Palm Beach and Broward Counties ... Sunny Fla

[Stagger_Lee]

Seems lakes & canals are popular if one is going to DIY on foot. Anyone have any info on those areas and the species I should target?




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[mutzinbaugh]

lamont,

when I lived on orlando in 99 I fished lakes and canals with big streamers and caught largemouth bass. Try white and black rabbit streamers, meaning two toned...white bellies with black backs.

you might come across a small gator or two!

good luck...

 

[Fishidiot]

I did some DIY canal fishing around Ft Lauderdale some years ago. I had some luck catching small peacock bass on Clouser Minnows. I can't remember exactly where I was.

I think most any canal down there with access for fishing would be worth a few casts as there are all sorts of exotic fish in 'em as well as largemouth bass, baby tarpon etc.
The canals run parallel to many of the roads down there - watch you don't snag a car on your backcast.

 

[sandfly]

if ya do snag one hold on, a few fellows have lost their rods in the past. used to fish for snook, tarpoons, and bass all in the same canals. now there's peacock bass, tilapia, boa constrictors, pythons, gaters,

 

[pafisherman]

Take some big poppers also...could be a blast...

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Pythons and gates aside .... any of those species toothy?

Should I be good with a 9’0 6wt and/or a 7’9 4wt?

 

[Fishidiot]

Stagger_Lee wrote:
any of those species toothy?
Should I be good with a 9’0 6wt and/or a 7’9 4wt?

I'd stick with the 6WT.
Although you never know what you'll hook down there, peacock bass, snook, baby tarpon etc and the other typical canal fish are generally not toothy.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Good stuff gents and thanks much. If anyone else with info where to send me please chime in. Gonna try to head out a few times when I'm with my wifes family and not working.

 

[Chaz]

Stagger_Lee wrote:
Seems lakes & canals are popular if one is going to DIY on foot. Anyone have any info on those areas and the species I should target?




/

Watch out for Gators, and I don't mean fans.

 

[turkey]

I don't know much but my impression is that snook leave the salt and move up into the canals to winter over. The 'Glades start just west of Sunrise in Broward and I've read/heard that there is good canal fishing over that way, although there is water everywhere you look. As was said, watch for gators. I had the hell scared out of me on the Middle River when I climbed over a bridge railing into an overgrown vacant lot on the water and iguanas exploded out of the grass.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Chaz wrote:

Watch out for Gators, and I don't mean fans.

F'en gates .... human and reptile!

Found some decent resources online and looks like I should be fairly safe with some of the canals I target right b4 the Everglades. Will still be careful but a lower % of running into one not being all the way in the glades. Had a run in with some crocs on a golf course in Mexico .. almost had a heart attack when the 1st one surprised me.

Will be targeting peacocks and other bass but maybe get surprised with some other species.

 

[boychick]

Zig and zag if you get chased by a toothy type gator! Have fun on your trip.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Cold snaps will push the snook into the warmer canals. Clousers,green/white, grey/white and Crazy Charlies should be good. Leader, 40,lbs 3 ft for the butt,30 lb about 3 ft ,and 20 lbs for the last 3 ft. will work just fine. GG

 

[Stagger_Lee]

GG .. we ain't thinking abt cold snaps . Been taking the lil ones to visit their grandparents for many years over Xmas break and have really lucked out with the weather .... only a handful time chilly/cold for a few days ... not entire trip.

Found a couple of fly shops with-in 20-25 mins where I'm located and they will set me up with fly's and answer local questions. Looking forward to fishing a new destination ... figuring all I need is my rod/reel, lanyard with and other gadgets, sun-glasses, etc ... think wading isn't that big unless u want to possibly tussle wit a gate :-o so I will be leaving them and boots home ... just chuck fly's from the shore line of a lake or canal access point

 

[Fishidiot]

Stagger,
If you didn't already know this, you'll need a fishing license to fish salt in FL. Fortunately, they have a very convenient phone purchase systems for licenses. The number is 1-888-347-4356 (at least it was the last time I checked).

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Yea FI thanks and I figured that ... will give em a call. They'll give me the answers but the Canals are salt? I'm not planning on hitting the inter-coastal or surf .. just canals and/or lakes. Looking forward to heading out.

 

[Fishidiot]

I'm not sure about the canals. In most states, if an area is subject to tides, it's a salt situation. It may not matter as the license may cover both. GG could probably clarify this or hit the FL site for sure.

 

[Gone_Phishin]

There is a Bass Pro in Ft. Lauderdale with a fly shop in it. The guys working down there are real helpful and will help you out with fly selection and maybe give you some pointers on where to go.

I went down last June but never got a chance to go out with the fly rod. My fiance did catch a tarpon and a snook on spin gear in the 10,000 Island area though. The area we were in was way to tight to try and use a fly rod. You could barely stand up in the boat.

 

[MattBoyer]

You need a license for salt and fresh in Fla, and I'm pretty sure they are separate fees. The good thing is if you call 1-800-fishflorida(which, if you do the math, has more digits than a normal phone number, but still works), they will give you a number to use until they mail your stuff to you, which always came after we got home. I've been checked by FWC more in a season than I've been checked in PA and NY combined in 25 years. I'd just hand them my scrap of paper, usually a gas receipt that was laying in my car when I pulled in to fish and realized I forgot to get my license, they'd run the number and I'd be on my way.

Boyer

 

[MattBoyer]

Oops, it's 888-fishflorida!

Boyer