Year Round Miami Fly Fishing

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

By Gwen Lowe


Most people think that Miami means deep sea fishing, with fast boats taking people out of sight of land to catch giant sailfish or tuna. However, Miami fly fishing charters take people inland to the salt flats, to freshwater canals, or to sheltered bays. Fishermen also find the adventure of casting into the surf an exciting challenge.

The prey is both freshwater and saltwater species. Although casting an artificial fly into the quiet waters of a lake takes tackle and techniques that are different from the equipment and skills needed to fish in the surf, many sportsmen enjoy both challenges. Since the experience is just as important as the catch, both the peace of a quiet shore and the exhilaration of the waves make for memorable times on the water.

Salt is very corrosive, so the reels and hooks are made of different materials. Reels, rods, and lines have to be heavier to match the ferocity of the heavy fishes of the sea. Fortunately, turbulent water can hide the heavier line from fish who are watching the wet fly move along the bottom. Dry flies are not used in the surf.

Technique, which is probably the main point of fly fishing anyway, needs to be adjusted. Casting over rising and falling waves against a stiff on-shore breeze takes much more aggression than is called for on a quiet riverbank. Keeping your balance in the surf is a challenge, as is resisting the cold seawater. Fighting a fifty-pound fish for twenty minutes may be another first that turns this sport into an obsession.

Guides take their clients to Biscayne Bay, Flamingo, the Keys, or to Everglades National Park. They know the best spots for seasonal sport. Although there are many permanent fish, there are also migratory species that give great sport when they're around. A boat trip includes a license, ice to preserve food fish that will be kept, tackle, and an experienced guide. Guests bring their own food, water, drinks, sunhats, sunscreen and protective clothing, and cameras. They also absolutely have to have a good pair of polarized sunglasses, since the glare off the water is murderous.

It's absolutely true that there's no time of year when the fish aren't biting in Florida waters. It's a year-round sport which is especially nice when winter months bring cooler temperatures and the sun is a friend rather than a threat. There are always different species of food and game fish, as well as places to go, for many different experiences.

It's fun to explore the online sites that concern the fish, the waters, the scenery, the skills to be used or learned, and the memories that can be made in southern Florida. Magazine articles posted online can open up new avenues for even experienced fly fishers to explore. Apparently stalking the elusive and shy permit, an ocean fish that comes to the flats to feast on crustaceans, is a life experience to be coveted, while actually catching one is a great achievement.

Southern Florida offers so many opportunities to fish that a lifetime of vacations might not be long enough. Go online to read excerpts from magazines, descriptions of charter trips and the captains who conduct them, and lots of information on why many find saltwater fly-fishing addictive.




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