Many anglers will agree that fly fishing is at the pinnacle of the sport. Most saltwater fishermen and women didn’t start their fishing “careers” with a fly rod. Saltwater fly fishing is usually something that people progress into from conventional tackle, and they don’t do it to simply catch more fish. Lets face it, fly fishing is tricky, but it is gratifying. It takes years to become proficient with a fly rod in saltwater, which can mean less fish in the boat. If numbers is your game, then you should probably be fishing with bait.
Fly fishing in the Everglades is one of the most enjoyable fly fishing trips on the planet. The mangrove shorelines provide calm waters on the windiest of days where even beginner fly fishermen are able to cast efficiently without having to deal with 20mph loop crushing winds.
There are two main ways that we fly fish the Everglades, sight fishing and blind casting. While sight fishing, we push the boat along in shallow water looking for clues and ultimately seeing fish before presenting the fly. When visibility is poor, we are forced to blind cast in areas that might be holding fish. The shorelines in the Everglades are covered in mangrove roots and branches that provide safe cover for snook, redfish, and tarpon but can make for some challenging casts. Whether we are sight fishing or blind casting, being able to cast proficiently gives you an advantage. Long casts aren’t always necessary, but accurate casts are. Generally speaking we try to get the fly in front of the fish as closely as possible and move the fly in such a way that it triggers a reaction strike. Simply put, an accurate cast isn’t enough to get the job done. Being able to effectively fish your fly is a skill that can only be learned by spending time on the water.
We primarily target three species of fish on our fly fishing trips; snook, redfish, and tarpon, but many other species might be encountered on a typical day. You never know when you might catch tripletail, black drum, goliath grouper, mackerel, cobia, permit, false albacore, pompano, or sea trout while fly fishing the Everglades.
We encourage new fly fishermen and enjoy helping them grow as anglers. The Everglades is the perfect place for fly anglers of all skill levels and we are sure that after spending time on our skiffs, you will be a better fly fisherman.