Inshore Fish!ing Report Spring Fishing at Flamingo Everglades National Park, Fl March 17, 2001 by: Jim Sawyer
	Ah, the colors of Spring; blue and green. The blue of a Jacaranda tree blooming and the green of St. Patrick's Day beer. Sure signs that spring fishing is about to begin in SE Florida. I had just noticed my first Jacandra covered in blooms on Wednesday and was scheduled to go fishing with Capt. John Griffiths on Saturday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. Blue and green are also the colors of clean fishable water in the Everglades/Florida Bay area and can sometimes be hard to find during the high winds of March. This is especially true after 3 or 4 days of strong South to Southwesterly winds which was the condition we faced as we motored out of the Flamingo Marina. However, John knows the area and the tides and was confident we could find clean water when everything around us looked like a chocolate milkshake. After leaving the marina we headed west to East Cape Canal and Lake Inghram. The last of the rising tide entering from the Gulf gave us enough clean water and current to connect with our first snook of the day and a nice black drum. As the day progressed we moved from site to site and added snook, redfish, trout and a 20 lb. jewfish to either the fishbox, or our fishing stories, as size, species and luck dictated. John is finally managing to teach me to fish Flamingo style. I am used to fishing in open water where I can cast up current of the target and work the lure back downstream. With the heavier cover and fish holding so close, the best technique here is often to tie-off upstream and drop the bait back right in front of their noses. In a couple cases it was like pitching jigs to bass. Good reflexes and a tight drag help too. The fishing was never red-hot, but it was a much better day than I had expected with the recent weather. If you don't already know Capt. Griffiths I suggested you check out his website at www.captainjohngriffiths.com/ or his fishing reports on CyberAngler. John's reports are among the most useful you will find and include more real information than most guides are willing to part with. Return to Inshore Fish!ing Guides & Charters
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