Flamingo at Everglades National Park

[Capt. BassinLou]

I have to say its weird posting a report on this forum, since I'm usually posting reports about bass fishing. 

For the first time ever, I was invited to go fish at Flamingo inside Everglades National Park, with a good friend of mine and his good friend.  We arrived at the ramp at 645am and launched at 7am. The first area we were going to fish was inside the back country where mangrove islands were all around us as far as the eye could see. Thank goodness for GPS because I was lost after a couple of turns around some of these islands. 

When we arrived at our first location, there was activity all around us. But since the water is was pretty murky, I couldn't identify what was blowing up on the surface. My guides (my friends) were saying snook, and I went along because I don't know how snook strike. Within a few minutes we hooked up to a decent size snook and stayed around the area for awhile. When the activity stopped we decided to make  a long run into the gulf to special location called the "rock pile"




The rock pile was described to me as "the" place to catch all kinds of fish, but was forewarned that the odds of landing a fish was stacked against me due to the volume of resident sharks and Goliath Groupers. My friends also advised me that what ever happens never fall into the water. 

When we arrived to the rock pile, my firsts cast yielded me, my very first spanish mackeral. Soon after the fishing got real serious real quick. My friend caught a young cobia, and as we were about to land the fish, a sudden huge figure appeared from the bottom of the boat, breached the water and inhaled the cobia. I jumped packed startled and said if they saw the size of that shark. Both guys sat there laughing and told me that was no shark, but instead, it was huge Goliath Grouper. I was absolutely stunned. The big brown looking sofa that I thought was a huge rock on the bottom the whole time was actually a HUMONGOUS  300 + lb fish!!



The goliath grouper made another appearance when I hooked up with a look down fish, and the grouper inhaled that fish too. Since I was out gunned, equipment wise, my lined snapped after a short 2 min fight. My friend asked me if I was ready to go toe to toe with the grouper again, with heavier equipent but I passed on the opportunity, and he decided to tangle with the grouper instead. He took out a big rod and reel with a 200lb leader and 10/0 circle hook.  We used another looked down fish as live bait and in a matter of minutes the biggest grouper of the bunch inhaled the look down fish and the fight was on!! My friend buckled over like if he was trying to hold a VW while peeling out. After about 15-20 min of holding on for dear life, my friend was spent, and passed the rod over to his friend. As soon has he grabbed the rod, he buckled over as well, and shortly got the upper hand and reeled up the behemoth. When the fish surfaced my jaw dropped. I have never been so close to such a huge fish. After a few pictures, the fish was released boat side and swam back down to his lair.





During the fight with the Goliath Grouper, we failed to notice the big thunderstorm that developed behind us. We had to leave the location and maneuver around 2 storms to another fishing location. At this spot, we landed several spanish mackerel and sea trout. When the bite died down, we moved again to another spot but the bite was dead. The temps were ridiculous and we were all spent after a full day of fishing.   My friend called the trip a little after 330pm.  We had to maneuver around another storm and came across a stranded boat due to a spun hub. We didn't think twice, and towed the boat back to marina, safely.







Day in Perspective. I had a fun, great experience and look forward to returning some time in the future. Flamingo is a beautiful place, but don't let that fool you, its a very dangerous place if you don't know what you are doing. Everyone should have a solid game plan in place when travelling to Flamingo. Make sure EVERYTHING is in good working order and you have a way to communicate with the Coast Guard in case of an emergency.  There is 0 phone svc, and radios only work up to a certain distance.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the pics!!

[big g]

Lou great report.  Its certainly a different world down there, and lots of big creatures.  Real easy to get lost down there.  Can't see any pics yet!  Those are some beautiful fish.  How many did you catch?

[Pacific NW Ron]

Thanks for sharing the story Lou, but for some reason I'm not seeing the pictures.

[Pacific NW Ron]

Pictures are showing up now.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Thanks guys. I type my report first, then come back and add my pictures. They should be up now.

[SFL BassHunter]

Thanks for the report Lou! What a great adventure! I love catching snook and sea trout I love eating sea trout too!
I've only been out to flamingo and fished from the bank.

Those Goliath groupers put bass to shame huh? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lipripper]

I can see the pictures also. Lou thanks for the great report and looks like you had a great day of fishing.  Next time steep up and grab that rod with the grouper on it and have a go at it.  Just don't let it pull you over board.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Thanks for the report Lou! What a great adventure! I love catching snook and sea trout I love eating sea trout too!
I've only been out to flamingo and fished from the bank.

Those Goliath groupers put bass to shame huh? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Rick...
GG's put the majority of fish to shame
.. lol!!

[Capt. BassinLou]

Lol... thanks Lip, I was told already that next time it's my turn to tangle with a Goliath or big bull shark.
Which btw a 7ft bull shark was circling the boat the whole time we were fighting the grouper.

I can see the pictures also. Lou thanks for the great report and looks like you had a great day of fishing.  Next time steep up and grab that rod with the grouper on it and have a go at it.  Just don't let it pull you over board.

[Lipripper]

Lol... thanks Lip, I was told already that next time it's my turn to tangle with a Goliath or big bull shark.
Which btw a 7ft bull shark was circling the boat the whole time we were fighting the grouper.

I wouldn't doubt it about that shark. I have seen shows about some tarpon tournaments and they would have a big tarpon hooked up and one of them Big Sharks would come up and smack it.

[FlatsNBay]

Lou did you try the frog? Nice report.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Lou did you try the frog? Nice report.

No. Thanks Flats. 

[FloridaFishinFool]

Great report Lou! A nice read.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Great report Lou! A nice read.

Thank you.

[cport]

I love bass fishing, but I do miss fishing the salt. I used to fish saltwater a lot when I lived in San Diego. What was cool is you could catch many pelagic species very close to shore; sometimes a kayak ride to the kelp beds when El Nino was present would produce yellowtail, albacore, and dorado. Its all about water temps on the west coast when it comes to catching the pelagics. Inshore was spotted bay bass, calico bass, sand bass, halibut, and believe it or not, bonefish in the flats in San Diego Bay.

[Capt. BassinLou]

I love bass fishing, but I do miss fishing the salt. I used to fish saltwater a lot when I lived in San Diego. What was cool is you could catch many pelagic species very close to shore; sometimes a kayak ride to the kelp beds when El Nino was present would produce yellowtail, albacore, and dorado. Its all about water temps on the west coast when it comes to catching the pelagics. Inshore was spotted bay bass, calico bass, sand bass, halibut, and believe it or not, bonefish in the flats in San Diego Bay.

This experience was an eye opening one for me. Back country fishing is very similar to bass fishing. The outfits are almost identical and methods similar. But the types of species you will encounter outnumber that of bass by a large margin. I look forward to my next outing. I let my friend know how much I enjoyed this trip and he promised me another outing down the road. There was even a mention of Tarpon fishing at night with the view of Downtown Miami as our back drop. I am looking forward to posting my next report when ever that time comes. 

[cport]

This experience was an eye opening one for me. Back country fishing is very similar to bass fishing. The outfits are almost identical and methods similar. But the types of species you will encounter outnumber that of bass by a large margin. I look forward to my next outing. I let my friend know how much I enjoyed this trip and he promised me another outing down the road. There was even a mention of Tarpon fishing at night with the view of Downtown Miami as our back drop. I am looking forward to posting my next report when ever that time comes. 

I will buy a huge tackle bag that you can smuggle me on to the boat with

[LgMouthGambler]

Very cool. Surprised you didnt go for sharks. Glad you guys got to catch some nice species.

[zippyduck]

Oh you just made me miss the salt. I love to fish the salt as you said so many species and some giants.

Thanks for the story.

[the_huber_show]

Absolutely gorgeous water and fish!   That grouper is a monster