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3. FINALLY heading to Florida!

In spite of many obstacles, I and my neighbor/fishing buddy Ron are just about ready to head south - as far south as we can drive before we hit the Gulf of Mexico! Not to say, however, we won't be hitting freshwater fishing opportunities, I hear largemouth and bluegill get a LOT bigger down there. Plus the opportunity to catch "aquarium fish" on a fly rod, i.e. all of those escaped cichlids in lake Okeechobee & parts south...peacock bass! But the Keys are the ultimate destination, and for more reasons than the fishing...snorkeling, stargazing (oh yeah, packing as much astro gear as I can in and around the fishing gear, including two new travel telescopes & two cases of accessories!), hiking nature/botanical trials (this U of M botany graduate isn't going down to the subtropics without seein' me some serious plant life!), just being on/near the freakin' ocean which I haven't seen since 2006, & FL since 1997...

This is the first of many installments, I'm taking two cameras & Ron has both his camera phone and a waterproof GoPro knockoff & he will have his laptop with WiFi. So we plan to post stories with pics from the road. In the meantime, here's some pics of the preparation, and yes, much nice new tackle has been purchased for the trip (to be used on pike & bruiser smallies in my backyard when we get back). Enjoy!

Jonathon

Have fun!

Enjoy!

Jonathon,



I was in Fort Myers last week. From the 20th to the 27th. I visited a freind and stayed with him in his condo. There is a small lake on the property and I caught three Mayan Cichilds. At first I thought they were just huge red breated sunfish. But I did some research and found out what they really were. They fight really good but I could not catch any on flies. It was a very deep lake and I couldn't get a good back cast so I used a spinning rod. I caught all of them on a little 1.5" long Storm soft bait. The hook is molded in as is a weight. I also caught a bunch of largemouth.

I was there during a low and a cold front. The first day it never got warmer than 55 degrees. Almost every day was very windy. We were only able to get a boat 2 days and I did catch about 20 small 11" - 14" snook. I did get one about 18". I also caught a nice jack on a bonefish shrimp fly about 4#. That was my best fighting fish of the trip. As soon as I left the fishing has picked up and my buddy has been getting bigger snook and a couple redfish everyday. Good luck. Remember you need to purchase a salt water fishing license.

Thanks for the info, Matt. Yes, planning on purchasing both fresh- and saltwater licenses in FL. Sounds like we missed a cold snap! Ron has been disparaging about all the delays, but I told him I think they were working in our favor...looks like I was right!

Haven't had my car in over two weeks and I'm jumping through hoops trying to get a loan to pay for the unanticipatedly large bill (>$3000)...looking for paperwork right now! If I get it back today we leave tomorrow a.m.

Jonathon

Jonathon,

Can you shed any light on how Mayan Cichilds got into Florida waters? There were hundreds in the pond at my friends condo. There is an automatic fish feeder at 6:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. When the pellets drop into the lake I would venture to say there were at least 100 fish boiling on the surface. They were thick bodied and between 10" & 12".

I know that some cichlids were intentionally introduced, such as peacock bass, and some undoubtedly by private landowners. I would bet the majority came from tropical fish farms in FL that loose fish every time there's a hurricane. I read an article many years ago now (like over 20) in a Tropical fish Hobbyist or similar magazine about catching your own aquarium fish from canals in FL with a cast net!

I will post pics of at least 1 of everything I catch down there!

Jonathon

THe Cichild is a really good fighter. I did some research and they eat worms, insects, some plant matter. I bet if you could use a trout nymph or a San Juan or Squirmy wormy you might have success. I did well on snook with a 3" light blue over white Deceiver and a lime green over white Deceiver. Both on #1/0 hooks. If you plan on eating any fish make sure you know what is in season. The snook season is closed until May of 2021. At least in the Fort Myers area.

Just got back an hour ago, two days of driving from Marathon Key, FL, to Oscoda, MI. Trip report with many pictures coming, including some fly fishing! Gotta get some sleep & download photos. Watch your screens!

Jonathon

Okay, something weird is going on with time on computers & etc.? I am posting this @ 1:11 a.m., not 5:11 a.m. Is there something going on in the world beyond the toilet paper crisis???

Now it says 9:11 p.m.???