The ocean was an amazing azure blue and flat as liquid glass. The boat was drifting as if suspended between two other worlds of brilliant blue sky and the world of gin-clear water below. It is hard to judge depth in ocean water that is so clean and pure – fish just appear from nowhere gliding up to see what you are and if there are morsels good to eat. It was on one of these days when the boat was drifting motionless in the heat and stillness of a Florida summer day when I looked over the side and saw a small school of dolphin circling the boat. I rushed into the cabin and unlimbered my 10 weight fly rod. I was so excited I was shaking trying to on a fly. This was my first and as good a chance as I was ever going to have to hook a dolphin on the fly with Captain Wayne Fellows!
I went to the back of the boat ready to cast. A dolphin swam past the transom about 20 yards off- standing in the corner of boat I backcast to my right side parallel and down the side of the boat and towards the bow then out into the blue- as soon as the fly hit the water I slowly stripped back in and on this first cast the dolphin saw the fly and made its move- I couldn’t believe my luck! He gulped down the fly and took off- I held the rod pointed at the fish and jerked back on the line to set the hook- as soon as he felt the hook set he leaped three great jumps and pulled the line tight. I held the line tight against the rod and I reeled in the slack and now I had the fish on rod and real. He made a couple of good runs and I just watched, savoring the moment! I began to reel him in and I called for the gaff- he made a couple of good turns at boat side and he was gaffed and brought on board. I have great memories of the day, the picture you see above, and oh did I tell you, it was not a really BIG dolphin, it was just my first on fly!
Fort Lauderdale Offshore Fishing can provide you with the ultimate fishing experience. You can get out into the Gulf Stream and catch some of the best Mahi-Mahi of your life. Our Fishing Charters here at iOutdoor will amazed you with the endless amounts of fun you can have in the sun. Come Share-a-little sunshine with us and get hooked up on a fishing adventure of a lifetime!
Snook are fish that live either in saltwater or fresh water. Tricky to catch, Snook are still much sought-after because of their delicious meat and the challenge of catching one. Like most fish, Snook are cold blooded animals. Thus, they rely on the water temperature to regulate the temperature of their bodies. Cold temperatures are detrimental to the health of this fish species and sudden drops in temperature can be deadly. Thus, Snook have to migrate to warmer waters such as Flamingo in the Florida Keys when winter begins.
The migration patterns largely depend on where they are currently located, what temperature that location has, and in what direction is the warmer body of water. Snook migrating through the waters of Florida follow an east to west pattern, as opposed to the usual north to south that many fish species do.
Snook can easily move from freshwater to salt water and vice versa. Those who have observed them swim upstream say that they stay close to the center of the water body – be it a large river or a small creek. Also, Snook love to travel during day time.
The problem with migrating Snook is that they ignore your bait, most of the time, no matter how delicious it might be. They are also easily spooked so fly fishing for Snook can be frustrating. In fact, Snook are the most difficult to catch when they are migrating. Still, if you try to be as subtle as you can, you’d probably be able to entice one to take your bait while Fort Lauderdale Inshore Fishing.
Snook Fishing in Florida:
Snook Fishing in Florida in the ultimate inshore fishing experience. You truly can’t beat the action especially once the snook move in during their migrations. Most of the migrations are due to mating and that search for warmer weather. Summer months are the most productive months to catch them but also the time of year that you can’t harvest them. According to FWC, Dec. 15- Jan. 31st and June 1st- Aug. 31st seasons of harvest are closed.
September 1st brings about one of the most incredible times to go Night Fishing in Fort Lauderdale. Inshore Fishing for these elusive beasts will be one of the most action-packed fishing adventures of your lifetime!
Florida boasts of having over 8,000 miles of coastline as well as 4,500 miles of inland waterways. With this much water for cruising, it is no wonder that boating is such a popular sport in the state. Many boaters often find themselves cruising over Florida waters and its waterways for the sheer beauty of it. Many types of boats have graced the waters of Florida ranging from mega-yachts to wooden skiffs. In Florida, owning a boat is as normal as owning a car.
Florida Waterways
The wonders of boating in Florida are further enhanced with its waterways, passages where boats can pass through for maximum boating experience. There are many waterways maintained by the Florida Inland Navigation District, the two most common and popular are the Intracoastal Waterway or ICW and the Okeechobee Waterway.
The ICW is also known as “the ditch” and is a natural but dredged channel. This channel extends 500 miles down the east coast of Florida to the tip of the Keys. This is a very popular boating route because it runs through rivers, creeks as well-dredged canals, giving boaters an extremely great variety in boating experience.
The Okeechobee Waterway, on the other hand, is composed of 135 miles of boating route. Extremely popular during the summer, this waterway runs along the St. Lucie Canal from Stuart, across the lake, then on to Sanibel Island via the Caloosahatchee River.
Just as cars park in a parking lot, boats do so as well but in ports. Boats aren’t just anchored anywhere. There are many great places to anchor in Fort Lauderdale including across Ponce Inlet in front of sandbar of the Island; the anchorage in Boca Chica Harbor; and the bayside by Sand’s Cut. Brevard County also has a great place to anchor such as sand Island across Fort Lauderdale Inlet.
Boating Rules and Regulations
It is recommended that before purchasing a boat or even before boating in Florida, especially for those new in the area, to get acquainted with the state’s boating rules and regulations for a safe and legal boating experience.
