By Richard Hastings
This October has certainly been a windy one. While it can be a deterrent offshore, in the backcountry it simply helps us figure out where to go.
Some of the windiest days can produce some of the best days I’ve had in the Everglades. We’re getting into the time of year when we all head into Florida Bay more often than the oceanside.
The snook, redfish and speckled trout fishing is improving with each cold front. Seeing the snook chasing and exploding on frantic schools of mullet is a thrill for all. Working shorelines with top water flies for snook and juvenile tarpon is producing more than just smiles.
Bonefish have been biting and running hard on the days you can see them. Early in the month, cleaner water made for better fishing with the fly or an artificial. It’s great to see the comeback this species is making in the Keys. We’re starting to see some larger fish around the flats enjoying the cooler water temperatures.
FISH FACT
The speckled trout are in the drum fish family, named from the croaking, drumming noise they can make.
FISH TIP
To catch bonefish, use shrimp or crab-imitating flies or lures, making sure the fly lands softly and sinks to the bottom.
