A short day at the office and plenty of last minute loose ends to tie up off to the Portland jet port. With the first snow of the year I can’t wait to get to the home of the Tarpon and Snook. Yes fellow fly fisherman once again I am off to Florida to chase what ever I can catch on my Orvis 8 wt. A trip to Everglades Angler for some up to date fishing information a few EP flies and my favorite Glass minnows I’ll be set for a week of beach and light fishing.Well I made it 10:30 pm and I hit my first light . Snook Snook Snook Jacks and a few lookdowns. Boy the Snook are spooky this time of year. I have tried everything floating, sinking, big flies, small flies all the colors I have… Nothing. Now time to have a beer and think about what the hell is going on. Ok I get my floating line put on a 6” lead head section 8 feet of straight 40lb fluorocarbon with a small glass minnow with a green back place a cast into the darkness. Strip Strip Strip BOOM off we go a monster Snook out of the dark. Running towards me I manage to pick up the slack but not in time for the big dog to head for the pilings. A quick bend some running down the dock I got him… so I thought the dam Snook managed to place 1 small wrap around the bottom of a swim ladder keep tension enough for me to think he was still on.Then some how the big dog placed that fly on a barnacle!! SMART FISH. With my rig working I head to the other lights and manage to catch 5 more fish but none like the big dog… For the next few nights I fished for that dog, he was there showing off busting the live pilchards. Nothing I had would fool him. I guess you only get 1 shot at the wise local fish maybe next time he will be fooled again!! Maybe I’ll be a better angler!!! See Ya on the dock Joe-mHAPPY HOILDAYS TO ALL !! MAY 05 ‘BRING YOU TIGHT LINES.
It’s always the one that gets away that haunts you.
I was just down in Everglades City and had the same problem, the snook were incredibly finicky, nailing little livebait on the surface but ignoring or moving away from almost any fly I presented. I finally got a few to bite with a small chartreuse and white bendback. While the docklights there get a lot of fishing pressure, I am fairly sure the water temperature has a lot to do with it, as I’ve had similar experiences during winter months in Palm Beach, Sarasota, and Venice.
Funny how the water temp changes the feeding time and places. I have my best luck on the ep flies purple both on the lights and the beach thanks pete