.....I say scale down on the size of the boat and work tighter. Try getting into areas that the bass boat will not go. Use google earth to find the remote and hard to get places. I know thats not doable for most, but the lesser known and out of the way areas can be highly productive in the summer.

Another strategy is to try some night trips.

[salmicropterus]

In the summer I like to find areas that have little to no pressure on them. I know thats hard to due for most of us in south Florida, but very doable.

Some folks say scale down on the size of the bait, work slower.....I say scale down on the size of the boat and work tighter. Try getting into areas that the bass boat will not go. Use google earth to find the remote and hard to get places. I know thats not doable for most, but the lesser known and out of the way areas can be highly productive in the summer.

Another strategy is to try some night trips.

That is so true. A guide friend of mine who I fun fish with acquired a Gheenoe (not sure I'm spelling this right) but it's essentially a cross between a canoe and a john boat has a good flat stern for a small motor. It can pretty much be launched anywhere and can pretty much go anywhere. We have gone into some areas in the Glades where no bass boat could ever go and have just beat up on dumb fish who may have never seen a lure. It's been a blast.

[evrgladesbasser]

Whats the latest guys?

I fished Lox last week and caught about 8 fish ranging from 1-2.5lb.

Fished the Holeylands on Tuesday and caught 5 dinks in four hours fishing.

Is anybody catching anything of size???

Or are we doomed til the temps drop.... Are the fish losing weight from the summer heat or is it just me?

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I'm hopefully heading out to one of the mostly unfished areas around here in the morning. Heres to hoping. It's been dink city lately.

[piscicidal]

I haven't got out too much lately...been crushed at work. The times I have gotten out, I've had better luck in the late afternoons.  For me, the vertical presentations (weightless jerkbaits, jigs, flippin) are working better than the faster horizontal methods (frogs, swimbaits, worms, etc).  The only decent fish I've got lately have been sitting down tight, deep in the slop. I'm going to try and get out and do some flippin in the canals this weekend...see if I can't scrounge up something big.

I haven't caught a five lber in about six weeks, and I'm startin to get a little anxious...

[GLADES]

The last time i went fishing was a couple of weeks ago at the Miami canal off of alligator alley with southfloridabassaddict. We caught mostly 1-3 lb bass using trick worms in the late afternoon. Work has been busy, so I have not had a lot of time to go out. I would bet that night fishing during a full moon would be decent. I tried that a couple of times and had a blast. You really need all of your senses working to compensate for the reduced visual. The skeeters are brutal though. I am looking forward to more free time for fishing starting in October. Should be starting to cool off too.

[SoFl-native]

Whats the latest guys?

I fished Lox last week and caught about 8 fish ranging from 1-2.5lb.

Fished the Holeylands on Tuesday and caught 5 dinks in four hours fishing.

Is anybody catching anything of size???

Or are we doomed til the temps drop.... Are the fish losing weight from the summer heat or is it just me?

Look for shade. every decent fish i have caught recently has been in a mat or closely related to it.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Went out this morning and crushed them.  Caught probably 50 or 60 fish in about four and a half hours.  Only got one strike on a frog.  I got out just after sunrise unfortunately.  Most of the fish I found on a big flat using a t-rigged worm.  Had to work it pretty quickly to get a strike.  Picked up a few more on a Houdini Dipper weightless and pulled out of some grass.  Once the sun got up, I started flipping some pads, mats, and bullrush.  Larger fish all came flipping a Sprayed Grass Sweet Beaver.  Half ounce tungsten with a 5/0 snelled Octopus hook.  Had a few threes and one that was probably close to four.  Nothing to really write home about.  I left once the heat started getting pretty bad.  There was no wind in the areas I was fishing and it got unbearable.  I actually ended up with a mild case of heat stroke, my head is killing me right now.  Was not fun dragging my Jon back across the street into my lake to get home when my little dolly decided to break.  That was after I snapped my transom mounted TM bracket.  Hopefully some good epoxy and tie wraps will fix that....

[evrgladesbasser]

Dang SoFla, not sure if you had a good day or a bad day??

I know it's been a few months since I had a day that productive though..

I'm thinking a night trip might be in order at this point. Maybe Sunday night, I'll let you guys know if I have any luck

[SoFlaBassAddict]

It was fun, but I would have liked to had some larger fish bite.  Having stuff break kind of stinks.  My TM is in the garage with the epoxy curing.  I mean I don't "need" it.  But it makes it far easier to launch the boat and bring it back with a motor in the back.  Could have been worse, the boat didn't sink or anything.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Went out again this morning.  Not nearly as successful as yesterday.  Every fish came on a Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm in Watermelon Seed.  Fish were all holding on deeper edges next to some of the bulrush, about the same quality as yesterday, but not nearly the quantity.  I did lose a larger fish that jumped next to the boat though.  Probably was a four or five pounder going by the size of the head.

[salmicropterus]

Haven't been out much-going to Clewiston in the AM and I haven't been up there for awhile either. Did go to the Miami Canal a few weeks ago on the HP side and expecting nothing but had a pleasant surprise with 40 or so ranging up to 3-1/2.

[evrgladesbasser]

Went out again this morning. Not nearly as successful as yesterday. Every fish came on a Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm in Watermelon Seed. Fish were all holding on deeper edges next to some of the bulrush, about the same quality as yesterday, but not nearly the quantity. I did lose a larger fish that jumped next to the boat though. Probably was a four or five pounder going by the size of the head.

Heat stroke one day............ back fishing the next, you have a problem my friend 

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Well I did say it was mild....

Kids go back to school on Monday, my birthday on Sunday, I'm getting in as much fishing this week as possible.  Actually have to start working again next week.  Weekday trips might not happen as often for a while.

[I.rar]

Well I did say it was mild....

Kids go back to school on Monday, my birthday on Sunday, I'm getting in as much fishing this week as possible. Actually have to start working again next week. Weekday trips might not happen as often for a while.

happy b-day.  8-)

[piscicidal]

Any recent reports?

I have been out four times the past two weeks.   Have done OK at Lox. Last three trips have resulted in about 40 fish...probly a dozen fish over 3lbs with a  couple 5s. Every fish caught flipping. Last week, I fished Luke's night owl tourney at the Alley. My first time fishing that one...those guys don't play around!  We caught our share of fish, but you better stick a couple toads to have a chance in that one. Didn't happen for us this week...

My work has settled down a little bit. I'm gonna try Okeechobee/Istopoga this week...

[evrgladesbasser]

I have fished Holeylands and Sawgrass over the past 2 weeks. Bite has still been slow at both. Holeylands have been doing some very heavy pumping making fishing even harder. I am still catching decent numbers but nothing of size to report. Biggest in last two weeks was maybe 2.5lbs. Haven't heard much better reports from anyone else fishing my areas.....

[Catching]

Fished Sawgrass this morning both flats and East canal without a bite. I have never seen the water so high. We were able to go in the flats on the west canal and come out the east side with some spots on the flats over six feet deep.

[evrgladesbasser]

Fished Sawgrass this morning both flats and East canal without a bite. I have never seen the water so high. We were able to go in the flats on the west canal and come out the east side with some spots on the flats over six feet deep.

The water is very high right now, there has been a lot of pumping recently which I'm sure is making it worse. When the water gets that high it's nearly impossible to locate fish, they are literally spread out everywhere in the glades. I'll be avoiding Sawgrass and other areas that have as much access to the flats for a while. There are some canals with levees on both sides and limited flats access which to me would keep more fish in the canals and catchable areas.

The best place to fish right now has got to be residential lakes accessable with small boats only.

[GLADES]

Fished Sawgrass this morning both flats and East canal without a bite. I have never seen the water so high. We were able to go in the flats on the west canal and come out the east side with some spots on the flats over six feet deep.

The water is very high right now, there has been a lot of pumping recently which I'm sure is making it worse. When the water gets that high it's nearly impossible to locate fish, they are literally spread out everywhere in the glades. I'll be avoiding Sawgrass and other areas that have as much access to the flats for a while. There are some canals with levees on both sides and limited flats access which to me would keep more fish in the canals and catchable areas.

The best place to fish right now has got to be residential lakes accessable with small boats only.

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